Introduction to Snow and Ice Climbing

Read full details of our Intro to Snow and Ice Climbing course

10-11 January
Phil and Andy were keen to learn some skills and advance their summer leading & rope work knowledge into a winter context so we used the Zig Zags scramble on Gearr Aonach to hide from the worst of the wind.

As the freezing level quickly fell there was a definite winter feel with verglas, snow & hail. So it worked well for winterising there summer knowledge with crampons on icy rock, clearing icy cracks for gear and doing all the rope work with your gloves on. Not wanting to top out down climbing and abseil options for escape completed the learning.

On Sunday it wasn’t quite so windy but snowing with a rise in wind and temperature forecasted. Having been to the Ice Factor a few times already they were keener to be in the hills and take the risk of an aborted day. Dorsal Arete proved okay to approach and climb and gave them a ‘Full on Scottish’ experience which they coped with well and enjoyed. Getting an introduction to mixed climbing skills and learning lots about the careful choice of climbing route to the weather and conditions and about hope to operate in testing conditions. Broad Gully had no windslab and was scoured on one side we had only a short stagger over the top but it made the point about the effect of high winds. As they were both fit and ‘switched on’ we were able to make good time and be back down before the really extreme weather came back in.

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