High above the ground in Canmore, Alta., axe-wielding ice climbers

Are ascending a column of sheer ice that, in other seasons, is a waterfall.

The sport of ice climbing has been around for years but interest in it has grown exponentially in the last decade, said Dave Stark, a Canmore guide and climber since 1989.

As operations director for Yamnuska Mountain Adventures, which offers ice climbing experiences in the Canmore and Banff National Park area, Stark saw a drop-off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now bookings are coming in from people around the world, he said.

Canmore guide and professional ice climber Will Gadd is seen here climbing Kidd Falls Alberta's Kananaskis Country. (Will Gadd)

"The Canadian Rockies are famous for the waterfall ice and now more people are getting into it," Stark said.

"They're looking for alternate things to do in the winter. Downhill skiing is extremely expensive. Ice climbing might be a little expensive to get into at the start but once you have the equipment, you're not paying entry fees — you're just going out and climbing."

There are almost 1,500 climbing spots, many accessible from the road, in the Canmore and Banff areas, he said.

And while a wall of sheer ice may look daunting to beginners, the sport is fairly easy to learn.

Despite its extreme reputation, experts and guides alike say that ice climbing is relatively easy to learn and accessible for all ages and abilities. Perfecting the sport, however, can take a lifetime. (Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool)

"With crampons, which are the spikes on the boots, and the ice axes that you hold in your hands, you always have good holds. You've always got contact with the ice," Stark said.

Of course, variables like ice quality or steepness can make an outing easy or "really hard and miserable." Either way, it will be challenging, he said.

"And that's what most people want, they want a challenge."

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