- All levels
- Ages 16+
This winter, join us for an amazing and unforgettable ice climb experience in North Conway. If you are a beginner or advanced climber, New England is an amazing experience to develop your climbing technique.
Quick Details
Beginner Ice Climbing Course
Welcome to the wonderful world of frozen water! At Kaf Adventures, we love to ice climb! In fact, ice climbing has been a part of mountaineering and exploration for decades. Explorers developed techniques for traveling safely over glaciated terrain to reach the tops of mountains they saw from far below.
As they set their sights on steeper and steeper objectives, new techniques and tools needed to be created; thus the art of ice climbing was born. Whether pictures in magazines inspire you, friends told you about ice climbing, or you just thought it might be something fun to try, come experience the thrill of climbing, one of nature’s most dynamic mediums.
During our ice climbing instructional courses, we teach you all of the skills and techniques necessary to progress to our Intermediate Ice Climbing course. From there, you’ll be ready to take your newfound skills into our Mountaineering Programs.
Beginner courses are offered year round, but the itinerary vastly changes. Check out the “itinerary” section to learn more.
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Winter
Minnesota: Meet your guide at Robinson Park in Sandstone, MN. The ice park is consists of 4 main areas of farmed ice. Spend the most time climbing, as the approach is minimal.
Washington: Ice is tricky in our wet climate. If interested in Washington winter climbing, call us to register. From there, we’ll coordinate our schedule with the weather and go when the ice is nice! Expect an approach hike.
Spring/Summer
Oregon: New for the 2024 season! Learn to ice climb at Mt. Hood’s Cooper Spur. Due to the remote location of the Eliot Glacier, this 2-day course will teach you the basics of ice climbing. Located on the north side of the mountain, we will meet at the Cooper Spur trailhead. We’ll hike 3-4 miles each way, so be prepared to hike on snowy trails with your camping gear.
Washington: Meeting point is typically the Heliotrope Trailhead on Mt. Baker. We’ll spend the day climbing the Coleman Glacier seracs. Please note, the approach is a moderate 2.75 mile hike.
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- 18+ for adult courses or 16+ with consent from a guardian and Kaf approval
- 12-18 for youth courses
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This is a beginner level course. Any previous climbing knowledge will enhance your ability to learn, but no prior experience is necessary.
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- Belay techniques
- Ice climbing movement
- Ice tool and crampon techniques
- Belay techniques
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- Eight hours of expert instruction
- Kaf Resources
- Ropes
- Ice Tools
- Ice Screws
- Crampons
- Helmet
- Harness
- Eight hours of expert instruction
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- Transportation
- Lunch
- Personal climbing gear: Layers and mountaineering boots
- Transportation
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- Ice tools (provided)
- Crampons (provided)
- Helmet (provided)
- Climbing boots (not provided)
- Appropriate layers (not provided)
- Ice tools (provided)
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Transportation and times will be coordinated by email when the pre-trip announcement is sent to all registrants.
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- Join us for Intermediate Ice Climbing and level up your skills on the sharp end!
“The date I want isn’t listed.” Please visit our Custom Courses page and contact us to book a private or custom course that fits your needs.
“I don’t see any dates.” Several of our courses run infrequently. We invite you to opt for a waitlist on our courses that do not have visible dates on the course calendar. When enough people sign up for that course, we will select a course date and invite you all to register then.