If you already have adequate navigation and camping skills, basic hiking and traveling abilities are enough to take you to some beautiful wild places and spectacular summits.....
Climbing Movement
An excerpt from NOLS Wilderness Mountaineering:
|
If you already have adequate navigation and camping skills, basic hiking and traveling abilities are enough to take you to some beautiful wild places and spectacular summits..... |
Fear
One of the first problems you must confront in learning to climb is fear. It is a healthy and valuable emotion that evolved for a reason: to help us remain safe. Irrational fears debilitate the novice and make it difficult to get started. Lack of fear is even more dangerous, however. Mike Donahue, director of Colorado Mountain School, explains the problem of fear for the novice this way: "There are really two climbs going on, one on the mountain and another in your mind. For the most part, climbing the mountain is the easier of the two. It is the mental climb that is far more difficult. It is as if there is a little guy in your head filling it with negative thoughts and saying, 'You can't do this...this is too scary...'"
That little guy in your head isn't all bad. He serves a purpose. Fear and apprehension are there to keep you out of danger. So listen to your fears and ask yourself whether they are ration or irrational. Always know you are safe and why. If you are not safe, do something about it.
When learning to climb, choose a safe environment. If you cannot be hurt, even if you slip or fall, your fears will be irrational and you can learn to control them and concentrate on the movement. As a student of mine once put it, "It's not that I want to eliminate the butterflies in my stomach, but that I want to get them to fly in formation."
Steep Ice
by Rob Hess
Illustration by John McMullen / SoloGraphics.
As ice becomes more vertical a climber is more dependent on front point techniques and an ice ax technique called piolet traction. You might consider the definition of "steep ice" as ice on which you feel the need to begin utilizing two ice tools. The steepness and consistency combined with the overall committing nature determine the climb's difficulty.
Softer "alpine ice" is considered easier to place tools in than the more brittle ''water ice." The difference between the two is the amount of air held in the frozen water. Ice that is porous with air bubbles is generally softer and whiter in color. Hard ice, with less air in it, is more blue in color. At times it may appear clear like glass.
When an ice slope is between 50deg. and 90deg., a mountaineer becomes more dependent on his ice tools. It is possible to ascend steep ice with only one tool but keep in mind that it is usually faster, safer and more secure to climb with a second tool.
Rock and ice climbing are similar in that they utilize the same safety systems; they differ in that you rely on the hands and feet for purchase on rock whereas on ice you are heavily dependent on your tools. Because ice climbing is so tool-dependent, it is necessary to consider your equipment needs carefully.
Boots are where it all begins. Well fitted, rigid soled mountaineering boots give you minimal heal lift and provide the performance needed for steep ice. Ice tool preferences vary greatly. Climbers most commonly use two tools of 50-60 centimeters in length, shorter than a general mountaineering-length ice ax. As with so many aspects of climbing, the type of tools tends to be a matter of personal preference. I have had the best luck on steep ice with recurve or straight droop picks. I use one tool with an adze and one with a hammer. In the case of extreme ice climbing such as vertical waterfall ice, I carry a third tool to use while placing protection and as a backup in the event that one of my primary tools breaks. I fit each tool with a lanyard so that they can hang from my wrists instead of having to grip the shafts. Basically this reduces arm pump. Some folks like leashing one of their tools to their harness for extra security, but this can hinder smooth tool placement if the length of the leash is too short.
Crampons are the most vital link in the system and require special care on a continual basis. Learn proper crampon adjustment, and keep the points sharp. I prefer rigid crampons over adjustable ones. Rigid crampons tend not to shatter the ice as much, and they provide more secure placements. Be sure to keep crampon points sharp. A helmet is especially important, as falling ice and debris are common. Bring enough ice screws (eight to ten) to protect a pitch and build two belay anchors. In a wilderness mountaineering setting, consider selecting gear that meets all of your ice-climbing needs.
Now the fun really begins, Let's go climb some ice! Choosing a route and the line of ascent is tricky; pick out the weaknesses or easiest paths up the route--lowest angles, places will allow you to stem with your feet--and look for the most secure ice. Above all, seek options for rest. If leading, I try to climb out and away from the belayer so I avoid bombing him with ice and other projectiles. I always keep this in mind when setting belays. Think ahead!
