This is a three-day intro to ice climbing course offered in the Valdez, Alaska area Central Chugach: an ice climbing mecca within a few minutes drive of the world-class Keystone Canyon and numerous other ice climbing venues. No matter the weather, there’s a good place to ice climb within a 45 minute drive of Valdez once winter sets in (and most climbing is within a 15 minute drive from town). This is some of the best, and most concentrated, ice climbing on Planet Earth – and without the crowds of places like Hyalite Canyon, Montana and Ouray, Colorado.

This course teaches the fundamentals of ice climbing in Alaska. Curriculum consists of recommended pre-course study (reading, online coursework, educational materials) and three field days with direct instruction from a master’s-level outdoor educator and one of Alaska’s most experienced and knowledgeable ice climbers. It covers hazard evaluation (objective and subjective), avalanche safety, risk assessment and management, gear selection, safety equipment, technical skill development, basic knots, rope handling, and top rope ice climbing.

The primary learning objective is for students to develop top rope ice climbing competency: anchor setup, belaying, and climbing. From this foundation students can gradually work toward lead climbing on ice independently or with further professional instruction.

Central Chugach (Valdez area) dates:

• Friday, December 29 – Sunday, December 31, 2023
• Friday, February 2 – Sunday, February, 4, 2024
• Friday, February 9 – Sunday, February 11, 2024

$600 per person. Call/text 907-831-9686 or email Info@ChugachSnow.org for inquiries and registration.

Private ice climbing courses (pre-course study material and three field days) are available and start at the following rates for dates of your choosing:

• 1 person: $1600
• 2 people: $900 each
• 3 people: $750 each
• 4 people: $650 each
• 5 people: $600 each

Other locations (Eagle River – Echo Bend, Eklutna Canyon, Hunter Creek, Caribou Creek, Nabesna, Chitina, McCarthy) are also available. Courses outside the Central Chugach area (Valdez, Thompson Pass, Tiekel Valley) may involve additional fees for instructor travel.

Rates for a single day of guiding and instruction start at $600.

Prerequisites: Fitness for hiking, snowshoeing, or ski touring approaches in potentially deep snow for up to two miles* and a few hundred vertical feet, ability to function in potentially inclement mountain weather for the three consecutive field days.

Gear Rental: Limited gear available for rent from CMI. Participants will need cold weather mountaineering boots compatible with and including fully automatic crampons, harness, ice tools, and helmet. Beyond what CMI has available for rent, gear rental is available in Anchorage and Fairbanks. CMI will provide a complete gear list upon registration and answer any questions regarding necessary gear and attire for the course.

*Valdez area approaches are the shortest and easiest, approaches for courses offered elsewhere are typically much longer.