Ice Festival vs Professional Guide for faster learning?

Hello,

New to ice climbing (rock climber) with a passion that might become an addiction.  I live in Texas, so I'd planned to attend some ice festivals in the USA this season to network, get more time on ice and receive professional instruction.  I've been so impressed with what great community ice climbers seem to have.  However, I wondered if my time and money would be better spent taking mountain guide classes/clinics and possibly individual guides (more expensive) to get more time on the ice and quality feedback.  I'm really wanting to maximize my time climbing and learning, rather than shopping/hanging out/watching competitions/etc.  I have a budget though, limited time, and want to invest my time and money wisely.  I appreciate any input.  Cheers.

100% private guide, and let them know you don't want to just get to the top, but you want to learn. 

Similar background, but going on our 4th year of ice climbing.  I'd definatley recommend hiring a guide.  Money well spent.

Are there certifications for instructors/guides that are worth seeking out?

Get involved in the Houston ice climbing community. 

J/k.  You may BE the Houston ice climbing community 

There absolutely is certification for ice and alpine. 

Nick Goldsmith wrote:

There absolutely is certification for ice and alpine. 

Nick, my understanding is that the IFMGA definitely includes and alpine component.

What do you mean exactly? 

exactly what i said. you dont want a guide with an AMGA SP cert you want a guide who has passed their ice and alpine cert or an  IFMGA

@ Nick, Ok, cool, we're on the same page.  It's a little crazy that folks with an AMGA SP can call themselves "guides" and others with an IFMGA certification have a hard time distinguishing their education and professional standards.   

Regarding the OP's question...I guess it depends on what you want.  Do you want to hang out with like-minded people and celebrate the tribe and perhaps find a partner to climb with?  Maybe go to the festival.  Do you want clear instruction without the distraction of crowds to learn how to climb?  Hire a guide. 

I've done both. 

Funny story: I've lived in Switzerland for 15 years.  In my first year here, I went to the Kandersteg Ice festival.  I stood outside an auditorium holding a ripped cardboard sign asking for a partner.  I found a willing parnter, and we climbed an easy multipitch the next day.  Only later did I realize exactly how insanely out of character it was to approach Swiss people like that...tall smiling foreign guy holding a hand-made sign saying "want to climb?"  No problem in the US.  Very suspicious in CH.   But the guy a climbed with was actually Swiss.  He was recently out of the obligatiory military service, and was doing an apprenticeship as some kind of carpenter, I think.  He was probably as lonely as I was :)  I also remember that the people at the festival made fun of my NOLS 90 + 10 pack.  I was working for NOLS at the time and it's the only pack I had.  They don't usually carry big loads like that here in Europe.  Memories....

One other thing: the idea that the coaches/climbers/guides you might work with at festivals are "second stringers" as mentioned above is absolutely false. 

At festivals here in Europe I have been in ice climbing workshops with Ines Papert and Markus Bendler and Pietro dal Pra. Ines Papert and Pietro dal Pra were especialy good teachers, especially Ines.  She encoruaged us to "think like sport climbers" and use all the angles, movements, edges, and so on.  

It was a really nice experience at that stage in my development, although now I'd just pick soem quiet place and go climbing with a friend or alone.

One final thought—“faster learning” and “ice climbing” aren’t usually good together. There is a certain amount of just time on ice that’s needed to be independently solid. Having to travel to ice probably means you’ve got a few seasons of guides and/or festivals coming up. You’ll probably end up with both. 

Have you read the books written on how to ice climb?  Understanding the form will catapult the function.  

In my experience ice festivals are best to be avoided if you want to climb. 

I'm noticing a trend here.  Thanks everyone.

100% a guide or specific ice climbing course for learning to climb. I've worked clinics at multiple Ouray Ice Fest and it's a super fun environment and you'll learn little things, but the amount of time on ice and focused instruction is limited. There's also a wide variation in the clinics depending on the athlete "instructing". Most professional climbers headlining clinics at festivals, while being exceptional climbers, do not teach ice day in a day out and aren't fantastic instructors. Guides working in the ice discipline spend many days a week teaching climbing at all levels and are way better instructors. 

Every guide service operating in Ouray only hires guides who are AMGA trained or certified. This should be pretty close to true for any other guide service offering instruction as well.

Echoing what others have said - Hire a guide. Be sure to specifically ask (assuming you're in the US) for one who has at minimum passed the AMGA Ice instructor course or just ask for a certified alpine guide or IFMGA as others have mentioned.

+1 on hiring a guide. 

Agree with everyone on hiring a guide vs. ice festival for learning.
Even if you re hiring a guide just make sure before you re hiring him to check if he is really ok to teach you...
I mean, it may sounds stupid, and I don't know in the US but in europe you will find a lot of guides that say " I m a guide, I m guiding....", as opposed to "teaching"... so watch out for that. 

the good guides here in the states are teachers. 

Nick Goldsmith wrote:

the good guides here in the states are teachers. 

That's good then. Ice climbing is so fun but there is indeed a big learning phase if you want to do it as safely as possible.
Happy climbing!

Hey Blue, 

I've taught at variousIce/Climbing Festivals and take folks out privately.

The festivals are really fun and social, but we often get a very broad array of skill sets so it's impossible to cater perfectly to the goals and objectives of each individual. Additionally, the Festival Clinics are usually a bit shorter than a typical 1:1 day out with a guide, because it takes some time to gather the group and we are usually asked to be back in time for the evening/afternoon festivities.

Festival clinics are certainly cheaper ($1-200) than a day out with a guide ($4-900), but they are very different experiences and I don't even see them as a direct comparison. 

If you are truly looking to learn as much as possible in a single day, hire an AMGA Certified Alpine Guide at 1:1 or 2:1 Ratio.