Ice climbing, as the name suggests, is climbing on ice. It is rock climbing, with the added challenges of whether. The Ice and snow provide quite a challenge to the climbers. It is an outdoor activity, where a climber scales an ice wall or a frozen waterfall or other such ice formations. Ice Climbing doesn’t use the standard set of rock climbing equipment, but has special equipment made for it.
Ice climbing basically started when people found it hard to cross hard water ice. It gradually developed, and many techniques were introduced. As the climbs became harder, more equipment and techniques were introduced, to assist the climbers in their ascent. Ice climbing also requires the climber to have proper knowledge of the weather, as it plays a key role in the climber’s safety.
In Ice climbing, the main tools used are Ice Axes and Crampons. Although Rock and Ice climbers use almost similar equipment, the terrain to be scaled is totally different. Rock patterns remain the same over many years, and are easy for the climber to analyze, whereas Ice patters and textures vary from day to day, sometimes even within hours.
To go Ice climbing, it is essential to have the right equipment, knowledge of techniques, and of course, training. Like all other extreme sports, the risks involved are great, and safety should come first.
Why Ice Climbing?
Ice climbing has been gaining vast popularity in recent times. This is because Ice climbing takes the climber where no man has gone before. It isn’t unusual for climbers to explore new areas while climbing, and get a view of the breathtaking sceneries which no one has seen before.
I hope you have found this information interesting. Learn more on Ice Climbing in our recommended materials.
- Our Useful Resource: Rock Climbing Techniques from A to Z eBook and Audio
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Ice climbing on Flickr – Photo Sharing
Ice climbing by r n b 69. To take full advantage of Flickr, you should use a JavaScript-enabled browser and install the latest version of the Macromedia Flash Player.
Tags: Ice Climbing, Ice Climbing Equipment, Why Ice Climbing