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.
What makes ice climbing in Canmore so special?1
