Ice climbing | basic courses, courses & tours with Swiss mountain guides

In ice climbing, you use the frozen waterfall in winter to climb it. You use two ice axes, crampons and ice screws to get up safely and well.

Ice climbing originated in Scotland. Due to the damp, cold climate, it is still one of the best places to practice the sport today. In the 1950s, for example, the gullies and couloirs on Ben Nevis were climbed as ice tours.

Drytooling uses the same equipment as ice climbing, i.e. ice axe and crampons, and uses them on rock faces instead of ice. In ice climbing, you use the ice axe and crampons to hit the holds and steps, whereas in drytooling you can only hook.

Like any sport, ice climbing has its risks. By belaying with ice screws and the rope, you can greatly reduce these. The risks are mainly due to fluctuating temperatures, snow lenses and hanging icicles.

Ice climbing topos can be found sporadically on the internet or on social media. But there is no larger collection here. The best books are still by Urs Odermatt, Cold Ice - Hot Rock.

In a north face there are often passages where you have to ice climb. Depending on the current conditions, there may be good firn. The classic north face tours often have ice passages (the Spider in the Eiger north face, the Nollen on the Mönch, the Matterhorn north face).

The best books are those by Urs Odermatt: Hot Ice - Cold Rock, Band West and Ost. The technique and tactics are described quite well in the SAC book "Bergsport Winter".

Currently, ice climbing is not an Olympic sport. However, there is a chance that ice climbing will be included in the Olympics as a sport in the next few years. Currently, ski mountaineering, i.e. ski touring races and climbing are Olympic.

We always offer ice climbing courses. Our ice climbing courses are designed to build up skills step by step. From ice climbing courses for beginners and novices to challenging coaching courses, we offer a variety of courses:

• Ice climbing basic course for beginners and novices

• Ice Climbing Course Level 2: Technique, tactics and short multi-pitch routes

• Ice and mixed climbing course level 3: combined terrain, rock and ice with mountain guide
• Individual coaching and accompaniment on ice climbing tours (individual request)

You can go ice climbing in many places in Switzerland. As soon as the temperatures are low enough for long enough and there is some water in an area, you can go climbing:

In the canton of Bern:

• Kandersteg
• Adelboden
• Engstligenalp

In the canton of Graubünden:

• Avers, Averstal, Campsut, Cresta
• Safiental
• Davos
• Vals
• Valsertal

In the Engadine:

• Pontresina
• Corvatsch
• Piz Bernina
• Maloja

In the canton of Valais:

• Saas Fee
• Zermatt

In Liechtenstein:

• Malbun

In Central Switzerland:

• Schächental
• Schöllenen near Andermatt
• Muotathal
• Urnerboden

For ice climbing, the highest difficulty is WI7, overhanging and only a thin layer of ice.

The WI1-7 scale is used here. WI stands for Water Ice, originally from Canada. Leisurely tours can be found in the WI3 - 4 difficulty level. In this PDF the Overview of the different levels of difficulty.

In ice climbing there is a standard form of movement to get as much as possible out of the legs. This involves going from the basic stable position with the hollow cross into the movement and ending back in the basic position. The points are:

• Stable basic position
• Plan the following movement phase.
• Prepare the train with the feet.
• Set ice tool.
• Use the feet to bring the weight under the ice tool and
• resume the stable basic position.

• In the basic position, you attach the belay points by screwing in the ice screws and hooking in the rope.
• For the descent, people often abseil down the route. Ice hourglasses are made for this purpose.

• Bring a sufficient number of gloves.
• Have a gas cooker and bialetti with you.
• Study the route carefully and memorise the course.

The best way to learn ice climbing is to take a course.

You have to attach the intermediate belays in the ice yourself. To do this, you screw the ice screws into the ice. This takes time and you hang on one arm for a long time. This is rigorous and mentally demanding.

In ice climbing, it is crucial how the ice has grown and how much snow was still in play. There are several typical forms of ice that are difficult to climb and secure:

• Ice shield: normal difficulty to climb and good protection
• Cauliflower ice: easier to climb, more difficult to belay
• Tube ice: difficult to climb and difficult to belay

Particular attention should be paid to the snow passages and snow lenses, as you could slip on them on the ice.

It is ideal to climb in the temperature range where the ice is frozen.

In Switzerland, it is recommended to climb between -5°C and -1°C. In this range, the ice has typically grown and is therefore also low-stress. At lower temperatures, the ice becomes brittle and splintery. At higher temperatures, a lot of water flows and the ice becomes softer, so-called soft ice. This can be very easy to climb if you catch it at the right time.

In Canada, for example, the ice often grows at very low temperatures (-20°C). So it is also best to climb at these temperatures.

The quality of the ice can be determined from its colour and shape. For example, beautiful blue ice that is frozen smooth is perfect for climbing. White ice or dark, black ice that has grown in tubes is of poor quality.

The Swiss Ice Climbing Championships take place in Saas-Fee takes place. There, the parking garage, which has a circular, open driveway, is prepared and set up. A spectacle also for the spectators.

This will be carried out by the UIAA organised. The destinations have to apply to the UIAA, which then selects the location. In 2022, the World Cup was also held in Saas Fee.

In summer it is difficult to train ice climbing. Some climbing gyms offer drytooling corners. Drytooling outside is generally possible, but not the coolest in summer. On the glaciers and in crevasses, climbing can also be done in summer. This is fun and spectacular! You can experience this in some of our high altitude courses.

Ice climbing mainly requires grip strength. So general climbing or pull-ups on ice climbing holds is recommended.

• For ice climbing you need the following:
• Crampons & Ice Tools
• Ice screws & Express slings
• Impregnated half ropes
• Helmet
• Climbing harness with tuber, carabiner, slings, rope and threader
• Crampon proof mountain boots
• Warm dresses
• and best of all a gas cooker with Bialetti

You need a robust, waterproof Gore-Tex jacket for this. The lined rain jackets are impractical. This can be used for all mountain sports.

Here, too, you need waterproof trousers. Suitable is one with a reinforced foot area, as you often hack in with the crampons. Ventilation zips are also recommended.

Here you need several pairs of gloves. Thick ones for warmth and thin ones for climbing. The gloves you wear when climbing get wet very quickly. So it's worth bringing 2 or 3 pairs.

For this you need fully crampon-compatible mountain boots. It is important that the sole does not bend when you stand on the front prongs of the crampons. It is also pleasant to climb in light, ascent-oriented ski touring boots. Of course, it is important that the shoes are well insulated.

Basically yes. The flat crampons for normal alpine tours are only suitable for your first climb. As soon as the icefall becomes steeper, you can only climb comfortably with steep ice crampons. The front teeth of these are serrated and horizontal.

Ice climbing is only possible to a limited extent with ice axes, i.e. with the standard mountaineering ice axes. With two Sum'Tec Picks from Petzl it can be climbed quite well. With lighter picks it is no longer optimal. For real ice climbing you use ice tools.

Widely used and a super device is the Nomic from Petzl. For ice climbing it is recommended to use the ice pick.

We recommend roughly the following breakdown:

• 10cm: 2 pieces
• 13cm: 2 pieces
• 16cm: 4 pieces
• 19cm: 4 pieces
• 22cm: 0 piece

It makes sense to bring about 12 ice screws for a normal rope length.

In the shade at temperatures below 0°C, an ice screw lasts a very long time. Only in warm temperatures and especially when the sun shines directly on the head of the ice screw is there a risk of melting.

Ice screws cut into the ice and this exits through the inner opening. This makes the screws much lighter. It needs the large diameter for the stability of the screw in the ice.