North Idaho/E. Washington Ice

[danny m]

Hey guys, just moved to Northern Idaho and was wondering if there is any ice climbing close to CDA/Spokane area??

[mthorman]

Depends on the year, but Banks Lake gets good ice if the conditions are right. I don't know of anything else that is close and consistent.

[mccallboater]

Copper Creek Falls is fun. IV two pitches. Sometimes the upper pitch is dicey, like when it was a bubble lens like a P-51 canopy over a dark abyss with water running down it. I don't think I've ever been as wigged out as that 4 or 5 steps up and across

[Jake_Gano]

North Idaho has a handful of climbs around CDA and Sandpoint. Never climbed at Banks but it's probably better than anything in North Idaho. I remember some climb just north of CDA on the east side of the highway near some an amusement park. There are a handful near Sandpoint (don't remember names or details) and Cooper Falls which isn't hard to find info about with a google search. Best bet - keep driving east until you hit Montana.

[Jake_Gano]

Also, I walked back to Cooper in pretty cold weather and still saw lots of water running down it - it's a pretty high volume flow. FYI

[CaleHoopes]

Banks is pretty awesome. I did a bunch of climbing there in LATE FEB this year!! Anyhow, not too far a drive on 2... and lots of various climbs. Get the Jason Martin/Alex K. book on "Washington ICE" and you'll get a bunch of options at Banks. The book is a bit outdated, but a good representation of the repeat flows. Easy approaches off the road (a bit steep) and some brambles around anchors, but generally great stuff. Everything from WI2-WI6.