Canada’s longest running, premiere ice climbing festival typically features ice climbing clinics, presentations by outdoor adventurers, fundraising dinner, gear swap, fun games, and our legendary gear raffle…
With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the 2021 Nipigon Ice Festival is shaping up to be just a little bit different though! Due to local restrictions we will be shifting from an in person event to a virtual event. We will be ‘’hosting” the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival, and are working to finalize our live virtual event to be held on March 6th. In addition to this we are moving our legendary raffle to an online auction and holding virtual events running over a longer period than our traditional weekend event.
First established in 1986, the Nipigon Ice Fest has always been run fully by volunteers with all proceeds going back towards putting on the event. Whether you’re a novice, intermediate, or expert climber – unite, learn, and explore at the 2021 Nipigon Ice Fest!
Nipigon Ice Fest Schedule of Events
Check back regularly for updates
VIMFF
February 19 – 28, 2021
Stuck inside? Need some inspiration? Want to support the Nipigon Ice Fest? Any reason is a good reason to check out the 24th annual Vancouver International Film Festival!! February 19-28 enjoy 50+ films, 3 interactive workshops, 3 engaging panel discussions and discover new documentaries about climbing, snowsports, the environment, mountain culture and adventure and more!
Use our affiliate link and 20% of your purchase will go directly to your favorite ice fest!
(We’ve made the assumption that that’s our here in NW Ontario
)
Photo Contest
February 19 – March 20, 2021
We are holding a “Choose Your Own Adventure” photo contest from February 19 – March 20.
Share a picture of your most recent climbing adventures for your chance to win a $100 Gift Card to Wilderness Supply!
(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
- 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 it!
*Please ensure you are following all your local COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions.
Prize:
- $100 Gift Card from Wilderness supply!
- Prize will be awarded to a random winner
Gear Auction
March 5 – 20, 2021
The Nipigon Ice Fest has become well known for having some incredible prizes to win at the gear raffle. This year however will be looking a little different, with a virtual gear auction happening instead to help cover the costs of this year’s event and so that next year we can come back better than ever. Keep your eyes peeled, as the online auction will take place March 5-20 and will be epic. Check out the list of sponsors who have come together so far in support of this year’s ice fest!
Nipigon Ice Fest Live
March 6, 2021
The Nipigon Ice Fest live event will take place on Saturday, March 6th starting at 7pm EST. Enjoy virtual presentations by some epic climbers, time for questions and answers with them afterwards, an online gear auction, and a live trivia event!
Feature Presentations
Quentin Roberts
Chasing Dreams in the Big Mountains
Quentin Roberts has been climbing mountains all of his life. His love for climbing began on the South coast of Wales where he grew up scrambling on the limestone sea cliffs. After finishing high school on the coast of British Columbia, he enrolled in Engineering at UBC where he climbed more than he studied and used his student loans to fund his various expeditions. Now that he’s graduated, Quentin has moved the Canadian Rockies and continues to climb hard routes all over the world. Quentin has climbed 13+ on gear, soloed difficult North Faces, and made bold first ascents in Patagonia and Peru. He is always striving to push the envelope of modern alpinism both in Canada and Internationally.
PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1. First ascent on the E. face of Chacaraju Este, Peru (The Devils Reacharound, M6, 5.10)
2. First ascent on the East Pillar of Torre Egger, Patagonia (MA’s Visión, 12c)
3. Free solo of Cerro Standhardt, Patagonia (Exocet, WI5+, 5.10-)
4. Air China, Liming, China (Trad, 5.13d)
5. Free solo ascent of Striving for the Moon, Mount Temple, Canada (1400m, WI6)
Kendra Stritch
Stories from the making of IceLines – Select Waterfalls of the Canadian Rockies
Kendra will be sharing stories of friendship, trying conditions, and great climbing from the making of the guide book. Kendra and Brent, with community help, wrote and self published this guide with beautiful pictures and first ascent stories. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, began climbing in 2006, ice climbing in the winter of 2007 and joined the UIAA World Tour circuit in 2012. The cold winters of Minnesota and her passion for climbing meant scaling ice was a logical progression in her climbing. She enjoys all disciplines of climbing but you can tell there’s a little extra passion for ice. She made history in 2014 when she became the first North American to win a stage of the UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour. This historic success arrived on the speed wall in Bozeman, Montana.
Paul McSorley
Coastal Ice, From Arctic to Rainforest
Coastal Ice showcases winter climbs from the Arctic Circle in Norway to the Icy walls of Scotland and Patagonia and the West Coast of BC. Paul is a longtime climber who began his journey on the rocks of Southern Ontario. He’s traveled around the world opening first ascents on Rock, Ice and in the Alpine on five continents. He lives in Squamish, BC where there is a lifetime of new routing within walking distance from his home.
