I had the fortune of teaching a Novice Ice clinic at the Ouray Ice Festival this year on behalf of Millet. While I was incredibly nervous beforehand, it turned out to be extremely fun. My clinic was filled with a great group of climbers (they were rock stars and so positive) and it forced me to take a step back and understand why I do certain movements when I ice climb so that I could simply communicate the basics of form to those that may just be starting out on the ice.
The key to staying warm when ice climbing is to dress in layers. You need to be able to start out the day wearing just your baselayer or midlayer for the approach, then continue to add and remove layers throughout the day as you climb and belay. This is my current ice climbing apparel setup for the season. While the individual pieces may change from year to year, the general layering concept remains the same.
This weekend’s Bozeman Ice Festival usually marks the official start of ice climbing season, but with the early season cold temps, many climbers have been getting after it for quite some time now. We will post a few different essentials lists pertaining to the sport, but begin here with the hardware required to second a multi-pitch climb or even top rope. Stay tuned for our apparel picks for the season, as well as a look at gear choices for leading.
Although not a ton of new hardware for Fall 2014 was unveiled at Outdoor Retailer, some great looking ice climbing and alpine packs were on display. From multi-pitch bullet packs to large, organizational powerhouses, get ready for backpack envy next season.
Best known for their expedition style down parkas, Canada Goose expanded into technical shells earlier this winter. Designed for more active pursuits, the collection of hardshell jackets offers bomber weather protection while still delivering on that stylish CG aesthetic.
Along with the new Fuel ice tools from Black Diamond, there were a few…
