Ice climbing in June: Athletes preparing for international climbing competition

Adam Luciuk on a climbing wall on Monday, June 2, 2025. (Sean McClune/CTV News Edmonton

The hot weather is here to stay, but that isn’t keeping ice climbers away as they prepare for the North American Cup Series.

In Louise McKinney Park, an eight-storey climbing wall is offering ice climbers an ice-free training space.

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“Athletes train year round on wooden structures, they use the ice axes on rock climbing type holds, and they use the crampons to kick into the plywood,” said Adam Luciuk, the owner of Climb YEG. “That’s the actual competition style of ice climbing that you see internationally.

“It’s actually more challenging to climb than ice, you can create overhanging features, and it’s also equal, the holds remain the same for every athlete.”

Edmonton is one of the only places in North America where athletes can train at a high level for ice climbing, according to Luciuk.

“Some of the best countries, including South Korea, have training venues all over the country and it’s seen in the results that you see worldwide on an international level,” he said.

“We’re trying to support the Canadian team as they grow and as the sport grows into potentially becoming an Olympic sport.”

The June event is a continental cup, just below the world cup level, Luciuk said. Competitors are at a skill level where they can climb 15 metres in around five seconds.

Louise McKinney Park won’t be home to the wall forever, Luciuk said they plan to move the structure after about a year to another location in the city.

Keeping it outside will allow the city to host more climbing events in the future, as it can be difficult to find space indoors for an eight-storey wall and thousands of spectators.

The North American Cup Series, hosted by Climb YEG, will run June 20 to 22 and is free for the public to attend.

After the competition, the wall will be open again to climbers of all skill levels. In the winter, ice will blanket the wall for a chillier experience.