Family Ice Climbing

Create unforgettable memories with your family on an exciting ice climbing adventure. Tailored for all ages and experience levels, our family ice climbing trips offer fun, learning, and teamwork.

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Family-friendly ice climbing routes

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Safe, guided experience for kids and adults alike

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Build confidence and teamwork in a unique environment

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Suitable for all skill levels, including beginners

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Description

An unforgettable trip for you to share with your family and a great way to experience the Vail valley in a unique and exciting way. From the stunning frozen waterfalls of East Vail to the remote wilderness of Chalk Creek in Leadville, Vail family ice climb is an amazing experience in a beautiful mountain setting. With many beautiful locations throughout the Vail area, our guides will try to find the perfect family ice climbing location that suits your family’s size as well as age range and ability levels. We’ve taken out ice climbers as young as 8, and our Vail family ice climb is sure to be an unforgettable experience no matter what your age.

Booking & Availability
Ready to embark on your winter adventure? We’re excited to guide you on your Family Ice Climbing journey. Reserve your spot through the calendar below, or for more information, call us at (970) 949-9111 or visit our contact page.

If you don’t see enough availability for your group, give us a call—our team can often accommodate larger groups or special requests with flexibility. Let’s get you out in the snow!

Quick Information

Course overview:
Enjoy all Colorado has to offer this winter with Vail Family Ice Climbing.

All ages 12 and up

Dates:
Available daily

Duration:
6 – 7 hours

Location:
Vail, CO (East Vail)

Difficulty:
Easy – Difficult

Policies

See our inclusion policy for special group requests.

What you should bring

WHAT TO BRING

Beacon (rental available)
*No cotton – cotton does not wick moisture or insulate when wet.
Synthetic or wool long underwear bottom (thin)
Synthetic or wool long sleeve top (medium)
Mid layer top and bottom
Synthetic or wool socks
Winter jacket
Insulated “Puffy” Jacket
Snow pants
Warm gloves or mittens
Hat and neck gaiter or balaclava
Goggles or sunglasses
Small day pack
Water bottle
Food

ALSO CONSIDER

Hand warmers
Thermos of hot liquid
Gaiters
Extra gloves
Lip balm
Sunscreen
Water bottle insulator
Camera

APEX MOUNTAIN SCHOOL PROVIDES

Boots
Crampons
Ice Axes
Helmet
Harness (42”/44” max)

Trip Insurance

Safeguard your guided trips and mountain courses with our comprehensive trip insurance, offering peace of mind and protection throughout your adventurous explorations.

SEE HOW IT WORKS

Meet our guides

Our guides are dedicated to giving the safest, most fulfilling experience to our clients. With the most AMGA certifications we have the most qualified guides in the area.

Our Guides

Reviews

    
 
 
        
   Andrew Kirchhoff 
 July 1, 2022.
 
 
  My teen sons and I had an amazing time rappelling with Bob in Vail! Apex provided everything we needed and accommodated our last minute booking. Thank you Apex!!
  
 
       
   PARTYBOMBS 
 June 29, 2022.
 
 
  Myself and my family had a awesome time repelling. Thanks to Bob we had fun while staying safe. I would recommend for anyone seeking a thrilling experience.
  
 
       
   Colin Kirchhoff 
 June 29, 2022.
 
 
  Bob was a fantastic guide! Despite never repelling before, Bob never failed to make us feel safe and confident enough to have fun. 10/10 experience. Thank you so much!
  
 
       
   Beth Ann Rosica 
 June 28, 2022.
 
 
  We had an amazing day climbing with Bob! We had 4 kids between 13 and 15, and Bob coached all of them to the top! He was patient and encouraging and kept everyone safe! I highly recommend Apex for a climbing experience! The kids are hooked on climbing and loved the adventure!
  
 
       
   Jack Saussy 
 June 27, 2022.
 
 
  My family had a great day climbing with Bob. He was very knowledgeable about the routes and equipment and turned our half day of climbing into a lesson. I plan to get my own shoes and join a gym at home because of this great experience, I highly recommend Apex Mountain School!
  
 
       
   Jamie Schmid 
 February 7, 2022.
 
 
  We had such a blast ice climbing with our guide Jesse! He was so helpful and motivating and never made us feel like we were terrible at climbing even though it was our first time haha and he was so patient with all my picture taking and getting great shots! Would 1,000% recommend!
  
 
       
   Joe Mahoney 
 January 18, 2022.
 
 
  Took my AIARE 1 through APEX. It was hard to decide with so many options out there. Look no further, APEX is exactly what you're looking for. I walked away with the exact knowledge I was hoping to get, and more. Josh V was our instructor and is extremely knowledgeable, had great answers to all of our questions and was just great to hang out with in the backcountry. Can't recommend these guys enough.
  
 
       
   Shannon M. 
 December 6, 2021.
 
 
  Recently took the Level 1 AIARE Course with Apex and had a great experience. All of the instructors were extremely knowledgeable and passionate about snow safety and answered all questions in great detail to ensure the students learned as much as possible in the 3 day course. It was a very hands on experience and we were even able to do lots of field work despite the low snow conditions right now. Will definitely come back for another course, and looking forward to more backcountry travel with all the new info learned!
  
 
       
   kurt albertson 
 November 24, 2021.
 
 
  Apex Mountain School is a wonderful outdoor educational and guide service!  Recently took the level one AIARE and Avalanche Rescue course through Apex. Our instructors Andy and Mike were highly professional, knowledgeable and very engaging instructors that were very passionate about snow safety and teaching others about best practices to enjoy their experiences safely in the backcountry.  Would highly recommend anyone regardless of experience to take a course with Apex.  Looking forward to continuing my outdoor experiences with Apex in the future via additional educational courses as well as the opportunity for private guided trips. Excellent people and a great experience!!!
  
 
       
   Tom Watson 
 November 23, 2021.
 
 
  I took the AIARE 1 course with Apex Mountain school and it was truly an amazing experience. Andy was a outstanding instructor, he fostered a culture in the group that encouraged participation, teamwork, learning and fun! The knowledge and tools learned in the course were second to none. We were fortunate to have a small group of 5, and this allowed for a lot of questions, learn by doing, and overall really fun time. I cannot recommend Apex Mountain School enough.
  
 
  
 
  
 
   Google rating score: 4.9 of 5, based on 56 reviews