Winter in Cody, WY: First Time Ice Climbing, Wildlife, and Scenic Drives

Over the New Year’s holiday, I had the unforgettable opportunity to go ice climbing in Cody, Wyoming, during the annual Wyoming Ice Festival. I’m not much of a rock climber, maybe I go one to three times per year, and I was a little nervous about getting onto a wall of ice.

Thankfully, the beginner’s course quickly put any worry to the wayside and allowed me to have a great time climbing in nature. This course gave me a fantastic foundation for ice climbing and got me stoked on scaling frozen walls.

In addition to ice climbing, winter in Cody, WY, offers easy access to stunning landscapes, wildlife photography opportunities, hiking, and more. So, if you’re looking for a unique place to ring in the new year, consider Cody Yellowstone!

My First Wyoming Ice Festival As a Beginner Climber

Day 1 – Ice Climbing near Cooke City

The evening before, I checked into the Wyoming Ice Festival. Here, I was able to rent gear for free. Helmets. Harness. Boots. Ice Axe. Crampons. All available. All I had to do was leave my credit card in case I didn’t come back.

The following morning at 6:45 am, I arrived back at the Cody Cattle Company and met my group! In addition to me, there were five others and one instructor. It was show time. Due to Cody’s warmer weather, we drove as far north on the Chief Joseph Highway as we could, then onto Highway 212 towards Cooke City. Up there, it was a winter wonderland.

Our group, back together after the 100-minute drive, hopped into a snowcat for 10 minutes before starting a short 15-minute walk to our ice.

Learning the Basics

The first part of the beginner’s course was learning what the heck ice climbing is. This meant how to use our ice axe, best practices for using the crampons on the wall, moving on the wall, and, of course, staying safe.

I estimate the first hour on location was gearing up, not stabbing anyone with our crampons or axes (I kid), and learning the basics.

On the Ice

From 10am to 3pm, our group was at the wall. I think we’ve got to climb for a solid 3-4 hours, with each of us rotating in and out of climbing vs belaying.

The first couple of climbs felt like I was on a foreign planet. But by the end, while I wasn’t good by any means, being on the ice wall was more comfortable and less nerve-wracking.

As someone who doesn’t climb often, my arms and legs fatigued pretty quickly. Still, the thrill of being on the wall was incredible!

Day 2 – Dry Tooling in the South Fork

My second day at the ice festival, ironically, did not include any ice. It was all dry tooling, taught by climbing legend Will Gadd. Learning how to climb from one of the most accomplished in the field was a pretty neat opportunity.

Still, this was brand-spanking new to me, and I felt like a fish out of water.

The first portion of the day was learning techniques for climbing on rock in your crampons and ice axes. As opposed to ice climbing, which is more forgiving in terms of where foot and axe placements are, dry tooling requires slow, methodical movements as you scale the wall.

On the Wall

I climbed a couple of times but found it to be a bit too uncomfortable for my liking. The idea of going up a wall in crampons just wasn’t my cup of tea. And that’s okay! The whole point of going out and trying new things is learning what you do and don’t like. Plus, with others finding much more joy in moving like a spider up the wall, I was happy to belay and be a team player.

Will Gadd Presentation

That evening, Will Gadd presented on ice climbing, safety, and his achievements on rock walls and ice. As someone who had never heard of him before this festival, it was friggin sweet to see what he’s done and see his climbs from around the world.

Hearing how his ascent of the Niagara Falls, for example, came about, with years of planning, meetings with public officials, and training, blew me away. If you want to learn more, click here.

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Ice Climbing vs Dry Tooling

I didn’t know dry tooling existed until I arrived at my beginner’s ice climbing course. Near the end of the day, our instructor set up a rope and began climbing the rock wall in her crampons and with ice axes.

The most obvious difference between ice climbing and dry tooling is that the former is on ice, and the latter is on a rock wall (though you usually will transition to ice or from ice to rock). So, while they are vastly different, they go hand in hand with each other.

I much preferred ice climbing. If you’re a beginner, I would highly recommend doing two days of ice climbing and push dry tooling off to another time. I was finally feeling comfortable on the ice, but then I didn’t get a chance to do any more.

