Climb for Wilderness is Alberta Wilderness Association's
annual fund-raising event held at the Calgary Tower. People pay a registration
fee and collect sponsorship money which allows them the unique opportunity to
climb the 802 stairs inside the Calgary Tower. Climbers can climb once or
multiple times during a five-hour period. The money goes towards wilderness
protection in Alberta. It is a great opportunity to get some exercise, to learn
about environmental work in Alberta, and to have a lot of fun!
What is the Run for Wilderness?
Run for Wilderness is the race component of the Climb for
Wilderness. It involves running a 1 km track around the Calgary Tower block and
then racing up the 802 stairs to the top of the Tower. The Run starts at 8:00 AM
sharp and all runners start at the same time. Runners times are logged and
posted. Runners register and collect pledges as do climbers and they may
continue climbing at 9:00am when the Climb starts.
I am registered for the race; can I pick up my bib on the
morning of the race?
No, in order to provide electronic timing of the event we need
to have you registered with your bib number assigned and picked up prior to the
morning of the race. Please see the list of
pre-registration and package pick up times.
How many stairs does the Calgary Tower have?
802
How long will it take a person with an average fitness
level to climb the Calgary Tower?
Approximately 20 minutes. People really into fitness should check
out the records page.
How many calories do you burn climbing the tower?
Because of the way our bodies burn calories, the answer depends
on how much you weigh, and how quickly you climb. A 70 kg person who climbs
the tower in 20 minutes will burn approximately 210 kCal. Once you have climbed
the tower, you can come back to this site and use the calculator below to determine
how many calories you burned:
Weight:
lbs
kg
Time taken to climb (in minutes):
Is it dark in the stairwell?
No, the stairwell in the Calgary Tower is very well lighted.
Are there any windows in the staircase?
None, but there are lots of good views from the top. Also, the
participants in AWA's mural competition have been
hard at work over the last eight years turning the stairwells into Calgary's
largest art gallery.
How many people climb the Calgary Tower each year at
this event?
Over 1000 climbers and runners participate annually.
Can a group of people participate in the Climb for
Wilderness?
Yes, climbers of any age may participate in teams of four
for the team challenge.
If I pre-register, can I bring more pledges on the day
of the climb?
Yes, absolutely!
Do I get a tax receipt if I sponsor myself?
Yes, for any amounts over and above the entrance fee.
I am under 18, do I need to bring a parent to sign the
waiver?
Yes, climbers under 18 must have a parent or guardian present to
sign a waiver prior to climbing. Climbers under 12 years of age must be
accompanied by an adult during the climb.
Will my sponsors get a tax receipt for their donation?
Yes, tax receipts are issued for any sponsorships of $20 or
more.
Are there age restrictions for the Climb and Run For
Wilderness event?
No, this event is open to everyone. Check out the
photo gallery and see for yourself.
What ages are the youngest and oldest climbers?
This changes over time but you can check out the current
records page for details.
What was the hardest way to climb?
By wheelchair, but it has been done!
Can our team pick up their package on the day of the
climb?
Yes, you can come to the registration area on the morning of the
climb; however, if you want to avoid the line-ups we recommend pre-registration
and package pick-up prior to the climb day. In either case, you do still need to
pre-register so that we can have your package
ready for the day of the climb.
Can we have more than four people on our team?
No, but you can have fewer. We keep team size to a maximum of four
to make it fair for all competing for prizes, both for multiple climbs and for
fundraising.
Could a person who received pledges for $25 climb the
tower once?
Yes, you can once. However the $25 sponsorship will be treated as
a registration fee, and the sponsor will thus be ineligible to receive a tax
receipt, as per Canada Revenue Agency regulations.
If I registered to climb the Tower once and now want
to climb it again, what do I pay?
Unlimited Climbs cost $100.00 for adults, $75.00 for 15 to 18 year
olds and $50.00 for those under 14 years old. Additional climbs will cost $25.00
each until you reach this amount.
My family and friends want to welcome me when I get to
the top, but they don't want to climb. How do they get up?
They will have to go to the Calgary Tower admission desk to buy
a regular tourist pass and go up the elevator. Admission rates are posted on the
Calgary Tower website.
Is there a place where I can sit and wait for family and
friends as they climb the Tower?
There are chairs available by the stage.
Is there a team meeting place?
The meeting place is by the stage.
Are any snacks or nutrition available?
Fresh fruit (bananas, oranges, etc.) is available, as are
granola bars, energy bars and drinking water.
Is there any storage space for my belongings?
There is a small coat check area, however space is very limited,
so it is only suitable for clothing, not backpacks or other bulky items. If you
want, there are various corners where items could be tucked away, however this
is at your own risk; AWA can take no responsibility for items left around the
tower lobby area, sorry.
Do we walk back down, or take the elevator?
The choice is yours – you can either walk back down the
stairs, or take the elevator, as you prefer. Note that sometimes, one of the two
elevators is out of service; when this happens, there can be a lineup for the
remaining elevator, and taking the stairs down may be faster.
Can I send you a team photo to put on our team
webpage?
Absolutely! If you have photos, or any other information, that
you would like posted to the team webpage, please attach it in an email to
awa.c4w@shaw.ca.
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