Ice climbing: everything about this extreme sport

We offer a very exciting option for extreme relaxation. Discover the risky yet tantalizing joys of ice climbing. Yes, this is a difficult sport, but imagine what your emotions will be like at the top of a frozen waterfall. But what are we talking about! This cannot be imagined – it must be experienced.

In fact, this is one of the youngest trends in the field of mountaineering. It comes down to conquering slopes (of varying degrees of difficulty) covered with ice. Please note, not narrow serpentines and not bare rocks or snow-capped peaks. This is a key nuance and the main difference between this discipline. And yes, competitions in it are held regularly, under the auspices of UIAA.

Not only members of the “7 Summits Club” or other experienced climbers can go ice climbing. This type of active sport can be a real discovery for those who have already managed to practice, it would seem, all the options for extreme sports. And even beginners can join in too. But everyone will need special training, be prepared for this.

Features and complexity of this type of recreation

Let’s highlight a few key points:

  • The climb requires more physical effort than rock climbing or mountaineering. This is due to the fact that the tool needs to be driven into a surface frozen to the point of a monolith. This means that the level of preparation should be as high as possible.
  • For successfully and safely climb ice, on average, you will need more equipment than for related sports. Hence the rather impressive costs for equipment.
  • There are plenty of areas for athletic growth and development. You can, for example, conquer artificial, glacier, cascade ice – each of them has its own nature. The specifics of the climbs vary, as do the sensations and emotions.

Competitions in this type of extreme sport are held in two modes – difficulty and speed. The second option is especially insidious. When time is pressing, you are in a hurry and may unwittingly make a mistake, which is fraught with unnecessary risks and dangerous situations. Even experienced climbers get burned by this.

As you can see, this is a rather complex type of recreation. Hence the logical question: who can handle such extreme sports?

Required level of training

If we evaluate it comprehensively, it should be advanced. For ice climbing you will need:

  • Good physical fitness, first of all, sufficient arm strength.
  • The ability to work with equipment – the ability to use not only crampons or bots in a timely manner, but also all kinds of loops, carabiners, and quickdraws.
  • Correct positioning of the legs during lifting – it is important that they are at the same level.
  • Anaerobic endurance, that is, maintaining physical activity even with increased oxygen consumption.

ExtremeGuide Ice Climbing School will help you acquire and develop these abilities. In addition to instructors, we will also provide guides who will provide assistance and safety along the route, as well as resolve related issues. Climb the mountains with a pro – it’s much more convenient and reliable than climbing on your own.

Equipment for ice climbing

All things used can be divided into two main groups: for moving along the highway and for providing insurance. Let’s look at what is included in each of them.

To move around you need:

  • climbing cats (catsboots) — to cling to the frozen monolith and provide a stable position for the legs;
  • ice axes – for making cuts, belay points, stations along the route;
  • tools – shovels for shoveling snow, hammers for driving in hooks, etc.

To ensure safety when climbing on ice you will need:

  • ropes – double or twin, but always impregnated with a composition that prevents getting wet;
  • safety system – a set of belts and buckles;
  • helmet – to protect the head from ice falling from above;
  • carabiners, loops – for arranging stations (stops along the route);
  • guy lines – for straightening rope “lines”;
  • drills – tubes with external threads, screwed into the thickness of the route;
  • safety devices for ice climbing – glasses for ropes;
  • доadditional equipment – cartula for removing drills, tendrils to prevent tools from falling, cords for creating trigger loops, and so on.

Of course, we will provide all the necessary equipment, as well as ensure proper training – for effective and safe sport. We will also offer tours in the Carpathians and other regions of Ukraine. Contact ExtremeGuide – ice climbing is always fun with us.