Ice may melt, skills remain
Climbing, and ice climbing in particular, require skill and practice. Getting onto the ice is easy, but every following step and move are challenging. The right techniques are needed, as well as the expert use of the equipment and the securing devices. You need to know how to handle the ropes, ice screws, karabiners and slings. Finally, we'll show you how to avoid burning calves (you'll be grateful for that).
The wonderful caprices of nature
Ice is an evanescent beauty, and climate change has shown that even perennial ice isn't made for eternity. In fact, ice is alive, changing and reshaping itself constantly, sometimes within just a few hours. Rising and falling temperatures but also the wind influence and shape it until the warm days of spring melt away layer by layer and make mighty columns of ice collapse. There will be new ice once the temperature drops again but the new columns will look different. Mother nature proves all her versatility and creativity in her ice sculptures. I love her caprices. In our ice climbing courses you will learn how to interpret ice correctly for greater safety when climbing. Even a taster course can teach you numerous useful things and important facts about the frozen element.
Reading the ice
Soon, the short trial routes of half a rope length won't be enough anymore. Then more challenging routes will become interesting. Our roped party coaching is a practical approach aiming at teaching ice climbers the necessary climbing and securing techniques. The practical part includes challenging climbs of several rope lengths on steep ice. Our credo is learning by doing.
Safe ski touring requires profound knowledge and understanding of snow. In the same way, ice and icefall climbers need to understand ice. Reading the ice correctly is the first and most important safety measure of all. What is it like today? Soft and easy to climb, but wet? Is it very cold? If it is too cold, it will splinter and crack. Whole chunks, like floes, may come loose and it will be difficult to position one's ice axe well. In our course you will learn how to read the ice, and you will be given numerous tips, such as the one to never hit one ice prick with another. You'll discover why.