(AWA Logo) Climb and Run For Wilderness

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FAQs

Here you will find answers to a list of frequently-asked questions.

Questions
  1. What is the Climb for Wilderness?
  2. What is the Run for Wilderness?
  3. I am registered for the race; can I pick up my bib on the morning of the race?
  4. How many stairs does the Calgary Tower have?
  5. How long will it take a person with an average fitness level to climb the Calgary Tower?
  6. How many calories do you burn climbing the tower?
  7. Is it dark in the stairwell?
  8. Are there any windows in the staircase?
  9. How many people climb the Calgary Tower each year at this event?
  10. Can a group of people participate in the Climb for Wilderness?
  11. If I pre-register, can I bring more pledges on the day of the climb?
  12. Do I get a tax receipt if I sponsor myself?
  13. I am under 18, do I need to bring a parent to sign the waiver?
  14. Will my sponsors get a tax receipt for their donation?
  15. What are the funds I raised used for?
  16. Are there age restrictions for the Climb and Run For Wilderness event?
  17. What ages are the youngest and oldest climbers?
  18. What was the hardest way to climb?
  19. Can our team pick up their package on the day of the climb?
  20. Can we have more than four people on our team?
  21. Could a person who received pledges for $25 climb the tower once?
  22. If I registered to climb the Tower once and now want to climb it again, what do I pay?
  23. 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?
  24. Is there a place where I can sit and wait for family and friends as they climb the Tower?
  25. Is there a team meeting place?
  26. Are any snacks or nutrition available?
  27. Is there any storage space for my belongings?
  28. Do we walk back down, or take the elevator?
  29. Can I send you a team photo to put on our team webpage?
Answers
  •  What is the Climb for Wilderness?

    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.

  •  What are the funds I raised used for?

    All funds go directly to protecting wilderness in Alberta. For more information check out the Alberta Wilderness Association website.

  •  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.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Event Times
All runners and climbers start at the base of the Calgary Tower at their designated times:
Runners 8am prompt
Teams 8:15am–1:15pm
Indivduals 8:30am–1:30pm