The longest running celebration of ice climbing in the world just added one more year to its history. The 36th annual Valdez Ice Climbing Festival attracted scores of climbers from around the country for a weekend of steep waterfalls, live music and winter weather. KCHU’s Shahmeer Azmat reports. Click on the picture below to hear the audio. Transcript follows. Video link and photo gallery are at the bottom of the page.
Ice climbing is exactly what it sounds like: participants use crampons and axes to ascend frozen waterfalls and glacial ice. Since 1983 the Valdez Ice Climbing Festival has brought climbers together in Keystone Canyon outside the city where waterfalls are up to 600 feet tall. Lee Hart is the founding director of the Valdez Adventure Alliance, the organization that has been hosting the event since 2016. She discussed a few of the festival’s highlights.
LEE HART: “We had a whole lot on tap. We had five athletes from national brands here and they were offering instructional clinics. And then at night we had stuff that was open to the community. So it started with Mountainfilm. So we were one of 180 worldwide tour stops for that festival. And then on Saturday night we had the Anchorage band The Tanana Rafters headlined. And then tonight we’re having the ice ball.”
The event ran from Friday evening to Monday afternoon with weather ranging from cloudless sunny days to winds of 50 mph followed by nearly two feet of snow. However, that didn’t dampen the appeal for Homer-resident Randy Lee on his first visit to Valdez.
RANDY LEE: “The organizers were friendly and very well-organized. There was an incredible amount of access and the clinics were fantastic. For whatever skill level that a person was at, there was something that would teach you more than you expected.”
Lee said the easy access to backcountry terrain impressed him enough to consider giving up Kachemak Bay for Prince William Sound.
RANDY LEE: “I’m thinking about moving to Vadlez. I’ve spent the last year in Alaska going around to different cities and places and Valdez just captured a piece of my heart and I want to be here over anywhere else in Alaska than I’ve been.”
The 2019 event continued its emphasis on empowering climbers of all skill levels, genders and ages. Valdez resident Stephanie Olsen joined an introductory clinic to try ice climbing for the first time.
STEPHANIE OLSEN: “We learned basic technique and safety information: how to swing the tools to make sure that you get a good grip. We started climbing and just took turns. The instructor was great, Chad Jukes. He is an amputee that has summited Everest. He was willing to work with everyone regardless of where they were starting at.”
The Valdez Adventure Alliance hosted five professional ice climbers as well as a rigging and safety team that set up over 8,000 feet of rope on waterfalls around Keystone Canyon. Marcus Garcia coaches the USA youth ice climbing team and was among the invited professionals. He discussed the positive impact the sport can have on young people.
MARCUS GARCIA: “I think it’s really important for the youth to get involved in ice climbing because ice climbing over the years has always been more of a mature kind of sport but it shows these kids can do what we’re doing as well. And that’s what’s unique about climbing in general. There’s no age limit on it and there’s no limits other than what you put on yourself.”
One other celebrity guest caused a buzz among festival attendees.
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COURTNEY SCHUMAN: “Hi, my name is Courtney Schuman, Miss Alaska 2018.”
Winner of the Miss Alaska pageant last June, Schuman went on to compete for the title of Miss America. She arrived at event registration in crown and sash before gearing up for cold weather climbing the next day.
COURTNEY SCHUMAN: “The first day of climbing was very cold. I wasn’t expecting the amount of wind coming through that canyon and there was a great deal of it. And so the first day was actually really miserable and I didn’t want to climb the second day. But since I was already out here I was like, ‘Okay, whatever, I’ll go again.’ And then it was beautiful, it was a great day, a little bit of snow and a lot of fun climbing. I’m glad that I convinced myself to get out again.”
Organizers with the Valdez Adventure Alliance are now shifting focus to the upcoming Chugach Fat Bike Bash happening April 5-7.
Click Here to see video Courtesy Valdez Adenture Alliance.
Reporting from Valdez for KCHU, I’m Shahmeer Azmat 
