-
Climbing, Adventure, Gear & Choss
The (Ice Climbing) Thrill is Gone (Or Is It?)
If you took an informal poll of a group of climbers and asked them what they thought about ice climbing, you’d probably get a mix of responses. “I love it!” “I hate it!” “Winter is my favorite season!” “That shit is scarier than Kim Jong-il with nukes!” However, if you only asked people who had just gotten into the sport, the responses would be probably be overwhelmingly positive. Ice climbing seems to have a major impact your first time around, and it certainly has its appeal. It’s a fun activity you can pursue in the winter, when most crags are sitting under a couple feet of snow, and the climbs are beautiful, like crystal castles you get to explore.
I remember my first climb. Heck, I think I was hooked before I even swung my first tool. Going to class every day and walking over the bridges around Ithaca, I would gaze longingly at the frozen drips and smears that lined the walls of the steep gorges there. Like most college kids, however, I couldn’t throw down $1000 to get all the gear I would need to try it on my own. When I finally went on a school outing to the Adirondacks, I was psyched. It didn’t matter that it was super cold, or that I couldn’t feel my hands at the top. I was doing something rad, I was ice climbing!
And so the passion flourishes, especially if you live somewhere close to the ice. In Ithaca, good rock is hard to find (as in it doesn’t exist) but the ice, now that was a different story. All those wonderful gorges hid many beautiful lines. And who cares if many of those climbs were technically illegal, I was in college and welcomed the hilarity that would ensue from being arrested for ice climbing.
But then it seems that for many, at some point down the line, there is a waning of interest. Sometimes this happens because of a bad accident. A friend takes a rough fall, or worse, is killed by falling ice. Or maybe you take a bad fall, and get seriously injured. Whatever the cause, there is often a moment that makes you take a step back and realize, oh yeah, this stuff is DANGEROUS. (Way more so than rock climbing, anyway.)
I know a lot of good climbers, and it seems they all dabbled with ice at one point or another, but most have since moved on. A big negative for me personally is that you can’t safely push yourself on harder routes, because the harder it gets, the more dangerous it is. Kind of like kayaking, harder = more difficulty AND more danger. Now, I’m not talking about mixed climbing, which is just rock climbing with ice tools, and pretty darn fun. I’m talking about stepping up to WI5 or WI6 routes where you cannot fall. Most of us don’t climb rock routes very often with that kind of danger, and it has limited appeal. That being said, I’m always impressed when I watch a solid climber calmly ascend steep and/or thin ice, knowing the mental control they have over their nerves. (They also probably climb 5.11 R like it’s just another day at the Sport Park.)
And so many accept the fact that they may never lead the Fang, or the crux on the Ames Ice Hose, and that’s OK. There are plenty of fun, relatively safe routes out there to enjoy, and plenty of stronger rope guns to take you up the scary stuff! And if you love the adventure of ice climbing, the solitude of winter, and the beauty of a frozen waterfall, you know all this, but it doesn’t matter. You are a lifer. And every winter when the temperature beings to drop, you can’t help but drive out and hike up to the local spots with the giddiness of a child running down stairs on Christmas morning to see what the fat man has left under the tree. The sight of an ephemeral line sends your mind spinning with the possibilities, as you look for ways to probe its difficulties, and make your way to the top of another frozen gift.
As a reminder, the Redstone winterfest is this weekend. See you there!
8 Responses to The (Ice Climbing) Thrill is Gone (Or Is It?)
Bulldog Creek Dog Walk (IV WI 4+)
Hayden Carpenter and Tom Bohanon recently repeated an obscure ice climb on the south side of Mt Sopris. Given a brief mention in Jack Robert’s ice guide, Bulldog Creek Walk is described as being 100 meters of WI 4. What they found was seven pitches of ice in a remote setting that makes for one […]
Connect with Us
Nonsense!! I would venture to bet more people have been hurt or killed rock climbing than ice climbing. Ice is at least as safe as rock climbing especially if your using leashes and climbing in the right conditions. Sure you’ll get hurt if the temps are too warm and shit starts falling but the same could be said for going rock climbing in Zion after a rain storm when your gear won’t hold anymore. Climbing rock or ice is dangerous and peoples interest wanes for both as their lives change or as they realize the risks they actually take out there. People talk about how dangerous ice is but then go run it out on sketchy rock or climb high above a star drive or old piton or bolt they have no idea the quality of or pull on some sketchy block that could pull out in their lap at any moment. At least on ice you basically have an anchor in your hand at all times and you can always judge the quality of what you are climbing on and unless you’ve chosen to climb in bad conditions you can typically get a piece of gear in just about anywhere when you work for it. Many times I find WI5-6 to be easier than WI4 because you typically get weird chimnies or mushrooms to rest with. Yeah I say….nonsense! You’ve got it all wrong with kayaking too. Whether you climbing 5.6 or 5.14, WI1 or WI5 or kayaking Class 1 or Class 5 your always in danger and don’t ever forget that!
