Nipigon Ice Fest – Outdoor Skills And Thrills

Join Us for the 2025 Nipigon Ice Fest!

Canada’s longest running, premiere ice climbing festival features ice climbing clinics, presentations by outdoor adventurers, gear swap, fun games, and our legendary gear raffle.

First established in 1986, the Nipigon Ice Fest has always been run fully by volunteers with all the proceeds going right back into putting on the next year’s event.

Whether you’re a novice, intermediate, or expert climber, Unite, Learn, and Explore at the 2024 Nipigon Ice Fest!

Schedule & Events

Climbing Clinics

March 1st, 2025

Hosted by Outdoor Skills And Thrills

Beginners Ice Climbing Clinic

Intermediate Ice Climbing Clinic

Mixed Climbing Clinic

Women’s/LGBTQIA+

– click here to register and for more info –

Photo Contest

January 1st, 2025 – March 10th, 2025

We are holding a photo contest from January 1st – March 10th.

Share a picture of your most recent winter adventures for your chance to win a Nipigon Ice Fest Prize Package

(Contest not limited to NW Ontario, this is open to all Canadian and US climbers)

How to enter:

Share a picture online using the #Mylocalice hashtag
Tag Nipigon Ice Fest in your post or picture on Facebook and/or Instagram
Tag Wilderness Supply (and) Outdoor Skills And Thrills for an additional chance to win

*Reminder to make sure your post is public so that we can see & share it!

Prize will be awarded to a random winner

Gear Raffle

March 1st, 2025

The Nipigon Ice Fest has become well known for having some incredible prizes to win at the gear raffle. Check out the list of sponsors below who have come together in support of this year’s event! All of the proceeds from this raffle will go to supporting this event as well as help us bring great presenters to future events.

Feature Presentations

March 1st, 2025 – 7:00pm-9:00pm EST

After a great day of climbing, warm up with the locals at a casual “Ice Fest Summit” and get inspired with presentations by outdoor adventurers and climbing enthusiasts, discuss Sunday’s climbing plans, and participate in the gear swap and raffle.

Social Gathering

February 28th, 2025

On Friday February 28th in the evening climbers can mingle at the Nipigon Legion on the bar side of the building. There will be live music starting around 8pm. It’s an open community event – and a reminder that it is a Legion, so policy to show respect to Veterans is hats off while inside the club room. See you all there!

Location: 102 5th Street, Nipigon – Ontario

Nipigon Ice Fest Location

Driving Times to Nipigon from:

Thunder Bay, ON – 1 hour – 110 km (68 miles)
Wawa, ON – 4 hours – 365 km (227 miles)
Duluth, MN – 5 hours -420 km (261 miles)
Sault Ste. Marie, ON – 6.5 hours – 585 km (365 miles)
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN – 7.5 hours – 667 km (415 miles)
Winnipeg, MB – 8.5 hours – 800 km (497 miles)
Traverse City, MI – 9.5 hours – 870 km (540 miles)
Sudbury, ON – 10 hours – 900 km (560 miles)
Madison, WI – 10.5 hours – 950 km (590 miles)
Grand Rapids, MI – 11.5 hours – 1,062 km (660 miles)
Chicago, IL – 12.5 hours – 1,165 km (725 miles)
Toronto, ON – 13.5 hours – 1270 km (790 miles)