Coming cold snap good news for huge ice wall being built in Edmonton

Edmonton: A massive ice climbing wall is taking shape in the city’s river valley. It’s pretty exciting! They’re using scaffolding, plywood, and burlap to create a 21-meter tall wall for climbers this winter.

But here’s the catch—they need cold weather and water to make it happen. Luckily, a cold snap is on its way, which is just what the builders need. Temperatures are expected to drop below minus-20 this week, perfect for ice-making.

Adam Luciuk, the owner of Offbeat Entertainment, is behind this project. He mentioned that the ideal temperature for building the wall is below minus-15. If it’s warmer, they lose a lot of water, which isn’t great.

With the forecast looking chilly, the team can maximize the ice they create. They have a few methods for building the wall, like freezing blocks of ice or using a misting technique with burlap.

They plan to hang burlap and mist it over several days. This method works best in cold weather, which is a big plus for them. It usually takes about ten days to complete the wall in those frigid temperatures.

Once it’s done, it’ll be ready for climbers, and they hope to open it to the public by mid-January. This is actually the fifth version of the ice wall, and it’s moved to Edmonton’s Ice District this year.

There’s also an Ice Climbing World Cup coming to Edmonton from February 27 to March 2, which should be a blast. The wall will have a unique design to challenge the climbers, mixing traditional ice climbing with dry tooling.

They’re making it accessible for everyone, even offering introductory courses for newcomers. Luciuk is excited about bringing outdoor adventure to the river valley.

Ice climbing will be available until at least mid-March, and they plan to keep the facility open year-round for rock climbing and dry tooling. Sounds like a fun winter ahead!