Ice Climbing MITOC Winter School 2002 jae H. Roh

Ice Climbing Why you should not ice climb Basic techniques Common mistakes Safety Efficiency Taking Care of Gear Taking Care of Yourself Gear and Clothing Where and when to climb

Hazards of Winter Climbing Winter, snow, cold, etc. Ice fall, rock fall, ice dams Crappy protection, long runouts Crampon catches during fall Bludgeon or impale by ice tools Avalanche

Basic Climbing Technique - Pick Aim: Look for a pick placement –Indentations or seams –Not bulges – they break off –Reach high to maximize efficiency Fire: Swing from shoulder, elbow, then finish with wrist snap Or simply Hook on features Listen!

Basic Climbing Technique – Crampon Look for foot placement –Balanced position –Smaller steps than rock climbing –Look for stems, ledges, other features Front pointing –Heel down, to place all 4 front points –Place foot, then don’t move – lifting shears out points Flat foot, aka French technique –Stomp down Listen

Basic Climbing Technique – sequence SWING Kick SWING Kick

Common Mistakes Moving on sketchy placements – the tools and crampons are your self belay Pushing instead of swinging the tools – let the tool do the work –Heels too high – drop heels for solid crampon placements Moving feet after setting crampons Butt in too close to ice – hang off tools, butt out to kick Over gripping tools – hang, rather than hold

Climbing Safely Wear a helmet at all times near the ice Keep your face away from the tools –Where will the tool go if it pops out? Don’t “stack” your feet –Where will your crampon go if it slips? Don’t glissade with crampons on Practice snow climbing and self arrest

Climbing efficiently Minimize tool placements Reach high to place tool, climb up until its below your head Stagger tool placements – also avoids “dinner plating” and cold hands Exercises –Climb with 1 tool –Climb with no tools

Taking care of your gear – tools & screws Remove a stuck pick by working up and down only After removing an ice screw –Clear the ice core immediately so it doesn’t freeze in –Tap the head of the screw or blow in –Don’t hit the threads or sharp end

Taking care of your gear – rope Watch the rope when you swing a tool or kick –The rope may also be behind you (top roping) –Belayers: don’t pull in just as the climber is swinging Keep the rope off the snow –Wet rope = frozen rope –(figure 8 works best for rapping on a frozen rope) Keep gear clipped – things fall quietly on snow

Taking care of yourself – Staying Warm Two climbers can share one parka Hands –Experiment w/ handling gear with gloves –Try windstopper gloves w/ light liners –Practice! w/ mittens in living room Knots, tying in, belaying, clipping gear –Keep hands below heart, relax grip Feet –Don’t bury your feet in snow –Too many socks = too tight = poor circulation = cold feet

Gear – Ice tools Technical - Bent for clearance on vertical ice Alpine – straight for snow climbing Length 50cm +/- 10cm Picks –Reverse curve (“stinger”, “cobra”) –Normal curve (“classic”) Hammer v. Adze

Gear – Crampons Most important to check fit with YOUR boots. –Multiple sizes, different shapes Technical: rigid, vertical front point – better for hard waterfall ice Alpine: flexible or semi-rigid, horizontal front point – better for glaciers or snow Double front points more stable; Mono points for thin or mixed Avoid extra attachment points (e.g. Mako “lacerator”) Anti-balling plates are good

Gear - Ice Screws Black Diamond, Express Grivel 360

Gear - Clothing Leave your fancy Gore-Tex at home Bring extra gloves Fit your harness over all your layers Hat should fit under helmet

Where to Climb Guidebook: Rick Wilcox, An Ice Climbers Guide to Northern New England 2 ed. (3 ed. Due next season) Conditions: – –

Me Jae H. Roh