5 tips and tricks on how to start ice climbing
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- čas přidán 21. 07. 2024
- Would you like to know how to start ice climbing in 2020? Then this is the right video for you! Ice climbing is very different from other types of climbing, so in this video I will give you 5 tips and tricks you should to know if you want to start ice climbing! And if you watch the video to the end I will also share a few very good ice climbing destinations for beginners.
In this ice climbing video I will give you tips and tricks on ice climbing technique. Whether you are a ice climbing beginner or have been ice climbing for some years, these tips and tricks on ice climbing technique will help you improve your climbing abilities.
I will also talk about what essential ice climbing gear you need. The most essential ice climbing gear are technical ice axes, crampons, ice screws and a helmet!
Besides this I will talk about the ice climbing grading system called the Water/Ice or WI system. It ranges from WI1 to WI7. WI7 is very rare, and most climbs are between WI3 and WI6. Tjønnstadbergfossen in Rjukan In Norway is a typical WI3 with a few sustained moves and long bulges of ice, while Cascata di Patri near Cogne in Italy is a classical WI4 with long sections of 90 degrees ice. And finally Sabotørfossen in Rjukan is WI5 with its final full pitch of about 85 degrees steepness.
According to alpinist.com the water/ice grading system can be described as:
WI1: Low angle ice; no tools required.
WI2: Consistent 60º ice with possible bulges; good protection.
WI3: Sustained 70º with possible long bulges of 80º-90º; reasonable rests and good stances for placing screws.
WI4: Continuous 80º ice fairly long sections of 90º ice broken up by occasional rests.
WI5: Long and strenuous, with a ropelength of 85º-90º ice offering few good rests; or a shorter pitch of thin or bad ice with protection that’s difficult to place.
WI6: A full ropelength of near-90º ice with no rests, or a shorter pitch even more tenuous than WI 5.Highly technical.
WI7: As above, but on thin poorly bonded ice or long, overhanging poorly adhered columns. Protection is impossible or very difficult to place and of dubious quality.
WI8: Under discussion.
Grades differ from region to region. A WI4 in Cogne might not be the same as WI4 in Valdez. Like all other climbing grading systems providing a specific climbing route with a grade will always be a subjective decision. And especially with ice climbing routes as they might change from season to season. And they will also differ from early season to end of season.
In this ice climbing video I will also give you tips and tricks on how to build ice climbing experience. If you have some friends who have experience and you are on a budget, you could see if they are willing taking you ice climbing. If not, you should consider hiring a mountain guide who can introduce you. In most of the major ice climbing areas you can hire mountain guides - they are not cheap, but it is an excellent way of getting started with ice climbing. Or, you could also consider joining one of the many different ice climbing festivals. They usually run clinics and workshops to build basic ice climbing skills, and that it is not that expensive.
If you are based in Europe you should check out the ice climbing festivals in:
► Rjukan Ice Festival
► Abisko Ice Climbing Festival
► Argentiere Ice Climbing Ecrin
► Cogne Ice Opening
And if you are in the US check out:
► Ouray Ice Festival
► Valdez Ice Climbing Festival
► Bozeman Ice Festival
► Cody Ice Festival
And there are plenty more!
You could also go online! If you are looking for ice climbing partners these are good places to look:
/ 373410136407306
/ alpsconditionsforicecl...
Unlike rock climbing routes, ice climbing routes change from season to season. This also means that ice climbing routes can vary in conditions throughout the season. So you have to learn how to look for whether a route is in the right conditions or not
Finally, I will give tips and tricks on a few destinations you should visit if you are a beginner. Cogne in the Gran Paradiso National Park in Northern Italy is an ice climbing mekka! But if you are looking for introductory ice crags I would highly recommend Krokan and Ozzimosis in Rjukan in Norway or Moline in Cogne in Italy. And both Rjukan and Cogne have ice climbing festivals with loads of clinics and workshops.
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And one more tip, all! What ice climbing clothes to wear! I've just released a video where I elaborate on what clothes I wear when ice climbing. czcams.com/video/ScK6iQIVSGE/video.html
I just got back from a trip to Colorado climbing with my wife, sister, and her husband. My wife and I are hooked! My sister said I ice climb like a rock climber, lol. I tried to wrap my head around that statement but didn't really understand. Would you mind doing more videos for beginners geared towards technique? I really like your channel, it's amazingly well done!