Ha, I was waiting for you to chime in on this one, especially since you’re on the short list of folks I know who still get after it on the ice! 😉 What I’m getting at is that compared to safe trad and sport climbing, you can’t really push it on ice. It’s not like falling with a bunch of spikey crap on is really all that safe!
Oh, and there is no way you can tell me that class 5 whitewater isn’t significantly more dangerous than class 3, it’s part of what the whole scale is based on, the consequence of a swim. In class 3, you’ll prob be ok. In class 5, you could get super duper worked over. Sure, all this stuff has some danger, but in ice the objective hazards are way higher than say out at your local crag. (Unless it’s the Narrows, in which case they might be equal.)
In whitewater my biggest fear is going upside down and taking a neck breaking hit on a rock be it Class 3 or 5.
I’d have to say most of the rock around here seems about as dangerous as the Narrows but you’re right, spikey things add to the chance of injury, mainly broken ankles but you get those on ledge falls rock climbing too. I’m just whinning cuz I can’t find good ice climbing partners around here as it is and here you are scaring them all away with this dribble;) Stop it now and tell them how you really feel. All climbers secretly want to love and caress the wonderful icey world. You know you want it too…..
Ryan, you’re funny!
“I’m just whinning cuz I can’t find good ice climbing partners around here as it is and here you are scaring them all away with this dribble;)”
I always tell people I am a ‘fair weather’ ice climber. I will gladly go as long as the approach is short with little to no post-holing, there are warm drinks close by (a hot tub near is a big plus), and if I can bring along a rope gun or be able to set up topropes easily. Those necessities that I require definitely put me in the ‘fair weather’ or ‘sissy’ category and that’s ok!
I love pushing it in rock climbing, but I don’t see myself ever trying to step it up, even leading easy stuff is frightening to me. I do think it is because of the spiky things and the fact that ice isn’t a permanent thing.
Tracy, Four Words => Grand Targhee ice park. Come on up and visit 🙂
Rock climbing is the most fun you can have on earth, ice climbing is the most fun you can have in the universe! Even better if you combine it with an alpine top out. Let’s not forget the root of all these specialties, mountaineering! Specialists are usually the ones who burnout. Friends stop climbing mountains and start climbing at the crag, then they stop climbing at the crag and start climbing at the gym, eventually stop climbing altogether. Whether it’s knowing how to hydrate in negative 10 degrees, to knowing how to use a compass, to cam placement, to using an ice ax in the many positions… it’s all mountaineering and when people miss the forest for the trees they’re being lazy. Like its convenient to go bouldering at a rock climbing gym but at what point is it just a Bally Total Fitness. These specialists mitigate all the risks and then need quantative ranking to feel better about their achievment… V4, W6, 5.12a, it’s all subjective anyways. It’s supposed to be a way of survival, not a numbers sport. People always feel they need to legitimize things by making them morte like conventional “sports”. I say mountaineering isn’t a sport, amen to that. I love organized sports but the outdoor stuff is physical, spiritual and a lifestyle you adopt on the weekends, perhaps its some unamed classification. Sure I go to the crag and to roadside ice pitches to practice when I’m short on time but its not the real deal it’s not game day. Playing H-O-R-S-E is fun and its a great way to test your shooting but it’s not a basketball game. Freedom of The Hills is a great book and ALL the chapters cover the various aspects of mountaineering. Unfortunately there are less mountaineers and more specialists and they get burnt out looking for the next niche thing instead of getting back to the basics.
Chiming in a bit late, but I just went ice climbing for the first time this week. Let me tell you, I’ll never forget it, and no matter the risk, I intend to pursue it. To me, it’s about pushing your mental and physical limits. Being in a climbing gym takes away a big part of the mental limit. I can’t be proud of topping out on a 30-40 foot wall indoors. I did, however, feel accomplished and wanting to push myself further when climbing the ice. In my opinion, you either have this ability in your brain to maintain a certain calm and desire to take on a situation like this. The way I see it is, it may not be for everyone, but it’s for me and many others. Honestly, by not having the whole world on these routes only keeps the falls from being overly climbed and maintains the natural surroundings that many don’t respect. It’s a bond with nature that could result in serious injury. Then again, I know more people who’ve been hurt falling down slippery steps or sidewalks on the ice than climbing it. Go for it. Give it a try and be afraid. Being afraid is only natural, but it’s what keeps us safe and always alert. Just my two cents. Also, get proper instruction from professionals. I highly recommend Sierra Mountain Guides. They took us to Lee Vining, CA and I have nothing but the best to say about their professionalism and kindness.
Good thoughts Brian, glad you had a good time!