The fundamentals of steep-ice technique are based on the feet and crampons. As with rock climbing, good foot work is the key to success in ice climbing. Front pointing technique tends to be the most strenuous cramponing technique and requires the most concentration, be absolutely sure the front points are well placed. Conservation of energy is vital, so place crampons with authority but learn to recognize how hard to swing the foot for the given ice conditions. Think about keeping your heels low when placing a crampon. Seek options for placing the foot and crampon flatfooted to give your calf muscles a break. Stemming from one ice feature to another is also a great way of saving energy with your feet. Try to arrange it so that when you want to place an ice screw for protection, you can take advantage of a terrain feature that provides such options.
Skillful ice tool placement requires a knowledge of the various ice consistencies and the amount of force required to place solid tools in those conditions. Too delicate a placement and the tool will pull out, too hard and you will shatter the surrounding ice. My worst nightmare is pulling up on tools and having them pop off.
As I swing my tool, I look for spots that are more conducive to easy placement. There is nothing like getting a nice secure thwack on your first swing. The best placements are in slight depressions, air bubbles, porous ice, and the top side of small pillars. Any concavity in the ice is likely a good place to aim your pick. After I choose my spot I visualize an X and concentrate my swing on that spot. Good placement may take numerous pokes, but learn to distinguish what a good placement looks and sounds like: solid!
Realize, however, that placement is only half the battle. Removal of an ice tool for replacement can be as strenuous as placement, if not more so. I often soften or dull the teeth on the bottom side of the pick to assist in removal. This works nicely and does not compromise tool placement security. Be sure that when you do remove the tool, you are careful to loosen the pick with up-and-down movement; torquing side to side will risk breaking your pick.
Once I begin climbing, my attention focuses on the progression and fluidity of my motion. I try to conserve energy wherever possible. Most people have one arm that is stronger and more coordinated than the other. I hold my most effective tool in my weaker hand because the better tool will lessen the pump in that arm. My less coordinated arm will always stay attached to the tool, while I often take the better-coordinated arm out of my lanyard for protection placement. With two tools securely placed, I work my crampons up as high as possible while keeping my arms straight.
The next step is to stand up and extend my legs, but before doing so I like to loosen the tool that I plan to move first in order to waste less time and energy. Standing tall with my arms bent and my hands at chest level, I am ready to replace one of my tools higher while the other maintains my hold on the ice. The tool I replace first is a matter of preference, but I like swinging my strong hand first. This makes me feel more confident when I commit to the tool and remove the other. On very sustained steep sections, I shift my hips laterally, thereby shifting weight from one hand to another and allowing the unweighted hand to rest. In a pinch you can hang off your harness on placed tools via some sort of leash to regain strength, but you had better be able to trust your placements.
Though you'll want to get the most height out of each swing, overextending should be avoided, as it tends to pull your crampons out of their stable horizontal position. Be cautious when moving from steep terrain back on to easier. Your arms and body are bent over on moderate terrain, but your feet are still on the steeper. Don't move your tools so high that you can't see your feet. Always maintain a stable platform for your feet and be creative!
All the objective hazards addressed in this book apply to ice climbs, but the difficulty of an ice climb is the severity of the lead. The common climbing adage "the leader must not fall" holds true for steep ice; ice is a much less predictable medium than rock, and there is great potential for injury from ice tools and crampons during a fall. While first learning ice climbing, seek climbing options that are top-roped or boulder near the ground. This will give you experience and practice on a variety of consistencies of ice before considering a lead. Safety and judgment are the hallmarks of any truly skilled climber.
Order a copy of NOLS Wilderness Mountaineering by calling (888) 332-3636.
This book, and the information excerpted from it on the World Wide Web, cannot and does not alert you to all the hazards of the mountains. It is a learning tool and should be read and studied as a supplemental source only. It is not a substitute for professional instruction, an experienced mentor, or, most importantly, the wilderness experience itself. If you decide to participate in the activities described in NOLS Wilderness Mountaineering, or the excerpts from this book on the World Wide Web, the risk and responsibility for the outcome are solely yours. No one associated with the publication of this book, including NOLS and Phil Powers, accepts responsibility for any injury or property damage that may result from participation in such activities.
Copyright © 1993 National Outdoor Leadership School.
Published by: STACKPOLE BOOKS, 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to Stackpole Books, 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.