Ice Climbing is rad: it’s fundamentally simple but devilishly tricky. This will be the second trip to Waterton for the ACC-GPS, but the first one with people actually going (last year’s was mostly cancelled due to bad weather).

Participants:

• 8 climbers

Climber Prerequisite:

• Familiarity with avalanche procedures (will go over a refresher outdoors prior to trip)
• Be able to bear (maybe even enjoy) the outdoors in winter
• No prior experience is needed, as we’ll be top roping.
• Perseverance and a positive attitude (there is some grunt to approach the ice climbs)

Equipment:

• Helmet
• Harness
• Rigid mountaineering boots (B2 or B3 boot) with heel/toe welts preferred
• Belay device (e.g. ATC, GriGri, Reverso)
• Crampons with vertical front points preferred*
• Ice axes x 2*
• 3 locking carabiners
• 35 L or larger backpack (big enough to hold extra clothes and creature comforts)
• 2 or more pairs of gloves: a thinner more dextrous glove for climbing, and a thicker/warmer dextrous glove for belaying
• Warm belay jacket to wear while belaying single pitch
• Small, non-leaking thermos for hot drink/soup during the climbing day
• Avalanche kit (beacon/shovel/probe)*
• Your own personal clothing system to stay warm (ski pants are ok, but we’ll need to tighten up the lower calves/ankles with tape or snug gaitors)

Group Gear will be organized by trip leader with the ACC great plains gear cache.

*available to borrow from gear cache

Transport:  We’ll carpool where possible. Distance is roughly 750 km one way. We’ll sort out car logistics closer to the date.

Accommodation: The Crandell Mountain Lodge. Book a room with a kitchen (full stove/oven, full fridge, sick, kettle, coffee pot, pots/pans)  Bookings will need to be directly with the lodge.  I think you can sleep 3 singles in a room. Visit www.crandellmountainlodge.com to learn more.

Food: You are responsible for organizing your own food. Waterton is quiet during the winter, so you will need to arrive with enough food for the weekend or be prepared to eat in the restaurant every day. Most of the rooms have kitchenettes, so you’ll need to specify this need upon booking. Consider stopping in Pincher creek to buy fresh food.

Weather: March in Waterton is still winter, but transitioning into spring. We’ll have longer daylight, and more comfortable temperatures than mid-winter. The ice is usually friendlier too: when ice is really cold, it is hard and brittle, but when it is around the 0C mark, it is “hero” ice, which makes it much easier to climb. Daytime highs average around low single digits, and overnights are below freezing….ideal for ice.

Trip Sign-up Information: If interested in the trip, please send the following sign-up information to James Lewis at james.lawrence.lewis@gmail.com.

1. First and last name
2. Phone number
3. ACC membership number (must be registered with the Great Plains Section)
4. Emergency contact information
5. A short summary of your outdoor (rock/ice climbing) experience; if you don’t have any experience, please indicate that 
6. Any gear you would like to borrow (helmet, harness, etc.)

Please send any questions on the trip to James. Further trip details will be circulated once participants are confirmed.