Ice Climbing Festivals in the United States To Check Out in 2024-2025

Each winter, ice climbing festivals occur around the United States. Take a trip one of these popular ice fests to meet new climbers and gain experience.

Ice climbers on the trail / Unsplash

Ice festivals are a unique opportunity for climbers to gather together, climb, demo gear, and gain experience. These festivals provide valuable social connections that will last a lifetime. Additionally, many festivals host athlete presentations from some of your favorite climbers. To join in on the fun, plan a trip to one of these ice fests this year.

Ouray Ice Festival

Dates: January 23 - 26, 2025

Perhaps one of the most well-known ice festivals out there, Ouray Ice Festival will be celebrating its 30th annual event this year in Colorado. At this fest, you will run into climbers from all over the world and will have the chance to participate in clinics guided by professional athletes. Four local guiding companies will be providing the clinics, including San Juan Mountain Guides, Basecamp Ouray, Mountain Trip, and Skyward Mountaineering. In addition to gear demos and clinics, the Ouray Ice Fest also holds exciting climbing competitions. This year, you can enjoy a fireside chat with climbers Aaron Mulkey and Lakpa Rita Sherpa. The full schedule of events can be found directly on the Ouray scheduling page.

Smuggs Ice Bash

Dates: January 24 - 26, 2025

This 18th annual Vermont festival is currently open for registration which you will not want to miss. On January 24, the first day of the festival, there will be a drytooling competition at Petra Cliffs Climbing Center where some of the strongest athletes will be competing against each other. If you have a great deal of ice climbing experience, you may be eligible to compete. There will be plenty of gear demo events and clinics for visitors to participate in. Speakers and presentations have yet to be announced, though updates will be posted on the Schedule of Events page.

Bozeman Ice Festival

Dates: December 11 - 15, 2024

Head over to Montana this December to experience the 28th annual Bozeman Ice Festival, an event supported by the Montana Mountaineering Association (MMA). The ice festival instruction happens in Hyalite Canyon and includes world-class climbers and entertainment. There are several clinics available revolving around wilderness medicine, introduction to ice climbing, intermediate climbing, women-focused groups, and self-rescue. To top it off, this festival also offers adaptive ice climbing classes for individuals with disabilities.

Adirondack International Mountainfest

Dates: February 8 - 9, 2025

2025 will be the 27th annual fest in the Adirondacks and welcomes climbers of all levels. Not only will there be clinics in climbing, but you can also explore mountaineering, backcountry skiing, and cross country downhill. Each clinic is instructed by guides and top athletes. Before participating in gear demos and clinics, you can enjoy coffee hour each day with other like-minded climbers. At this fest, you can find repair and care workshops, climber yoga, skier flow yoga, and rescue workshops. As always, gear demos are available, as are special presentations given by elite athletes.

Wyoming Ice Festival

Dates: January 2 - 5, 2025

Cody, Wyoming will be hosting the second annual Wyoming Ice Festival this year. Organizers are taking a different approach and will be featuring small-group instruction with 50% of the clinics having a 2:1 ratio. 2025 speakers include two climbers, Erik Weihenmayer and Mark Twight. Clinics cater to the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. Participants can also attend clinics on rescue scenarios, leading, and technical ski alpinism. At this event, enjoy a variety of food trucks and Snake River Brewing as you build your climbing connections.