Beginner to Advanced Level Courses
During a Beginner Ice Course, clients are taught the following skills. In a single or two-day course, material and techniques are covered accordingly and time-permitting, and include:
- Common mistakes in ice climbing and accident avoidance
- Important differences in ice and rock climbing methods
- Ice belaying and choice of belay stances
- Judgment of ice integrity and available/creative options
- Types of protection gear and variations in ice screw design
- Multiple and equalized anchor building, location and back-up
- Various rope systems and choice: single, double and twin rope techniques and management
- Rappelling and descending ice routes: various methods and devices
- Efficiency in climbing, resting and descending steep couloirs and icy terrain
- Choosing ice routes appropriate to your level and identifying inherently dangerous routes
- Understanding ice gear design, use & limitations: tools, crampons, screws, special ice gear
- Clothing selection and designs suitable for ice climbing, and what to avoid
- Staying warm while climbing and belaying on ice; avoidance of hypothermia, frostnip, etc.
- Characteristics of ice types re: weather effects, formation, strength evaluation
- Art of footwork (resting, efficiency, boot and crampon design and choice)
- Tool placement (resting, efficiency, ‘cheating’, ice tool modifications)
- Understanding safest methods of belaying, rappelling and ‘bailing’ on ice climbs
Cost: 200€ to 350€/day (according to number/level of clients; 2 clients maximum). Ice gear included free of charge (ice tools, crampons, harness and helmet). Boots not included but can be rented.
Advanced Level Ice Climbing
These single, 2 and 3-day courses evaluate clients’ ice climbing methods and experience level, strengths and weaknesses. More advanced techniques of climbing steep ice are focused upon, as well as ways to advance the climber’s efficiency and grade level. Such courses are designed for experienced climbers who have climbed ice before, know the basics, and wish to safely increase their level of proficiency on more difficult routes.
Cost: €350 – 450/day according to number of days, etc. Guide to client ratio is 1:1 (private). *Private instruction is also available. Contact us for information, pricing and reservations.
See our article entitled ‘Technical Ice Climbing Tool Design’ under the Learning Aids section.
Testimonials:
“Thank you again so much for the course, I really enjoyed it (even if it was exhausting)! I certainly hope to come back again for the avalanche course or climbing this summer.” – Brie Burgett – US Marines Corps
*NOTE: Participation or scheduling of any activity is conducted according to our Terms and Conditions. It is the responsibility of any participant, client or legal guardian to read and accept these Terms and Conditions, listed as a heading on our Home Page.