3 Day Ice School

The 3 day course is the third component to the Ice School section of JonnySimms.ca. The 3 Day course builds on the 2 Day course with a day of introduction to multi pitching.

What is a multi pitch? A standard waterfall ice multi pitch route in the Canadian Rockies consists of 3 to 8 pitches of a continuous ice. Depending on difficulty, continuous can be an easy, lengthy, rambling flow of up to 400 meters or a sheer vertical waterfall of 250 meters. Multi pitch ice routes usually follow a specific water drainage or gully starting around tree line elevations and adventuring into the alpine elevation band. The multi pitch day for the 3 Day course is customized to the student’s ability, experience and fitness.

For information on the 1 Day and 2 Day intro descriptions, logistics and agenda click here, 1 Day Ice School - Intro to Ice Climbing, 2 Day Ice School – Introduction to Ice Climbing.

For Day 3 of the 3 Day Ice School:

Day 3 involves a fully guided multi pitch day out in the Rockies on a classic grade 3 or 4 waterfall ice route. The waterfall ice route can be up to five pitches in length.

Learn how to:

• Multi pitch climb
• Multi pitch verbal commands
• Multi pitch rope and belay systems
• Observe and belay the lead climber
• Second the multi pitch
• Descend a multi pitch waterfall
• Climb a grade 3 or 4 multi pitch classic.

Day 3 of Ice School is a fully guided multi pitch day out in the Rockies on a classic grade 4 waterfall ice route. The waterfall ice route can be up to five pitches in length.

Ice Routes used on Day 3 are: (Get correct grades and lengths from books)

• Louise Falls, Lake Louise, AB.
• Guinness Gully, Field BC
• Core Dube, Canmore, AB
• Weeping Wall, Ice field’s Parkway, AB
• Cascade Falls, Banff, AB

Location meeting places:

• Tim Horton’s, Banff, Alberta
• Bagel Co., Canmore Alberta
• Laggen’s Bakery, Lake Louise, Alberta
• Jitas Café, Golden, BC

Logistics: At meeting place at 8:00am. Request desired meeting location on registration form.

Day 1 logistics:

Meeting Location: 8:00 am

• Drive to chosen ice climbing venue. The drive to one of the available areas will take approximately 10-30 minutes.

• Hike to crag. Length of hike to crag is approximately 30 minutes on a well used trail.

• Spend the majority of the day at the crag building skills and climbing.

• There is no given lunch time. Guests can eat and snack through out the day.

• At approximately 3:00 pm, hike out to car park.

  The A.M. agenda of Day 1 consists of instruction on:

• Ice climbing gear

• Knots

• Belaying

• Ice climbing movement and skills

  The P.M. agenda of Day 1:

  • Ice climbing school

  • Waterfall ice climbs

Day 2 logistics:

Meeting Location: 8:00 am

• Drive to chosen ice climbing venue. The drive to one of the available areas will take approximately 10-30 minutes.

• Hike to crag. Length of hike to crag is approximately 30 minutes on a well used trail.

• Spend the majority of the day at the crag building skills and climbing.

• There is no given lunch time. Guests can eat and snack through out the day.

• At approximately 3:00 pm, hike out to car park.

  The A.M. agenda of Day 2 consists of instruction on:

• Ice Anchors and screw protection

• Top Rope Anchors

• Lead Belaying

  The P.M. agenda of Day 2:

• Top rope Ice climbing

• Top rope Mixed climbing

  Meeting Location: 6:00 am

Day 3 Logistics:

• Drive to chosen multi pitch climb parking area

• Hike to multi pitch. 1 hour. At base of climb by 8:00 am

• Gear up and start the pitched climbing.

  o Each pitch can take approximately 30 minutes. o Multi pitch process goes like this:

  •   The guide climbs first, student belays

  •   Guide builds anchors, brings all remaining rope in. Guide puts

    student on belay.

  •   Student climbs the pitch to the guide

  •   Guide secures student to the anchor

  •   Student puts guide on belay for the next pitch

  •   The process is then repeated in this order to the top of climb.

• Climb 3 to 5 consecutive pitches with continual instruction and guiding
  o There is time at belays to snack and drink tea. The belay area of each

  pitch usually has a comfortable ledge to get instruction, belay from and

  rest.

• Top the climb out by 1:00 pm. Hi five, enjoy the view, take some photos, eat some

  food/drink. For approximately 20 minutes.

• Start descent. Rappelling or walk off. Usually will take up to 1.5 hours to descend back to base of climb.

• Gather belongings from the base and hike back to car park. 

Day 3 Agenda:

• Gear up and start the pitched climbing.
  o Each pitch can take approximately 30 minutes. o Multi pitch process goes like this:

  •   The guide climbs first, student belays

  •   Guide builds anchors, brings all remaining rope in. Guide puts

    student on belay.

  •   Student climbs the pitch to the guide

  •   Guide secures student to the anchor

  •   Student puts guide on belay for the next pitch

  •   The process is then repeated in this order to the top of climb.

• Climb 3 to 5 consecutive pitches with continual instruction and guiding
  o There is time at belays to snack and drink tea. The belay area of each

  pitch usually has a comfortable ledge to get instruction, belay from and

  rest.

• Top the climb out by 1:00 pm. Hi five, enjoy the view, take some photos, eat some

  food/drink. For approximately 20 minutes.

• Start descent. Rappelling or walk off. Usually will take up to 1.5 hours to

  descend back to base of climb.

• Gather belongings from the base and hike back to car park.

  Length: 8-10 hrs. The multi pitch day will utilize all available daylight hours. Students should be prepared for a full day of hiking, climbing, descending. Multi pitch climbing involves more of an approach, lengthier pitches, lead climbing/seconding, descending the waterfall and finally, hiking back to the car park.

  The approximate time of being back at the car is 4:00 pm.