My First Ice Climbing Trip in Hokkaido
Frozen Waterfalls, Winter Hike & First Ice Climb (Part 2)

Hello friends, climbers, and curious wanderers. Welcome back to ByrdieOnTheRocks.

If you have been here before, you already know I like to start with a short intro and a few friendly notes. If you are new here, hi and welcome.

This is my little corner of the internet where I share travel stories, climbing experiences, and personal reflections from a beginner climber who is still learning along the way. I am not a professional climber and I do not write technical guides. What I share here is the real feeling of discovering new places as someone who loves climbing, traveling, and learning web development at the same time. It is a mix of chalk, code, curiosity, and honest experiences.

I sometimes include personal tips, but please always check the weather, consult certified guides, and put safety first when planning any outdoor climbing trip.

Climbing ice is not a common activity for climbers from tropical regions, so this trip introduced me to many completely new experiences. It exposed me to a different style of climbing, unfamiliar weather conditions, and outdoor activities during the winter season.

Coming from a place where climbing usually means warm rock and sunny weather, stepping into a frozen winter landscape felt like entering a completely different world of climbing.

This blog is Part 2 of my Hokkaido ice climbing trip, where I share my experience of trying ice climbing in Japan for the first time.

If you discovered this blog as a new climber curious about ice climbing in Hokkaido, or if you are an experienced climber interested in learning more about the area, you can read Part 1 of the trip where I shared details about travel planning, preparation, and how I ended up joining this adventure as an amateur climber.

In Part 1, I covered:

• Travel planning
• Preparation for winter climbing
• Getting to Hokkaido
• What it was like arriving with no prior ice climbing experience

Part 2 focuses more on the actual climbing experience and what it was like trying ice climbing in Japan for the very first time.

As I briefly mentioned earlier, this trip introduced me not only to ice climbing but also to a small taste of alpine-style activities, including hiking through snow and approaching frozen waterfalls in winter conditions.

For someone with no prior experience climbing ice, the entire experience felt completely new and surprisingly exciting. It opened my eyes to a different side of climbing that I had never imagined myself enjoying before.

This two day climbing trip was carefully organized and beautifully planned by our certified instructor and guide, QX. You can find more information about him here. I also shared more details about him in my Taiwan climbing blog .

The itinerary was designed for beginners like us who had no previous ice climbing experience. The goal of the trip was to give us a proper introduction to ice climbing because climbing ice is very different from rock climbing. Some people may enjoy it immediately while others may find it challenging, not only because of the climbing itself but also because of the winter conditions.

Unlike rock climbing, you spend long hours outside in temperatures below freezing, sometimes with wind and snow. If you are not prepared, the experience can quickly become uncomfortable.

From my personal experience, I strongly recommend doing research on winter gear before coming. One thing I wish I had prepared better was waterproof gloves. Bringing two or even three pairs would make a huge difference and make the climbing experience much more enjoyable.

The ice climbing location is in the Sounkyo area , which is also well known for its onsen. However, we stayed in Asahikawa , which is roughly 70 km away and about a one and a half hour drive depending on weather conditions.

I shared more details about my stay in Asahikawa in Part 1 this blog .

Personally, I think staying in Asahikawa is the better choice because it is much more convenient in terms of food options and transportation back to larger cities like Sapporo. Sounkyo is beautiful and relaxing, but it is very quiet and quite small. From what I saw, there was only one convenience store in the area.

Hotel prices can also be quite high during the winter season. Because of that, staying in Asahikawa and traveling to the climbing locations with QX each day worked very well for us.

For me, the drive itself was also one of the highlights of the trip.

Coming from a tropical country, I rarely experience this type of winter scenery. Sitting in the car and driving through the snowy mountains of Japan felt incredibly peaceful. The snow covered trees, quiet roads, and white mountain landscape created a calm atmosphere that is difficult to describe.

It was one of those moments where you simply sit quietly and enjoy the view.

On the first day we climbed in an area called Obako , which is one of the most beautiful and popular spots in Sounkyo.

The area looks like a narrow valley with steep cliffs on both sides. In the summer there is actually a river running through the middle. During winter the river becomes partially frozen, creating an incredible landscape of snow, ice, and frozen waterfalls.

I have traveled to snowy countries before, but that was before I became interested in outdoor activities. Visiting a place like this again now feels completely different. This time I looked around and could not stop appreciating the landscape. It was simply beautiful.

We parked the car near the entrance, which was very convenient. From there we started our first lesson of the day which was hiking through snow while carrying climbing gear.

Before starting the hike we put on our harness and prepared our gear. One important lesson I learned very quickly was to always keep your gloves on.

We followed the path that other climbers had already made in the snow. Having proper mountaineering boots was very important because they are designed to work with crampons for ice climbing.

Our first climbing spot was less than ten minutes away, but the walk itself was already amazing.

I was excited the entire time. Seeing snow sitting on top of rocks in the partially frozen river, forming shapes that looked like bubbles, felt almost peaceful and meditative.

Then we saw the first frozen waterfall.

Seeing a frozen waterfall up close is a completely different experience. At first it looks slippery and impossible to climb because you do not yet understand how the equipment works.