Haha, yeah, transitioning from a rock climber to an ice climber can be a bit tricky - especially with placing feet :) it is kinda counter-intuitive that you have to keep you heels down, because you learn as a rock climber to stand on your toes, right? ;)
Thank you for the support and great feedback :) I will definitely do more videos about ice climbing technique. So stay tuned :)
The ice climbing Festival in Easttyrol/Austria is also always worth a visit😉
Good video and very well explained 👍🏻
Thanks for the tip!
Been climbing in Rjukan, Sabotorfossen is a really pleasant climb, although due to high temperatures, it was very wet. Waterproof gear is a must-have
Haha! Indeed! It is a splendid climb!
Good work. Some good advice to those starting out.
Thank you very much, Tom!
Great video my man.
The grade part really helped me👍
Kudos my dude🤘
I am really happy to hear that 😄 Just remember that ice climbing grades can differ from season to season - and how early in a season you climb it 😄 Like, if there has been a lot of people before you on a climb, then it might be pretty “hacked up” and you can basically just hook your way up, which makes the climb easier 😅
Good information. Thank you, sir.
You are very welcome :) I am happy that the video proved valuable :)
Great tips, thank you so much sir👍
You are very welcome, Preston.Plays :) I am happy you like the video :)
I like your channel a lot. I like how you explain, and use clips of different climbs to demonstrate. Thank you. The clips of climbs (ice and rock) get me wanting to travel. However, I am in Canada, so I won't be visiting Norway or Italy anytime soon.
Canada has world-class rock climbing and ice climbing though? I also live in Canada
Thank you for this video.
Great quality video, very informative
Thank you very much, Brodie :) I am really happy you like the video.
thank you for this video!!
Raimundo Lanas you are very welcome 😄
Well time to visit Cogne. Great video, thanks!
Thank you 😄 The season in Cogne usually runs from December to March, but the times I have been there, February has had the best conditions.
@@Cragcloud Thanks for the reply (!), February it is
Thanks , it really helped alot
Erdal Altin Köprülü, I am really happy to hear that 😄
Great video. 👏Keep it going ..
Thank you, Abhishek 😄
The first tip in the U.K. is to find some ice. It'll soon be that if you want winter ice you'll have to do what Joe Tasker and Pete Boardman did when training for Changabang - visit a Manchester deep freeze. It's the only ice you'll get. Perhaps that could be a new theme for climbing walls.
I have always been a fan of mountain hiking in the winter. The best mountain around where I live is Mt Monadnock, it's a moderately difficult mountain so I though taking it on in winter would be a nice challenge to overcome, I picked up a basic 65cm ice axe, filled a pack with some odds and ends and sent off for my hike but I noticed that the main trails hardly pose a challenge (having all the snow pre packed and routes laid out ahead of you takes the fun away for me) so I asked one of the more experienced looking hikers what the most difficult trail is, and then set out for that trail the next week and it was steep but I still wouldn't call it a climb, just a very steep hike, my ice axe definitely was useful but I want MORE! I want to start climbing! Unfortunately my circle of friends is small, and none of them would have any desire to keep up with what I want to do, so every new challenge I take on is always solo. I'm no stranger to danger but I think trying to teach myself ice climbing solo could end really badly. I can get my hands on whatever gear I need but what I can't buy is knowledge or experience, and that's what I really need. Thanks for the video it's a good starting point, I can't really try any of the places you mentioned as I live in the states but I greatly appreciate the advice here. This season is coming to a close but this has made me excited and ready to figure this out and be ready for next season. Thanks m8
Thanks Peter :) I know how you feel! There are only a few ice climbers amongst my immediate circle of friends and acquaintances and since we do not have any mountains in Denmark we always have to travel quite far to go ice climbing. So it is hard making the ends meet. However, I don't think you should take up ice climbing solo - the stakes are much higher ice climbing than rock climbing and especially hiking and scrambling :)
Where in the states do you live? There must be some options nearby :)
@@Cragcloud Thanks for the reply! I live in New England. I think I'm going to spend the year getting in the best shape I can and then pay for a guide/lessons up at mt Washington, after watching your video yesterday I did some research and found a company that offers group lessons so I'm gonna save up/sign up for that and hope I can network while I'm there and meet some people to climb with.
Hey! I live in New England as well! I'm taking an ice climbing course at the end of this month through REI! I think that's a great place to start. There's also Acadia mountain club that has ice courses. I'd say that's the way to go. You're not alone and you are actually taking a class + given all the gear you need so it'll also be a good try before you buy😂 I'm a rock climber but clearly I like to take things a little more extreme lol
Wow, great video. Thanks for sharing all this information! I will definitely look into your gear videos as well ;) Do you happen to know a good site/facebook channel to look for rock climbing partners (in Austria/Germany) as well?
