Head to Valdez for one of the world’s best ice climbing festivals! You won’t believe how amazingly blue the glacial ice shines or the daring stunts that the ice climbers pull. Go to the festival to enjoy the beauty of the area and the fascinating and thrilling sport of ice climbing. Clinics will help you get better, no matter what level you are, and the parties and events will be fun for everyone.
The Valdez Ice Climbing Festival celebrates the sport with clinics and classes and lots of climbing in the perfect conditions. The event is hosted by the American Alpine Club.
Valdez is a seaside town on the southeastern coast of mainland Alaska. This town experiences consistently high snowfalls and perfect conditions for winter outdoor adventures.
The festival sites are all over the area, utilizing all the best ice climbing spots including frozen waterfalls, glaciers, ice caves and mountainsides.
Many climbers spend the summer on rock faces, perfecting their techniques. The toughest climbers then keep going throughout the winters, heading up the faces of ice covered Alaskan mountains.
It takes a lot of gear to safely ice climb and there are a number of vendors at the event to keep you up to date with the latest in safety, functionality and style. Get everything you need to participate in the sport or up your game.
Alaska Mountain & Hiking offers weekend rentals for traveling climbers, but they sell out quickly, so plan ahead and bring what you need or make a reservation for gear now.
Professional climbers from around the world attend the event just to climb in the awesome conditions. This year, Jeff Shapiro, Chad Jukes and Conrad Akner will be there to teach clinics and join the climbing fun.
Ice caves are formed when the surface of the glacier remains frozen and a stream of melted run-off carves out the middle of the ice. These caves make for spectacular views and gorgeous climbing adventures.
The Alaska Department of Transportation even helps out the festival by assisting with traffic control on the roadside climbs. There are 600-foot-tall frozen waterfalls right off the highway that the climbers can't resist.
There's no need to try your hand at the sport if you don't want to. Watching a group of climbers brave the intimidating ice faces is a wonderful spectator experience.
Other events include the movie night, dance party, slide show, spaghetti feed and banquet for getting to know the crew. You'll love this fun and adventurous festival in Valdez!
