CLIMB: Ice Climbing Intro Weekends

A two-day course most popular on weekends (though any two days will do), Sawback's Ice Climbing Intro courses provide beginners with training in movement skills and help transfer summer rock climbing top-roping skills to the winter environment.

Whether you are a complete novice or a competent rock climber wishing to make the switch to winter climbing, Sawback's Ice Intro courses aim to give you what you're looking for and more.

Friday: Meet at 8 pm in Canmore for about one hour to discuss the trip objectives, weather and route conditions, check equipment, and arrange meeting times. This is optional but highly recommended.

Saturday: Go to a local ice climbing practice area. Curriculum components include safety, equipment use and care, belaying, climbing movement skills, anchor construction (natural, screw, and V-Thread), rappelling and lowering.

Sunday: Travel to a multi-pitch ice climbing area, for example Valley of the Sun in Ghost River (a 7-pitch Grade 3+ ice climb offering a chance to get really high in a scenic and remote location) or This House of Sky (pictured to left).

Cost: $295 per person for a group of two or more, $550 for a single. Equipment rental, food, and transportation not included. Maximum guide:guest ratio is 1:2 for multi-pitch climbing and 1:4 for the top-roping day.

• Guide and guide-related expenses (guide's tip/gratuities not included in fee).
• Technical equipment (ropes, protections, etc.) Contact us for details or if you have any questions. An equipment list is provided with detailed descriptions of what is necessary.

• Food ($60/person per day) & accommodation ($30-$80/day depending on type of room).
• Equipment rentals
• Please see our Trip Registration Guide for more details, or call (403-678-4997) or email us: