Ice Climbing for the first time!!

[barlowrs]

I did a bit myself but living in So Cal it's tough to find. I found some good stuff up in Angeles Crest at Williamson Rock, and also the backside of Strawberry Peak. This thread is making me itch to get out and start again, maybe it's time for a trip up to June Lake or Lee Vining.

yeah so cal is hard, Lee vining is the easiest and most available. You can also find others out in the sierras. I just did a nice climb on the summit of the north palisade.

Once in a blue moon, you can actually catch some ice formed on Mt San Jacinto. A few winters ago, I remember we were ice climbing there in teh morning, then came back to Huntington for some surfing in the evening....How many other places in the world can you ice climb and surf on the same day! haha

 

[barlowrs]

X2

The big difference is that with rock climbing I can set a pretty solid anchor in rock.

On ice, once that first screw lets go, the rest want to come out like toothpicks out of an iced cake! :Wow1:

Amen to this, for ice climbing, you just DONT fall..period! haha

 

[Christophe Noel]

I just did a nice climb on the summit of the north palisade.

I spent 12 days on the Palisade Glacier going up, down, up, down, up, down all of the couliors and peaks in that sub range. I wanted to hone my soloing skills and that's where I got it done. On the last day I was there, I think sometime late summer in '98, some guy fell the length of the main gully. Croaked, obviously.

I tried to find ice in '97 on San Jacinto and the approach was epic only to find ice that looked anything but safe.

 

[barlowrs]

I spent 12 days on the Palisade Glacier going up, down, up, down, up, down all of the couliors and peaks in that sub range. I wanted to hone my soloing skills and that's where I got it done. On the last day I was there, I think sometime late summer in '98, some guy fell the length of the main gully. Croaked, obviously.

I tried to find ice in '97 on San Jacinto and the approach was epic only to find ice that looked anything but safe.

Haha yeah, while traversing the glacier on the way to the final ice climb to the top I actually slipped and started sliding down to the nice frozen lake below, scared the crap out of me, luckily I stopped myself with the ice ax...nothing like a little unplanned glissading to make the day interesting.

yeah Ice on Jacinto is VERY hit or miss. Just call the mountain shop for reports of it, and the approach is ALWAYS epic (though, thats part of the fun!)

 

[njsjeep]

Ice climbing is like having fun but different. You are usually cold, miserable, wet and climbing on a dangerously inconsistent medium with typically unreliable protection, whats not to like.

Belaying the leader is even worse. Trying to fight off hypothermia and avoid falling ice while paying attention to the leader who is taking a worse line and going a lot slower than you would if it was your turn is a blast. No laying on a rock basking in the sun with your shoes off watching scantly clad tan beauties cruise up a pitch. Like I said whats not to like.

The physical act of ice climbing is different from rock too in that on rock climbs you MUST adapt your body to the rock but on an ice climb, with a little bit of bashing you can adapt the ice to your body position or type. Being short I know this well. On long routes efficiency is everything and simply bashing your way up won't get you far. Smooth swings and placements of picks and crampon points that use natural features or holes from previous placements are a must.

As far as protection goes, ice screws are not inherently inferior to any form of rock pro. The difference is in the the medium into which they are placed. Thick, defect free ice is very strong stuff. A well placed screw, with a slight down angle and flush to the surface, will hold even a long leader fall. The problem is most ice isn't thick and defect free.

Placing ice protection takes time and is much more strenuous than on a typical rock route. Frequently screws are misplaced or tied off short. Tying off screws is dangerous. Although, clipping bolts or plug and chug cam placements are not usually options on ice climbs. Its better to run things out a bit and take advantage of good stances to make placements than put in a bunch of poor protection. Using shock load reducing slings and equalized anchors are good ideas as well. A cheater sling to hang off tools is sometimes helpful and on long steep routes in cold weather might be the only way to get pro placed.

I grew up in Alaska and have lead, followed, soloed and free soloed hundreds of pitches of everything from easy alpine ice to WI 6. Dress warm, wear a helmet and face protection, climb with competent partners, practice placing lots of pro and have fun. A thermos of hot tea will be your best friend.

 

[barlowrs]

Ice climbing is like having fun but different. You are usually cold, miserable, wet and climbing on a dangerously inconsistent medium with typically unreliable protection, whats not to like.

Belaying the leader is even worse. Trying to fight off hypothermia and avoid falling ice while paying attention to the leader who is taking a worse line and going a lot slower than you would if it was your turn is a blast. No laying on a rock basking in the sun with your shoes off watching scantly clad tan beauties cruise up a pitch. Like I said whats not to like.

The physical act of ice climbing is different from rock too in that on rock climbs you MUST adapt your body to the rock but on an ice climb, with a little bit of bashing you can adapt the ice to your body position or type. Being short I know this well. On long routes efficiency is everything and simply bashing your way up won't get you far. Smooth swings and placements of picks and crampon points that use natural features or holes from previous placements are a must.

As far as protection goes, ice screws are not inherently inferior to any form of rock pro. The difference is in the the medium into which they are placed. Thick, defect free ice is very strong stuff. A well placed screw, with a slight down angle and flush to the surface, will hold even a long leader fall. The problem is most ice isn't thick and defect free.

Placing ice protection takes time and is much more strenuous than on a typical rock route. Frequently screws are misplaced or tied off short. Tying off screws is dangerous. Although, clipping bolts or plug and chug cam placements are not usually options on ice climbs. Its better to run things out a bit and take advantage of good stances to make placements than put in a bunch of poor protection. Using shock load reducing slings and equalized anchors are good ideas as well. A cheater sling to hang off tools is sometimes helpful and on long steep routes in cold weather might be the only way to get pro placed.

I grew up in Alaska and have lead, followed, soloed and free soloed hundreds of pitches of everything from easy alpine ice to WI 6. Dress warm, wear a helmet and face protection, climb with competent partners, practice placing lots of pro and have fun. A thermos of hot tea will be your best friend.

+1000 to all of this. Another trick I finally learned, take two sets of gloves. one thin one when you are climbing (so you can feel the ax and place the pro) and a VERY thick pair for when you are freezing your @$$ off belaying. And definatly goggles or face pro, first time I went out I just used my trad rock helmet...everytime I struck the ice with the ax, I got a nice COLD spray of ice right in my face, very unpleasent.

 

[durango_60]

That's awesome Nic, maybe you can show another big boy the ropes someday.

 

[Willman]

That's awesome Nic, maybe you can show another big boy the ropes someday.

You got some great climbing just up from you in Ouray....

Might have to meet up some day....

I know my brother-in-law would be game!

 

[mandywilliams]

Great Photos awesome!! I've been to the Ice Day up there at the Falls, when they have vendors and a man made 30' tower you can try out gear on. A good way to get hooked on it.

 

[motochain]

You got some great climbing just up from you in Ouray....

Might have to meet up some day....

I know my brother-in-law would be game!

If you guys ever meet up in Ouray get ahold of me! I'm just up the road in Montrose, haven't ice climbed before, but would love to check it out!

My problem is finding people crazy enough to go out with me. :sombrero:

 

[Christophe Noel]

If you guys ever meet up in Ouray get ahold of me! I'm just up the road in Montrose, haven't ice climbed before, but would love to check it out!

My problem is finding people crazy enough to go out with me. :sombrero:

Ice climbing is not something you want to do with "crazy people." Good level headed people with solid judgment would be better. The owner of Ouray Mountain Sports (Billy) is a friend of mine and a good source for rental gear. You just need to find someone with solid top roping know how, and you're all set. It might be worth paying for the classes offered in the Ice Park to get your feet wet.

Ice climbing in the Ouray Ice Park is super safe. It's as controlled as any outdoor climbin environment will ever be. Go try it.

 

[motochain]

Ice climbing is not something you want to do with "crazy people." Good level headed people with solid judgment would be better. The owner of Ouray Mountain Sports (Billy) is a friend of mine and a good source for rental gear. You just need to find someone with solid top roping know how, and you're all set. It might be worth paying for the classes offered in the Ice Park to get your feet wet.

Ice climbing in the Ouray Ice Park is super safe. It's as controlled as any outdoor climbin environment will ever be. Go try it.

I should have been more careful with words. As I'd know that "crazy people" are the last type of people I'd want to be near. :Wow1: I was just insinuating most people think it's crazy, and it does take a certain type of person to even attempt it.

Thanks for the reference on where to get started though! I'll have to check into that. I'm climbing now on a daily basis, I'd just like to try the ice. :coffeedrink:

 

[Christophe Noel]

I'm climbing now on a daily basis, I'd just like to try the ice. :coffeedrink:

If you currently have technical climbing and rope handling skills, it's an easy transition. The biggest adaptation is learning to climb with so much bulk, weight and complexity on your body. The techniques for climbing water ice up to WI3 is pretty basic by most climbing standards. You can learn much of what you need to know in half a day with the foundation you have now. That won't make you a Will Gad expert, but it will give you the skills you need to get to the next levels.

If you have access to week day trips to Ouray, that's pretty awesome. I started ice climbing in Ouray in the mid/late 90s just after the park opened. It was a great way to get in tons of climbing in a short window of time without having to worry about ice conditions, approaches, avalanches, etc. It will make you a good technical climber quickly, but it will not give you much in terms of backcountry ice climbing chops.