Ice wall returns to Edmonton for ice climbing world cup [Video]

Preparations for the UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup and YEG Ice Fest in February have begun, starting with a 21-metre wall of ice in Louise McKinney Park.

The wall is only scaffolding at this point, but must soon be ready to host up to 120 competitors from 20 countries, according to Adam Luciuk, event manager and owner of Offbeat Entertainment.

“The cold weather, we would have loved it to come a little bit later, or us having started a little bit sooner,” he said, telling CTV News Edmonton in a Monday interview crews started construction on Nov. 18. “It puts the scaffolding piece behind for us, but when we start making ice, we welcome -15 C and below temperatures.”

A similar wall was erected in Ice District last year for the UIAA Ice Climbing World Championships, a biennial competition.

The world cup on Feb. 27-March 2 is an annual event …