8/18/21 Agenda • References • Characteristics of Ice • Objective Hazards • Safety and Speed • Efficiency Alpine Ice Climbing • Clothing and Gear Kitsap 2021 • Hardware and Software Jerry Logan • Anchors • Movement on Ice • Mount Baker North Ridge Example • Mount Hood Leuthold Couloir Example • Mount Angeles Example 1 2 References • Ice formed directly from water freezing; or indirectly through metamorphosis of neve (permanent snow). Ice is • FOTH, 9th Ed. Mountaineers Books. Read chapter 19. distinguished from hard snow when its mass is airtight. • Opaqueness denotes softness. Soft, plastic snow can • th lead to good tool placements; too soft and weak can lead to Ice & Mixed ClimBing – Modern Technique, Will Gadd, 7 printing weak protection. 2017 (Second edition of this book coming sometime -overdue) • Color indicates hardness. Blue ice (relatively pure) vs Characteristics black ice (old, hard ice mixed with dirt, debris) Mountaineers Books. Read chapters 1-5. • Clarity equals brittleness (can require extra time to plant a tool without ice shatter –choice of point to strike with of Ice axe: convex vs concave surface • Cracks and fractures can mean weakness • Dinner plates mean temperatures are changing (tends to happen later in day as air warms), surface of ice becomes softer and more aerated - breaks away in plates • Concavities vs convexities – where strike with the tool? 3 4 Safety and Speed • Loose rock & hidden ice on approach • Falling ice and rock Objective • Avalanche condition / weather • Speed/efficiency improves safety Hazards • Ice quality • Time: clock ticks whether you are moving or not; party size and #ropes matter • Altitude • Ice trips have limited forgiveness of error, stronger potential for injury • Crevasses • Route finding is important • Know when to turn back – or if you can turn back • Simul climbing vs belayed pitches 5 6 1 8/18/21 Efficiency Efficiency • Desire to move faster •Arrange packs with most useful stuff on top • Fitness •Use longer ropes •Avoid complicated gear • Know the weather •Use chocks and natural protection; use bollards instead of • Memorize ascent/ descent routes – recent beta often key deadman and ice pitons •Use longer axe- axe/tool combo often good for alpine ice • Early starts absorb contingencies •Cut steps instead of putting on crampons in short sections • Steady pace – no/few breaks; eat at the belay station •Learn to put on crampons quickly •Keep tools sharp • Let the strongest lead all the way through, or block lead •Crampon quickly across dangerous areas- crab across with both tools deployed in • “Draft” by hooking leader’s pick holes, to save time & energy piolet panne • Eat & drink frequently to save energy- carry warm drinks instead of brewing • Carry light packs and be strict about contents 7 8 Clothing and Gear Hardware • Warm (enough), fitted clothing – extra gloves • Sunscreen, sunglasses • Sharp 12-point crampons – consider vertical front points (get a file) • Climbing helmet • Ice axe • Stiff mountaineering boots – leather or plastic depending on temperature; rands front and • Second ice tool or two tools rear to support fully automatic crampons • Leashes (optional, in my opinion) • Gators • Ice screws of appropriate length; longer for alpine ice, in general • Harness – make sure yours works with the pack you are wearing • Pickets (almost always two per person or more) • Cordelette • V-thread tool – spend a few bucks and get a real one! • Standard glacier travel gear – decide about your prusik setup. Texas prusiks not the greatest • 10 essentials 9 10 Ice Tools • Steep ice 45o and up: hybrid axe – like a general ice axe with bent handle • Extremely steep 60o and up – bent-grip shaft tool (Petzl Quark is a common model) B vs T • Vertical ice – ergonomic grip often used – Petzl Nomic or Ergonomic are common Rating • T vs B rating – critically important that your tool have T rating • Modular head useful for tailoring your axe for the climb – hammer/adze/nothing • Weight the head or not? • To tether or not? Yes to start, in my opinion 11 12 2 8/18/21 Hardware and Software Anchors • Ice Screws – see placement: Gadd, p. 100 • Tool clips/holsters • Pickets • Load limiting protection (“Screamer” – Gadd recommends; used less now per CA Guides) • • Gloves – multiple pairs (keep spares in your ”heater”) Abalakov /V-thread/A- thread/0-thread • Trekking pole(s) – I like one • Ice bollard • Rap ring & webbing – maybe • Pitons (I have not had occasion to use them) 13 14 Belay Anchors Movement on the Ice Gadd, pp. 84-86 on • Two ice screws generally adequate Climbing in Tool work – the Ice Grades useful: Team composition • Can use three if more than 2 people will balance still swing; weighted WI Grades/Alpine and party size be on the anchor or you question quality applies tool or not? (Gadd, p. 107) Grade/M Grades • Fixed Point Anchor Running • Backup with tool if you feel the need Crossing ice belay/simul Swing leads bridges climbing vs pitched climbing 15 16 Learn French Learn French Crampons Steepness of Slope Ice Axes and Ice Tools Steepness of Slope • Walking (French; pied* marche) Gentle, 0o to 15o • Cane position (piolet* canne) Gentle to moderate, 0o to 450 • Duckwalk (French; pied canard) Gentle, 15o to 30o • Cross-body position (piolet ramasse) Moderate, 30o to 45o • Flat-footing (French; pied à plat) Moderate to steep, 30o to 60o • Anchor position (piolet ancre) Steep to extremely, 45o and up • Rest position (French; pied assis) Extremely steep, 60o and higher • Low-dagger position (piolet panne) Steep, 45o to 60o • Three o’clock position (American; pied troisème) Extremely steep • High-dagger position (piolet poignard) Steep, 50o to 60o • Front pointing (German technique) Steep thru Vert/overhanging • Traction position (piolet traction) Extremely steep thru vert/over, 60o+ *Pied “pee-EY” = foot *Piolet “pee-oh-LAY” = ice axe 17 18 3 8/18/21 North Ridge • Onto Hourglass Couloir (Left) Mount Baker • Marko leading step North Ridge (Right) 19 20 North Ridge • Ridge Proper (Left) • Leading ridge (Right) Mount Hood Leuthold Couloir 21 22 Mount Hood Leuthold Couloir Mount Angeles 23 24 4 8/18/21 Mount Angeles 25 5.