After a safety briefing and quick tutorial, Dan, his friends and their guide hiked two kilometres to get the actual falls. Going with a licenced guide is a great way to manage the risks of climbing and avalanche safety while learning the sport. Geared with mountaineering boots, pick axes and harnesses, they were ready to start climbing.

"You have to do it with both feet and both hands. You get tired, like three quarters of the way up. But then you see the top and you think, ‘I have to make it.’ It’s exhausting." — Dan Rodo

For any travellers hesitant to take on the challenge of waterfall ice climbing, Dan says not to be intimidated by it: “It’s such a cool experience. It’s more intimidating when you see it versus when you actually do it.”

See more footage of Dan’s climb in his vlog below.

Other than ice climbing, another one of Dan’s must-do activities when visiting Banff is dog sledding.

“It was incredible, if you’re a dog lover it’s even more of an experience,  you get this rush because you’re on a sled being pulled by animals,” he said. “We were on a frozen lake with mountains on either side of us. I couldn’t describe it. It was a feeling that was unbelievable.”

Everything You Need To Know To Go

What: Waterfall Ice Climbing

Where: Banff Adventures (directions here) in Banff, Alberta

When: According to the Parks Canada site, the ice climbing season runs long, starting as early as November and lasting until April.

Source: Far & Wide