Colorado has some of the highest concentrations of ice climbing in the continental US and with some of the easiest access Colorado is a great spot to learn to ice climb. That said if you want to spend more time climbing than walking and you want to get the most out of a guided day of ice climbing instruction here are our suggestions:

Lake City Ice Park: This is absolutely the best place in Colorado to learn to ice climb. With climbs just a dozen steps or so from where you park to the ice itself you can’t get any closer. The town caters to ice climbers providing warming tents with wood burning stoves and signage to help direct you where you want to go. There are some special skills if you want to climb on your own but with a guide it couldn’t be easier.

Cheyenne Canyon: With a good low angle spot where you can practice a lot of techniques the ice climbing in Cheyenne Canyon makes a good beginner location. While I would more likely recommend something like Hully Gully for a more experience ice climber the climbing on Silver Cascade Slab is easily accessible if you’re in Colorado Springs with only about a 15 minute walk. It doesn’t have the variety of an ice park but it can handle a good chunk of climbers for a day.

Clear Creek Canyon: While lower elevation makes it a less reliable option it’s still a good beginner ice climbing spot when it comes in well. Several different ice climbs can form in the canyon that are right in the WI3 range. Being located near Golden about 30 minutes from Denver it is right off the highway. This ends up being a blessing and a curse since you can get to the ice in 5 minutes but that means you’re not far from the traffic. Still you can’t find that variety without either a huge drive or a huge walk.