Sebastian G thanks! Good to hear 😄 Hmm...not specifically for Austria/Germany, but you could post in the “Alpine Climbing” Facebook group to look for partners 😄
Well explained brother
Thank you very much 😄
Great video!
Thanks! 😄
Потрясающе 👍🔥💪
Thanks :)
Great video and filmed very very well. I just finished up a 4 day ice climbing trip in Ouray Colorado. Such a amazing sport. Can't weight until I get to go out again.
Thank you very much, Koda Exploring! 😄 I am very happy to hear that ice climbing has sparked some energy! It is indeed absolutely fantastic and really fun! Any particular destinations you are looking at?
@@Cragcloud we just got done spending 4 days in Ouray colorado climbing. It was incredible. We try to go annually. We head to Thailand in a couple weeks so I probably wont have any more ice trips this season. BTW I use those same grivel tools. I love them.
Yeah, I really enjoy climbing with the Grivel Tech Machine too! They are fantastic! :)
Sounds great with 4 days in Our. I am based in Europe, but would really like to visit Colorado and especially Ouray to try out some ice climbing on the american continent :) That is definitely on the list.
Haha, yeah going to Thailand doesn't really get you more into ice climbing, haha! They should have some pretty nice rock climbing though.
@@Cragcloud I would highly recommend it. The ice park there is a amazing. Have you seen the new grivel tools coming out???
Koda Exploring yeah, they just released new Tech Machines, North Machines and Monte Biancos, but it looks more or less only the picks that have been updated?
Thanks for posting this. I went ice climbing in the Catskills in New York recently. My friend told me that I need to work on my Ice tool swing. He told me to get a 2x4, mount it above my head and hammer some nails into it. Do you have any recommendations to improve my swing. Also my hand slipped off of the axe more than once so I need to work on my grip strength. Any recommendations?
Which ice tool do you climb with? Having an ice tool with an ergonomically shaped handle (e.g. Black Diamond Reactor, Cassin X-dream, Grivel Tech Machine og Petzl Nomic) will help in having a bette grip - but you also need to hold tight, haha!. You might also want to get a pair of leashes as you will feel more secure and if you accidentally drop the ice tool it will not fall to the bottom of the pitch.
I haven't heard of the technique your friend mentioned, but it actually makes a lot of sense. One of my friends actually told me "strike it like you mean it" and that was actually a quite obvious, but also sensible advice.
But the best thing you can do is just keep climbing and eventually you will develop a good technique. Sometimes the ice also feels harder due to harsh conditions, so it might just have been a cold day. Or your ice tools are too blunt and you need to sharpen them up :)
What a great video! So much I didn't know. You haven't mentioned The Frozen Waterfalls of Korouoma in Finland. Do you know what grade is it? Also, is there a way to prepare physically for it? I mean- what should the focus be, arms?legs?cardio?lifting weights? Never done it so I'm nervours. Any advice is welcome. Thanks
Hi Miri G 😄
No, but I haven’t heard of Korouoma. Are you going there?
There are a lot of ways to train for ice climbing. You need to manage the “pump” in your lower arm muscles, and then you have to climb with your big leg muscles. Much of ice climbing happens by using your thighs.
So, a couple of exercises you could do are squats, lunges, pull-ups and “dead hangs” (hanging in you ice axes or in a pull-up bar). And cardio. A lot of climbs have long, steep approaches, so it is a good idea generally to be in good shape.
@@Cragcloud Hi! Thanks for your response. Yeath, Korouoma frozen waterfalls are in Lapland, Finland. I plan to go there with my sister and am try to assess the dificulty of this challenge. Thanks for all the advice.posiolapland.com/korouoma-canyon
Awesome video, i want to do this atleast once in my life. Please could you tell me some good places to climb ice that is near western/central europe?
I am happy to hear that! 😄 Actually, I think there are some pretty solid places in Austria like Pitztal, Ötztal and Kaunertal. I have made a few videos about ice climbing there. You could check those out 😄
@@Cragcloud Ok, thank you :)
perfect video
Thanks!! I am happy you like it 😄
Ice climbing looks badass. Too bad it is so cold.
I will send all day in 100 degrees but if it drops below 40....
Haha! Yeah, it is indeed cold! However, I would say that once you start climbing you will start to feel the heat ;)
Hi! How the drones are handling the cold? I was thinking to upgrade my gear to get some wonderfull winter landscape videos, but the cold weather in here Finland is a bit dubious.. so can the Dji Air/Mavic/spark handel the cold climate?