Things to Do in Cody During Winter

Over my four-ish days in Cody, I was able to see much of the area around town. Granted, I did spend a lot of it driving and soaking in the scenery. But it sure beats sitting inside! Find out all the things to do in Cody during winter.

Watch the Sunset at Dead Indian Pass and drive the Chief Joseph Highway

Almost immediately after landing in Cody and grabbing my rental car, I headed north out of Cody and then onto the Chief Joseph Highway. The first 30 minutes are decent. But once you reach Dead Indian Pass, I audibly let out a ‘wow’ at the view.

It was ridiculously beautiful. (Thankfully, there’s a pull off.) From here, you have gorgeous peaks and a massive valley below. I continued driving for another 45 minutes through the stunning Sunlight Basin and along the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River. (I’d realize 36 hours later that this was also the route we’d take to go ice climbing.)

For those visiting Cody in the winter, this road eventually is closed a bit after Crazy Creek Campground on Highway 212. Unless it is mid-50s like it was for New Year’s 2026, this road will likely be snowy/icy, so make sure you have 4×4/AWD.

Drive the Buffalo Bill Highway

Heading directly west out of Cody, the Buffalo Bill Highway is the fastest route to Yellowstone National Park. However, in winter, the road is closed at Pahaska Tepee, just outside of Yellowstone’s eastern entrance.

I drove 95% of the way, but the road got a bit icy, so I flipped around. It’s a gorgeous drive along the North Fork of the Shoshone River. I imagine in the summer, there’s a bit more wildlife than I saw. Still, I came upon a large herd of Bighorn Sheep in a meadow on my way back.

Search for Wildlife during Winter in Cody

I love wildlife and spending my time photographing them. That was one of the main draws for visiting Cody: the nationally renowned wildlife photography opportunities. Unfortunately, I had the worst luck.

I’m not sure if it was the 25°F above average temperatures or just pure bad luck, but I hardly saw a soul. I promise, they are there. Just trust what I say, not as I photograph!

Thankfully, on our second day of the Wyoming Ice Festival, a male Big Horned Sheep walked into our area and hung out with us for over an hour. I was able to get some nice photos.

Search for Wild Horses in the McCullough Peaks Wild Horse Herd Management Area

One of the wildlife opportunities I was most keen on (and most confident in) was seeing the wild horses to the east of Cody. First, the location. I had a hard time pinning down exactly where to go. Hopefully, this helps you out.

When dry, the dirt road is in great shape. I drove six miles until I reached the 75 sign. This is also the beginning of the badlands section, and the road drops sharply. It still looked decent, but I was in a sedan, and it was beginning to get dark, and I didn’t want to go too far.

In normal times (when I’m not there, apparently), the horses are easy to spot and are active, giving you some great wildlife photography opportunities. Hopefully, you have better luck than I did!

Go Hiking

If you’re looking for hiking, there are plenty of places to do it. One area that tends to be snow-free is the South Fork, which is in a rain shadow. However, it does get cold, which is why it’s one of the better places for ice climbing. Furthermore, there doesn’t seem to be too many middle-of-the-road hikes, at least on AllTrails for that area.

When exploring around Cody in winter, I’d recommend bringing microspikes and hiking poles in case you encounter slippery terrain.

• Outlaw Trails
• Sheep Mountain
• Heart Mountain
• Pat O’Hara Peak
• Upper Sunlight Falls
• Clearwater Creek
• Bridal Veil Falls

My 5-day Winter Itinerary for Cody

Winter in Cody Day 1:

• Landed in Cody
• Grabbed lunch at Pat O’Hara’s
• Drove out on the Chief Joseph Highway
• Sunset at Dead Indian Pass
• Dinner at Milstone Pizza/Brewery
• New Year’s Eve at the Irma Hotel – A live band played throughout the evening

Day 2:

• Early-ish morning drive for the entire South Fork road for wildlife. (A lot of this area is fenced off for private property/ranches, which made it harder to search for wildlife. Still, it’s remote and beautiful, giving you a chance to feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere.)
• New Year’s Day buffet at the Irma Hotel
• Drove the Buffalo Bill Highway towards Yellowstone (Once you got 30 minutes outside of Cody, you reached snow levels, and side roads were snowed in.)
• Drove out to the McCullough Peaks area for horses (Badlands area was really cool, unfortunately, no horses.)
• Checked into the Wyoming Ice Festival and got gear

