Ice Climbing Gear: Check!!!
Tis the season to get out and Ice Climb! This year the ice season has been SO good for December. Sure the rain and warm up a week ago might have you questioning if the ice is good but believe me it’s good!
Each ice season begins the same way. I go into my gear closet and begin the search for all my ice gear. I grab my tools, my crampons, all the gloves, layers, screws, etc. Once I find everything I go through and begin checking all the gear. How sharp are my crampons? Tools? Screws?
Before each ice climbing day, I do the same thing. This means grabbing a file and sharpening my crampons first. I personally will sharpen the front points, my secondary points, and then go through each point to try and get it to be sharp ish again. Next are my tools. I begin by A.) seeing what climb I will be climbing because this determines which picks to use. Is it rocky/ thin? Am I mixed climbing? Is it pure steep ice? Am I going to The Lake? All these questions will help me to pick the right picks to put on my Petzl Ergonomics. I surely don’t use my brand-new Ice Picks if I know I’m scratching on rock for the whole day.
Next are the pons. Similar to above, I go with what’s the climb? I have BD Stingers for just pure mixed climbing because I have found these to be durable, sharp, and just overall climb mixed terrain really well. If I’m doing highly technical ice, or steep ice lines, I will grab my C.A.M.P. Bladerunners. The Bladerunners in my eyes are the best pons for my sends.
Screws are next. I begin by checking each thread and seeing if I need to use my tiny file to get rid of burrs. After that, I will do the ole Matt Shove trick and run a gun cloth through the tubes. This little trick helps to avoid any ice build up in the screw and avoids them from then freezing on you. Pro tip: if they do freeze, put them in your jacket for a pitch and your body heat will thaw it out. You do get a weebit wet but hey you get the screw back.
Next I actually change out my alpine slings to my “ice alpine slings” which are just the same exact slings but they only see winter/ ice conditions. I do this because rock climbing is dirty which means your slings get dirty which means they aren’t waterproof anymore. Dirty slings= more likley to freeze.
Once I’m done with the technical gear, I begin to actually lay all my gear out on the ground from head to toe for layers. So head is my helmet, buff and small hat. Then body meaning t-shirt, base layer, small puffy, outershell or softshell (depending on conditions), then my “Oh Shit” puffy which is my belay parka. Hands are my gloves which I bring 3-4 pairs (1 pair of belay gloves, 1-2 steep ice glove, and then my waterproof fisherman gloves). Legs are base layer, and outershell/ softshell. Then socks which are my ski socks. Followed by my boot selection. Now I move onto my pack, crampons, med kit, repair kit, SAM Splint, Inreach, Poop bag, food, water, and thermos. Rope is last for me because I need to know what I’m climbing before I pick the right rope for the job.
Once I confirm all my gear, I pack and get ready to ice climb! I do this every single time I go ice climb. It’s my habit. It’s how my ADHD brain can visibly see everything before the next day when I go “did I pack ____” which I can then go “YUP, we good!”
Stoked for the ice season. Hit me up on Insta, or email if you have any questions or comments of this little system! Thanks to all who read these!
Happy Holidays!
-John
