Ice Season Opener
November 13th 7-9pm
Venue
The Scratch Pad
450 S. 400 E. Bountiful Ut
It’s this time of the year again!
Join us for an evening of inspiration, safety, and stoke as an all-women panel of expert ice climbers shares hard-earned lessons from the sharp end. From avalanche awareness to anchor trust, this event blends experience with practical insight to help you start the season smart. Stick around for audience Q&A, community connection, and our fundraising raffle supporting the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance (SLCA) in their mission to rebolt and maintain Wasatch ice anchors.
Nikki Smith
Climber, photographer, guidebook author and champion of Utah’s vertical winter terrain. Based in Salt Lake City, Nikki has pioneered over 200 first ascents across ice, mixed and rock climbing. She authored Beehive Ice, the definitive guide to Utah’s 775+ ice and mixed routes, and her photography and writing have appeared in major outdoor publications. With years in the industry and a deep commitment to community and inclusion, Nikki brings unique insight into climbing terrain, gear, technique and mindset for the ice season ahead.
Olga Dobranowski, MD
Born in Poland’s Tatras and forged on alpine walls around the world, Olga has soloed Denali, Aconcagua, and Ama Dablam (6,812 m). Now based in Colorado, she blends decades of ice, mixed, and high-altitude experience with a safety-first mindset grounded in both medicine and mountain wisdom.
Amanda Hankinson
Splitboard mountaineer and avalanche educator based in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is currently making her way down the AMGA guide track, working for Wasatch Mountain Guides, and teaching avalanche safety/advanced rescue for the Utah Avalanche Center.
With mentorship from talented female guides she started ice climbing in 2018, aspiring to blend mountaineering into her snowboarding pursuits. She walks a line between freeride snowboarding and alpinism, using both worlds to inspire her vision of moving with the mountains.
Ice Season Opener Raffle Ticket!
Wasatch Ice Anchor Fundraiser Raffle
Help protect Utah’s ice climbing future — and score gear from some of the best brands in the business.
Every winter, climbers tie in beneath frozen pillars and blue curtains in the Wasatch. Many of those routes still rely on aging or unsafe fixed anchors — and the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance (SLCA) is leading the charge to replace them.
This fundraiser directly supports anchor replacement and safety improvements at popular Wasatch ice crags like Provo Canyon and Maple Canyon.
Every ticket you buy helps keep climbers safe — and could win you prizes from:
Black Diamond
Blue Ice
CAMP USA
Petzl
Aniiu
Grand Trunk
Ticket options:
1 Ticket — $5
5 Tickets — $20
15 Tickets — $50
Winners announced: during the Ice Season Opener: Cold Wisdom event (attendance not required to win).
100% of proceeds go directly to the SLCA Anchor Replacement Fund.
Your ticket helps rebuild trust in the bolts above — and keeps our community safely swinging tools for seasons to come.
Keynote & Panel Discussion 7-9pm
Q&A
This year’s Ice Season Opener: Cold Wisdom features an all-women panel of expert ice climbers and mountain professionals, sharing insights on safety, mindset, and mastery in the vertical world.
Panelists include Dr. Olga Dobranowski — alpinist, critical care physician, and educator — and Nikki Smith, renowned climber, photographer, and author of Beehive Ice. Together they’ll cover topics ranging from staying safe on ice and mixed terrain to risk management, preparation, and community awareness in the mountains.
Following the presentations, we’ll host an open Q&A, giving you the chance to ask questions and dive deeper into discussion with our panelists.
Have a question or topic you’d like the panel to address? Submit it using the form below!