Intermediate Ice Climbing

All ages 12 and up

Vail Ice provides some of the best climbing in Colorado. The East Vail ice falls, well-known for their accessibility and history in ice and mixed climbing, appeal to beginner, intermediate and advanced climbers the world over.

If you’re ready to challenge yourself on intermediate terrain, this course is a great way to advance your skills in climbing, belaying, gear knowledge, establishing anchors, and perhaps even leading.

We’ll teach you how to use more efficient climbing posture and technique, creating ease in both your style and your experience of the route. Climbing options include ice curtains, pillars, dry tool routes and mixed routes of varying difficulty.

Fair warning: after this one, you’ll never want to put your ice tools down!

Potential Topics

A brief review of the basics
Climbing technique and body posture, including rest techniques for more efficient climbing
Intermediate gear use – specialized tools, belaying methods, anchors, etc.
Existing and new top anchors
Techniques for reducing risk
Rappelling methods
Ice protection overview
Multi-pitching overview
Potential mock lead climbing

Private courses are offered daily, as well as pre-scheduled open enrollment courses (see above). A private guide and all the technical ice climbing gear you will need (ice tools, crampons, ice climbing boots, belay equipment, ropes, helmets and harnesses) are included.

Booking / More Info

All ages 12 and up

Ready to sign up? We look forward to working with you to select a route that suits your Intermediate Ice Climbing desires. Register with the accompanying calendar, call (970) 949-9111 or use our contact page to request more info.

INTERMEDIATE ICE CLIMBING – QUICK INFO

Enjoy all Colorado has to offer this winter with an Intermediate Ice Climbing Course.

All ages 12 and up

DATES

Available daily

DURATION

6-7 hours

LOCATION

Vail, CO (East Vail)
Leadville, CO (Chalk Creek)
Lake City, CO

DIFFICULTY

Easy – Difficult

Policies

See our inclusion policy for special group requests.

WHAT TO BRING

Beacon (rental available)
*No cotton – cotton does not wick moisture or insulate when wet.
Synthetic or wool long underwear bottom (thin)
Synthetic or wool long sleeve top (medium)
Mid layer top and bottom
Synthetic or wool socks
Winter jacket
Insulated “Puffy” Jacket
Snow pants
Warm gloves or mittens
Hat and neck gaiter or balaclava
Goggles or sunglasses
Small day pack
Water bottle (able told 32 oz)
Food

ALSO CONSIDER

Hand warmers
Thermos of hot liquid
Gaiters
Extra gloves
Lip balm
Sunscreen
Water bottle insulator
Camera

APEX MOUNTAIN SCHOOL PROVIDES

Boots
Crampons
Ice Axes
Helmet
Harness (42”/44” max)

During times of Covid-19 concern please bring:
Face mask, Hand Sanitizer, Rubber Gloves (if desired)

Andrew Kirchhoff

July 1, 2022.

My teen sons and I had an amazing time rappelling with Bob in Vail! Apex provided everything we needed and accommodated our last minute booking. Thank you Apex!!

PARTYBOMBS

June 29, 2022.

Myself and my family had a awesome time repelling. Thanks to Bob we had fun while staying safe. I would recommend for anyone seeking a thrilling experience.

Colin Kirchhoff

June 29, 2022.

Bob was a fantastic guide! Despite never repelling before, Bob never failed to make us feel safe and confident enough to have fun. 10/10 experience. Thank you so much!

Beth Ann Rosica

June 28, 2022.

We had an amazing day climbing with Bob! We had 4 kids between 13 and 15, and Bob coached all of them to the top! He was patient and encouraging and kept everyone safe! I highly recommend Apex for a climbing experience! The kids are hooked on climbing and loved the adventure!

Jack Saussy

June 27, 2022.

My family had a great day climbing with Bob. He was very knowledgeable about the routes and equipment and turned our half day of climbing into a lesson. I plan to get my own shoes and join a gym at home because of this great experience, I highly recommend Apex Mountain School!

Jamie Schmid

February 7, 2022.

We had such a blast ice climbing with our guide Jesse! He was so helpful and motivating and never made us feel like we were terrible at climbing even though it was our first time haha and he was so patient with all my picture taking and getting great shots! Would 1,000% recommend!

Joe Mahoney

January 18, 2022.

Took my AIARE 1 through APEX. It was hard to decide with so many options out there. Look no further, APEX is exactly what you're looking for. I walked away with the exact knowledge I was hoping to get, and more. Josh V was our instructor and is extremely knowledgeable, had great answers to all of our questions and was just great to hang out with in the backcountry. Can't recommend these guys enough.

Shannon M.

December 6, 2021.

Recently took the Level 1 AIARE Course with Apex and had a great experience. All of the instructors were extremely knowledgeable and passionate about snow safety and answered all questions in great detail to ensure the students learned as much as possible in the 3 day course. It was a very hands on experience and we were even able to do lots of field work despite the low snow conditions right now. Will definitely come back for another course, and looking forward to more backcountry travel with all the new info learned!

kurt albertson

November 24, 2021.

Apex Mountain School is a wonderful outdoor educational and guide service! Recently took the level one AIARE and Avalanche Rescue course through Apex. Our instructors Andy and Mike were highly professional, knowledgeable and very engaging instructors that were very passionate about snow safety and teaching others about best practices to enjoy their experiences safely in the backcountry. Would highly recommend anyone regardless of experience to take a course with Apex. Looking forward to continuing my outdoor experiences with Apex in the future via additional educational courses as well as the opportunity for private guided trips. Excellent people and a great experience!!!

Tom Watson

November 23, 2021.

I took the AIARE 1 course with Apex Mountain school and it was truly an amazing experience. Andy was a outstanding instructor, he fostered a culture in the group that encouraged participation, teamwork, learning and fun! The knowledge and tools learned in the course were second to none. We were fortunate to have a small group of 5, and this allowed for a lot of questions, learn by doing, and overall really fun time. I cannot recommend Apex Mountain School enough.