Climb
WATERFALL ICE CLIMBING

Iceland is overloaded with stunning waterfalls. Many of them freeze in the winter and form the perfect playground for our guides and our adventurous guests.

from: **119.990 kr.** per group
Inquery

Trip dates Up on request
SeasonNov-March
Duration8 hours
DifficultyWI2 to WI5

Tour Overview

Ascending a frozen masterpiece is an activity unknown to most. For a reason. The right conditions do not form, unless temperatures fall well below zero degrees celsius. So this activity can be pretty hard core. What’s there not to love about the perfect personal challenge? We are lucky enough that Iceland is one of the best places in the world to do waterfall ice climbing.
And even better, some of the best ice climbing in Iceland is found in the vicinity of Reykjavík, with easy access, only a short distance from the Capital City.

We meet 08:30 in the morning and climbing destination will be decided by the guide depending on conditions at the time. Our most commonly used climbing area is located approximately 1 hour drive from Reykjavík. There we can choose from over 50 high quality routes. Ranging from a low angle and friendly WI2 multi pitch climbs to short and technical WI5+. Let’s have a dialogue about what you´re interested in, and we´ll customise a private tour for you.

Depending on your previous experience and wishes we will either choose a single or multi pitch ice climbing.

Approaches are usually less than an hour but we can expect walking through snow and and steeper scree terrain to get up to the base of the climb. There are no established hiking trails to work with.

Multi pitch ice climbing
– Guided on a maximum 2:1 ratio
– Prior experience with belay devices

Single pitch ice climbing
– Guided on a maximum 4:1 ratio

Practical information

Below are details about the course. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Requirements

Single pitch ice climbing
Fitness level: Basic, comfortable to move 200m in elevation per hour over 2-4 hours.
Experience level: Beginner, no experience but eager to learn new skill sets.

Multi pitch ice climbing
Fitness level: Moderate, comfortable to move 250-300m in elevation per hour over 5-7 hours.
Experience level: Advanced beginner, comfortable to move 250-300m in elevation per hour over 5-7 hours. Some prior experience is advisable, either on rock or ice climbing.

For all waterfall ice climbing tours we will choose an appropriate route that fits your level of climbing.

Prices

Private tour
Prices per group:
1 person – 119.990 kr.
2 persons – 129.990 kr.

For groups bigger than 2 persons, please contact us for pricing and availability.

Meeting point

We will meet at 08:30 at a gas station in Reykjavík (see map below) where you can grab lunch and coffee if needed. Form there we carpool to the climbing area. Depending on the area chosen we have up to 1 hour of driving.
You will have to be self sufficient with your own transport. If you do not have your own car, please contact us.

Bring with you

Waterproof jacket and pants
Down or synthetic insulated jacket
Ice climbing boots (mountaineering boots can be provided by Asgard upon request)
Warm mid layer
Gaiters
Hat
Gloves (2 pairs, thin and thick)
Headlamp
Lunch / snacks and water
Small backpack for personal equipment (30-35L)

What’s included

Crampons
Ice axes
Helmet
Harness
Ice climbing boots (if needed)

What’s not included

Transport (contact us if you do not have your own vehicle)
Lunch
Travel and accident insurance

Do you have any questions?

Below are answers to some of the questions we get regarding the tour. If you do not find the answer do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]

Do you offer pickup service?

In general we only meet our guests on location, or car pool from a central location in Reykjvaík. However, if you do not have your own car and can not meet us on location please get in touch.
What happens to my booking if the weather or conditions are bad?

In case it is not possible to operate the tour due to weather or conditions we try the following things:

Move the tour to a different date if that works for you, change to a different activity if you agree on that. If none of the above is possible and we have to cancel the tour due to weather or poor conditions, we will refund you the tour.
In how much advance should I book my tour with you?

The short answer is: the longer the better. We have limited resources of guides and sometimes we are fully booked.
For less technical tours like Glacier hiking, Glacier hiking and ice climbing, and alpine trekking tours we can usually accommodate you with a short notice. For more technical tours like Waterfall ice climbing, Rock climbing and alpine tours longer advance is better to secure a spot.
Short notice can be 24 hours before departure and longer notice is at least two weeks before.
What is the best season for the activities you offer?

The best season depends on what activity you choose. The appropriate season is stated at the top of each tour. To break it down:

Glacier hikes and glacier ice climbing
Available the whole year. This activity is not dependant on weather or conditions. The only time we have to cancel or post pone these activities is when the weather is really bad.

Rock climbing and alpine rock climbing
Rock climbing is a summer activity available May-October. This activity is highly weather dependant and not possible when the rock is wet or when it is raining. If you are interested in rock climbing outside of the season, it is possible if we have really good weather days. Please contact us for further information.

Ski touring
The best ski touring in the south-west part of Iceland is usually around spring time. The ski touring season is usually between Feb-May, however it is possible to ski outside the season if conditions are good or we ski the glaciers like on the tour “Ski touring Snæfellsjökull”. If you are interested to ski outside of the season please contact us for further information.

Waterfall ice climbing and alpine winter climbing
The main season is from late November to late March. Iceland has a maritime climate and temperatures fluctuate through out the season making this activity highly subject to weather and conditions. In case we have poor conditions for ice climbing we can always substitute the waterfall ice climbing with ice climbing on the glacier.

Alpine trekking
Snæfellsjökull can be climbed almost the whole year, appart from the darkest month of the year, December.
Other bigger mountains like Eyjafjallajökull and Hvannadalshnúkur, the highest summit of Iceland, have the best conditions from early spring to late summer.
Do I need any prior experience to participate in your tours?

Since all of our tours are private we are able to adjust the difficulty and and experience level needed for each tour. However, for some of your tours it is advisable that you have have some background in the activity:

Glacier hiking and glacier ice climbing
There is no prior experience needed for those tours

Waterfall ice climbing
It is possible to try waterfall ice climbing if you do not have any prior ice climbing experience. We would choose an easy climbing route with easy access. If you have never done ice climbing before it is worth looking into our Ice climbing and glacier hiking tour on Sólheimajökull.

Ski touring
For our ski touring tours you have to be a competent off-piste skier and able to ski down in various conditions.

Rock and alpine climbing
No prior experience is needed for single pitch rock climbing. For multi pitch climbing it is advisable that your climbing level is at 5.7-5.8 and you have to know how to belay a lead climber.
Can I request a tour that is not on your website?
Yes, without a doubt. Private guiding is what Asgard is all about and if you can dream your adventure, we can make it happen. If you do not find your perfect adventure on our website, do not hesitate to get in touch at [email protected]!

Examples of private tours we have done in the past:
- Expedition planning and support
- Cross country ski touring
- Expedition and polar training
- Private hiking, day tours and multi-day tours
- Location management and safety on film projects
- Private tours for photographers
- Alpine trekking on glaciated summits
- Multiday tours in Greenland