QX first showed us how to put on the crampons. Surprisingly, this was more difficult than it looked, especially when wearing gloves. At one point I removed my gloves to adjust the crampons, which caused my hands and gloves to get wet. That made the rest of the morning slightly uncomfortable because wet gloves in freezing temperatures are not pleasant.

After securing the crampons to our mountaineering boots, QX gave us a quick introduction to using ice axes.

Ice climbing is very different from rock climbing. Instead of relying mostly on your hands, you depend heavily on your tools and your foot placements. Learning how to swing the ice axes correctly and place your crampons into the ice requires technique and precision, and understanding some ice climbing basics can really help.

Walking on snow is already challenging, but walking on ice with crampons feels completely different. Much of the morning was spent simply learning how to move on the ice and how to kick the crampons into the surface to create stable steps.

At first it feels very unnatural. Even though the metal points of the crampons are inside the ice, it still feels slippery and unstable. Because of that I relied a lot on my upper body, which also requires learning the correct technique when swinging the ice axes.

Ice climbing is not as straightforward as it might look. Having an experienced guide like QX was extremely important.

When you swing the ice axes into the ice, large chunks can break off and fall. Because of that the belayer has to stand further away from the base of the waterfall. This is something I noticed immediately. Several times when I hit the ice, large pieces broke off and fell down, sometimes even hitting my helmet and face.

For that reason, wearing sunglasses or protective glasses is highly recommended.

After the morning training we walked deeper into the snow covered valley to reach the next waterfall.

The walk itself was cold but incredibly peaceful. Soon we arrived at a frozen waterfall about 15 meters high. This was where we practiced our first proper ice climb using the techniques we had just learned.

Surprisingly, I did better than I expected. At the same time I quickly realized what I needed to improve, especially my footwork and how I used my upper body.

Ice climbing was fun, but learning the correct techniques and using the equipment efficiently would make the experience even more enjoyable.

The third waterfall we climbed was my favorite of the entire trip.

It was much larger than the others and required us to cross a partially frozen river to reach the base. QX set up the rope from the top and belayed us as we climbed.

By this point I still was not fully comfortable using the crampons and ice axes together. When you swing the axe deep into the ice it can sometimes get stuck, and pulling it out requires balance while standing on the crampons.

If your crampons lose grip while you are trying to remove the axe, it can feel quite nerve wracking.

Near the top of the climb I could even hear water still flowing inside the frozen ice. That sound made me slightly nervous, but reaching the top and looking out at the winter landscape was an incredible moment that is difficult to describe.

On Day 2, we started early again, but the weather conditions were very different from the day before. It had been snowing nonstop since the night before, and the strong wind made it feel much colder.

Because of this, we had to carefully evaluate the conditions and adjust our plan. QX originally had a different climbing route in mind, but safety always comes first. We needed to consider factors such as weather, visibility, and potential avalanche risk, which was something completely new for me.

This experience made me realize how important it is to climb with someone experienced, especially for beginners in ice climbing. Conditions in winter mountains can change quickly, and having a knowledgeable guide makes a big difference.

Instead of climbing a large frozen waterfall, we shifted to a smaller ice climbing spot nearby. This turned out to be a great opportunity to focus more on practicing and improving our ice climbing techniques.

When we arrived at the parking area, we noticed several other cars already there. Many local climbers were also out climbing, which surprised me. I did not realize how active the ice climbing community in Japan is.

What I enjoyed most about this day was the overall experience. As someone who enjoys walking and hiking, I really appreciated the approach to the climbing area. Walking through the snowy landscape gave me a small taste of alpine-style climbing, which I found myself enjoying more than I expected.

Compared to Day 1, the climbing on Day 2 felt less exciting but more technical.

We spent more time practicing how to properly use crampons and ice axes on real ice surfaces. Instead of focusing on completing routes, we focused on building better technique and understanding movement on ice.

We still managed to complete a few climbs on the frozen waterfall. This one was actually more challenging than the previous day because the ice had formed unevenly, with curved and irregular surfaces that made it harder to place crampons securely.

Even though the climbing itself was more difficult, I really enjoyed the atmosphere.

Despite the cold weather, the snow-covered trees and quiet surroundings created a calm and peaceful environment. There was something about being in that winter landscape that felt very relaxing, even while climbing.

This two day ice climbing experience in Hokkaido was beyond what I expected.

I discovered a completely new type of climbing that felt very different from rock climbing, both physically and mentally. From learning how to use crampons and ice axes to climbing frozen waterfalls for the first time, every moment felt like a new challenge.

At the same time, this trip was not just about climbing. It also introduced me to winter hiking, alpine-style movement, and the experience of being in a snowy mountain environment. It also gave me the chance to experience Japan in winter in a completely different way.

As someone coming from a tropical country, this was something completely new, and it opened my eyes to another side of outdoor adventure that I had never considered before.

Would I do it again?

Yes, definitely.

Ice climbing is challenging, sometimes uncomfortable, and requires preparation, but it is also incredibly rewarding. Reaching the top of a frozen waterfall and looking out over the winter landscape is an experience that is difficult to describe.

This trip made me realize how much more there is to explore in climbing, especially across different seasons and environments