STEPHEN REGENOLD
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail Published on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2006 8:00PM EST Last updated on Sunday, Apr. 05, 2009 12:49AM EDT
Weekend warriors and superstar climbers alike have explored and mapped ice-choked mountains and river valleys from Maine to Alaska. Herewith, some of the continent's best ice destinations.
BANFF NATIONAL PARK, ALBERTA
The colossal ice climbs here are arguably the best on the planet. Skyscraper-size routes like Polar Circus, a 610-metre ice climb on Cirrus Mountain, are lifetime goals for many climbers.
OURAY ICE PARK, COLORADO
This park in southwest Colorado crams nearly 200 ice climbs in a 1.6-kilometre-long gorge. A system of pipes set up to drip water over cliff faces guarantees optimal formation of climbs each year.
LOWE RIVER, ALASKA
Of Alaska's established ice-climbing areas, Lowe River, also called Valdez, is the best known. Frozen waterfalls of 305 metres and up are found 240 kilometres east of Anchorage.
NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE
Huge ice climbs form every winter on Cathedral Ledge, a 183-metre cliff near the town of North Conway. Cannon Cliff, in White Mountain National Forest, is another popular ice-climbing area, with routes like the Black Dike, a 122-metre climb. Mount Washington, the state's highest peak, has long ice climbs on its high, windy faces.
HYALITE CANYON, MONTANA
Just south of Bozeman, in the Gallatin National Forest, Hyalite Canyon features dozens of climbs ranging from 60 to 183 metres in height. — Stephen Regenold
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