As you may already know, Edmonton has its very own Ice Wall this winter. Tim Hankinson, our Urban Chair, along with a team of volunteers, has been spearheading a partnership with the Edmonton Ski Club. What you may not know is the team was comprised of more than 20 volunteers and partners! The team dedicated time and effort to planning and managing the project, building and maintaining the wall, belay checks, climbing lessons, and much more.
Michele Eickholt, for example, has been helping with answering questions and booking private lessons for individuals and groups. Although not an ice climber, having an ice wall here in town has piqued her interest in giving it a try!
“I have been impressed with the work of the volunteers in getting the planning and permits accomplished and in collaborating with the Edmonton Ski Club and in making this a reality.” – Michele Eickholt
“Tim Hankinson was instrumental in making this happen.” – Duncan McColl
Get to know more about some of the fantastic volunteers and partners that have made the Ice Wall possible:
Benjamin Vandenberg
“Benjamin Vandenburg has been integral in developing various mixtures and techniques to make the ice barrels ! Shout out!” – Evan Oxland
What is your involvement with the Ice Wall?
I have been putting in time on the hose and shovel, and trying to get the recipe right for building free hanging ice barrels.
Do you have a favourite memory or highlight about the Ice Wall?
On the first day of ice farming, while we were still early on in working out the technique, one of the nets hung up to start the ice formation broke free of the scaffolding and came crashing to the ground. Since the netting was already very heavy with ice, Dave T. and I spent 3 hours in the middle of the night struggling to winch it back to the second level of scaffolding inch by inch. Alas, the next day, it got too heavy for even the adjusted rigging and came crashing down again.
If your calves are burning, you can thank us for the easier angle on the backside of the wall where that piece of collapsed netting enlarged the base of the ice wall instead of becoming the middle of the ice wall.
What is your favourite piece of outdoor equipment?
Hands down, my Devinci Troy mountain bike
Where was your last trip to the mountains?
Iwent to the Bow Valley for a day of fat biking around Canmore and a day of skiing at Lake Louise.
Favourite urban adventure?
You can usually find me out wandering the river valley on my bike and finding new obstacles to ride over.
What’s your favourite mountain snack?
For years, I struggled with trying to avoid freezing my lunch while ice climbing. As it turns out, it’s much more convenient to pack foods intended to be eaten frozen such as ice cream sandwiches.
Danielle Weiss
What is your involvement with the Ice Wall?
I was on the Operations Team, which helped create the operations plan and associated tasks. I am currently one of the members who monitors the YEGICE email account.
Do you have a favourite memory or highlight about the Ice Wall?
It is not one specific memory, but it was really cool to see how fast it came to life.
What is your favourite piece of outdoor equipment?
A rope maybe? Can use for ice/rock/alpline climbing — multi functional!
Where was your last trip to the mountains?
Last weekend, I went to Banff and went backcountry skiing at Mount Engadine
Favourite urban adventure?
Running the trails in the river valley
What’s your favourite mountain snack?
I’ve been on a big ‘Dad’s Cookies’ kick lately
“I’d like to give a shoutout to Dave T. for covering many of the shifts in the wee hours of the morning while the rest of us were asleep and always bringing a great deal of enthusiasm to the build.” – Benjamin Vandenberg
Evan Oxland
“To this day, we are still welcoming suggestions on how to make ice comp barrels!”
What is your involvement with the Ice Wall?
I’ve been helping here and there with ice building/spraying/and having fun failing at attempting to make ice comp worthy for swinging frozen objects. Turns out those are really tricky! I have also been helping out on a few beginner nights, which is really rewarding and fun, and hosting ACC nights (setup and shut down).
Do you have a favourite memory or highlight about the Ice Wall?
Midnight trips during misting/spraying during our initial build. We were all learning a lot, but when it got windy, the prevailing westerlies ended up coating scaffold and sundry ropes with long icicles and hoary frost. It looked like what I’ve always imagined a Victorian Arctic exploring ship would have looked like: benighted with sea frosts, as if the ropes snow fences and burlap were sails strewn between the two scaffold towers.
Oh yeah, and getting soakers in the various lakes we formed below!
What is your favourite piece of outdoor equipment?
My saw: The Silky Big Boy 2000. It’s a pleasure to use, rips through wood snow and ice, and sounds rad.
Where was your last trip to the mountains?
Boulder/Burstall Pass: pretty cruiser ski tours, really fun and great conditions with some good friends.
Favourite urban adventure?
Standard Edmonton ravine stuff, bike/runs
What’s your favourite mountain snack?
Saucisson (dry-cured meat) & cheese
Duncan McColl
What is your involvement with the Ice Wall?
I did a number of shifts during the Ice Wall construction: I was tasked with ensuring that the water flow was working, adjusting misters and then dismantling the setup with Tim.
Do you have a favourite memory or highlight about the Ice Wall?
My favourite memory was seeing this happening. I was on the board years ago when we first worked on getting an ice wall built in Edmonton; it had only made it through the planning stages then.
What is your favourite piece of outdoor equipment?
For summer, it’s a tie between my mountain bike and climbing gear. For winter, it’s my cross country skis and my ice gear.
Where was your last trip to the mountains?
Jasper
Favourite urban adventure?
Mountain biking single track trails and climbing at the University of Alberta
What’s your favourite mountain snack?
Tuna sandwiches with bacon on the side
Felipe Civita
I am very thankful to have met like-minded people through volunteering at the Ice Wall. I am new to Edmonton, so it’s been a great way to meet people.
What is your involvement with the Ice Wall?
Ice farming and general maintenance.
Do you have a favourite memory or highlight about the Ice Wall?
Helping out with the Intro Courses. It’s great to see people trying out ice climbing for the first time, and being able to help!
What is your favourite piece of outdoor equipment?
My toques. All of them.
Where was your last trip to the mountains?
Ice climbing in Nordegg and Jasper.
Favourite urban adventure?
Fat biking
What’s your favourite mountain snack?
PEANUT BUTTER BANANA WITH DARK CHOCOLATE CLIF BAR!!! So good.
Stacey Yuen
“We joke that the ice wall is Tim’s third child. It is AMAZING the support that Chelsea provides Tim in the background in order for him to be able to put in the immense amount of time and energy that he has and continues to get this project off the ground and keep it up and running.” – Stacey Yuen
What is your involvement with the Ice Wall?
I manage the team of Rock Jungle (RJ) employees that work at the wall and teach private lessons. With much help from Tim and the RJ team, I wrote up the operational guidelines for running the ice wall, providing orientations and doing belay checks. I also helped build the website and sort out bookings for the first few weeks of operation. Thank you Danielle and Michele for taking that over!!
Do you have a favourite memory or highlight about the Ice Wall?
My first time ever ice climbing! Yeah – I’m a newbie! Before opening, Tim Taylor of Girth Hitch volunteered his time and taught some of us to climb and gave our experienced ice climbers some tips on how to teach ice climbing. It was also pretty cool to watch Will Gadd “Lara Croft” off the ice wall onto a suspended ice block. Yes, to “Lara Croft” is now a verb.
What is your favourite piece of outdoor equipment?
A hammock. I love to climb outside, but I also love relaxing, taking in the outdoors and watching others climb. My favourite crag days are when they also include a hammock.
Where was your last trip to the mountains?
Squamish! The Rock Jungle setting team took an impromptu team building trip together and it was so fun – hoping it will be an annual thing!
Favourite urban adventure?
Going on a midnight bike ride with my siblings and cousins on one of those rare, warm, Edmonton summer nights.
What’s your favourite mountain snack?
My home baked cookies. And Cherry Blasters.