Thank you for asking! I just recently upgrading from the DJI Spark to the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom and I am pretty impressed about how well they actually handle the cold.
I climbed the Eiger in Switzerland in 2018 and flew with the DJI Spark bear the summit - no issues! It had some trouble keeping stabilised due to the wind, but performed well even at 4.000 meters above sea level.
All of the shots form Cogne in Aosta Valley and Colfosco in Alta Badia in the Dolomites in Italy are with the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom. There were maybe around -10 to -12 degrees Celsius and it flew perfectly! I didn’t really notice much difference in battery life.
What I would recommend though, is to keep the batteries warm. I keep my DJI Mavic 2 Zoom in a LowePro Droneguard 150 in my climbing backpack to protect and keep it warm. That works. With the DJI Spark I just put the batteries in wool socks! That works great too.
@@Cragcloud Thanks! That helped me a lot :) I was thinking to upgrade to "Air fly more"-packet, that one has (at least for my point of view) a terrific value for money.
I still doubt for flying outside now.. there´s -27 degrees Celsius out now :D (plus wind 1m/s) so it is cold.. but at -10 it should cope well.. hopely :)
@terppana, haha! Yeah, with -27 i wouldn’t probably fly too either! 😝 With the DJI Spark I got the “Fly More” package, but didn’t get it for the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom...just got an extra battery.
Hi! great channel, any recomendation on ice climbing gloves?
Thanks Daniel! I climb with the Black Diamond Punisher and Black Diamond Arc. They are both warm and high quality. I’ve actually made a separate video on what clothes I wear when ice climbing. Maybe you should check that one out? 😄
@@Cragcloud nice Im going to check that video too. the BD punisher are on my list
Hi would it be possible to join you guys for a climb? I live in England but staying with my friend in Bohem In July and we are going to spend some weeks in the alps. Last year we did Mont Blanc but we haven't done any real ice climbing or rock climbing accept for indoor whuch we have done both quite often
Is there any good place to start ice climbing in the southern Andes? I know Choshuenco and Puntiagudo volcanoes, but they are not for beginners. The lake district has a template climate so we don't have frozen waterfall (in fact, it rarely snows in winter). Are glaciers and crevasse equally good as waterfalls to start ice climbing? (we have plenty of crevasses in summer)
Actually, I do not have that much experience with the Andes :/ On glacier ice climbing, I have a friend that did an ice climbing top roping course on Mer de Glace near Chamonix in France, so it has to be doable. I haven't tried it myself though.
There are courses at the glaciar of sollipulli volcano. Some friends told me that the creavasses in glaciars are a good start to ice climbing, but be aware of temperature
te voy a responder en español porque se me hace mas cómodo jajajaja, en la reserva nacional las Nalcas (Araucanía) se forman cascadas de hielo de buena altura y fácil aproximación. El lunes recién pasado (27.09.2021) subí el volcán Tolhuaca y también nos pillamos una buena cascada en su cara sur, de aproximadamente 6-7 metros pero estaba a 2650 m.s.n.m así que es casi como subir el volcán entero jajajaja pero las cascadas que te mencione primero son donde varios van a practicar en invierno y finales de este. No se de que lugar serás, pero si quieres la ubicación de la cascada contactame y te doy la info.
What was the name of the hotel in Cogne? That all the ice climbers visit?
The name of the hotel is Hotel Ondezana, but it is situated in Lillaz next to Cogne 😄
And if you are in Ladakh, you can participate in Ladakh is climbing festival. Celebrities every year in first week of February. #LMGA
Rigzen Dolma Nice, thank you for the tip 😄
@Rigzen Dolma are you from nubra?
Humans: Wow, look at that wall of ice. Let’s climb it.
W is called "double u" in English.
Still great vid.
You are absolutely right, but there is a general consensus in the ice climbing community that grades are pronounced “V-I” and then the number 😄
You make it sound so systematically easy in fact a risky sport.
Yeah are absolutely right, ice climbing is a risky sport - it is definitely more risky than sport climbing. However, if you are systematic about how you begin, then it will become less risky - like hiring a mountain guide that can introduce you. He/she has a lot of experience and can pass that onto the person who would like to try ice climbing.
I would never recommend someone just to go buy a set of ice screws and a pair of ice axes and just go ice climbing. That is risky! 😉 I would always recommend people to go with experienced people the first couple of times
@@Cragcloud your advice is very encouraging, especially in this risky sport.
nitin b that is very good to hear 😄