Day3:

• All day ice climbing near the Wyoming/Montana state line
• Wyoming Ice Festival social hour
• Dinner at Proud Cut Saloon

Day 4:

• All day dry tooling in the South Fork
• Social Hour at Wyoming Fest, food truck dinner, and Will Gadd presentation

Day 5:

• Breakfast buffet at the Irma Hotel
• Flight out of Cody (unfortunately delayed for three hours)

Where to Stay in Cody, WY

Cody, Wyoming, is only a town of 10,000 people. Which means, it’s not very big, and no matter where you stay, you’re only 5-8 minutes from the other edge of town. This is me saying, it doesn’t really matter where you stay.

But for my trip, I had the opportunity to stay at the Historic Irma Hotel in Downtown Cody. The hotel is over 120 years old, with its doors opening in 1902. While there are the very obvious improvements, it still has that classic feel, which makes it a treat to stay in.

Book your stay at the Irma Hotel.

Plus, you’re in a fantastic location to walk around downtown. Almost all of the restaurants I visited were walkable from Irma’s. You can’t say the same about the other lodging locations.

If you’re looking for a little more modern feel, consider staying at:

• Best Western Premier Ivy Inn & Suites
• Hampton Inn & Suites Cody
• Holiday Inn Cody by IHG

What was the Irma Hotel like?

It’s historic, that’s for sure! But honestly, it was nice. There are a few quirky things, like the shower and toilet, but nothing that bothered me. I was in the Paul Stock room, which apparently has paranormal activity.

Now, I can’t say I believe in it too much, but I did have a weird situation while sleeping where it felt like something was on my arm and I couldn’t move/shake it off. We’ll never know, though my fiancée is convinced I had a ghost encounter.

New Year’s Eve at the Irma Hotel

The Irma Hotel is one of the gathering places to ring in the new year. The dining room had a live band and people dancing. And next door is the bar with TVs to watch the ball drop.

If you are traveling and don’t have anywhere to be for New Year’s, swing by the hotel for a drink and live music!

Where to Eat in Cody, WY

I’m not much of a foodie, but I do enjoy good food and found my meals in Cody to be fantastic. I had two breakfasts at the Irma Hotel, which offers a buffet with eggs, fruit, various meats, biscuits and gravy, and more goodies. For $15, it hit the spot.

Most of my lunches were snacks while ice climbing. But I did go to Pat O’Hara’s for lunch when I arrived and had a delicious grain bowl. 10/10.

Lastly, my dinners were just as good! I had a steak at Proud Cut Saloon, Wygu Sliders and a Cobb Salad at Blanca Tatanka, and wings and a sandwich at Milstone Pizza Co. & Brewery.

The last two had TVs for sports if that’s what you’re looking for. (Oh, the latter two also had $3 beers when I went. I didn’t realize beers were that cheap outside of major metro areas.)

Expected Weather During Winter in Cody

It is supposed to be chilly in Cody during the winter, but not as frigid as Yellowstone can get. On my trip, I had highs in the 50s, though it was windy, which dropped the feel-like temperatures by 10-15 degrees. During my four days, it was around 20-25 degrees above average.

Here are the typical temperatures by month:

Month	Average High (°F)	Average Low (°F)
November	39°F to 45°F	21°F to 22°F
December	~36°F	~17°F
January	35.9°F to 39°F	12.8°F to 14°F
February	~33°F	~14°F
March	46°F	22°F

Final Thoughts on Visiting Cody for the Wyoming Ice Festival

Cody was a fun town to visit, and it’s surrounded by magnificent landscapes that will instantly hook you. Never having been before, it surprised me tremendously, especially the view from Dead Indian Pass!

Plus, getting a chance to experience Ice Climbing for the first time was pretty incredible! I loved getting to try out a new sport and see how dedicated this community is. Everyone in our group was friendly, supportive, and there to have a rad time. I now know why this is one of the best ice festivals in the nation. Winter in Cody is definitely a place to visit!

I look forward to getting a chance to come back during the summer to explore more of the area and to get into Yellowstone National Park.

Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.

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