It's an ice day for a climb

By Stephen Hlawaty
Outdoors Columnist

"It's like driving a pickax into a wall of glass and hoping it doesn't shatter on you" is how a rock-climber once described ice-climbing to me.

As you might expect, I put off giving ice-climbing a shot for some time after that. But after recently meeting Fort Collins rock- and ice-climber Dave Svilar, my curiosity in the sport was piqued once again. Seven - or more likely seven-squared - years' bad luck be damned.

Traditionally, ice-climbing was seen as a skill involved in general mountaineering. It wasn't until French mountaineer Laurent Grivel designed a pair of crampons with two protruding front points in 1932 that ice-climbing became a singular pursuit. These new crampons allowed climbers to ascend more quickly and with more agility. As such, ice-climbers began to take on more technical routes, which helped to position ice-climbing as a sport in and of itself. So much so, that in 1995 the town of Ouray in southwestern Colorado created the world's first ice park, a free and public park dedicated exclusively to the sport of ice-climbing.

While northern Colorado cannot compare to places like Ouray and Telluride when it comes to climbing ice, would-be and seasoned ice-climbers in this part of the state can still get theirs primarily in and around Rocky Mountain National Park and Longs Peak. Much of the accessible routes in these areas deliver a good amount of variable frozen waterfalls and ice smears.

One of the area's better-known intermediate ice-climbing routes can be found by accessing Rocky Mountain National Park's Hidden Falls. A 45-minute approach will deliver you to a 75-foot frozen waterfall. Trees at the top of the falls provide excellent top rope anchors.

More advanced ice-climbers may want to check out several routes surrounding Longs Peak. One lies at the mountain's lower east face, aptly named the "Smear of Fear." The approach to the "Smear of Fear" takes roughly two hours, but it's well worth the hike, as it sits against a colossal cirque just below the summits of Mount Meeker and Longs Peak.

The best time to climb this, and other routes in the area, is in the fall and early winter. The east and north sides of Thatchtop Mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park are some of the most popular places to ice-climb in northern Colorado. The area known as Loch Vale offers a variety of ice-climbs.

The first thing that you should know about ice-climbing is that it is safe, given the appropriate considerations. Many ice-climbers are--or have been --rock-climbers. The two sports demand many similar skill sets such as knot-tying, anchoring, leading and belaying. As such, beginner ice-climbers may want to first familiarize themselves with rock-climbing, particularly when you consider that many so-called ice-climbing routes are actually a mixture of rock and ice.

Similarities aside, however, ice-climbing is uniquely different than rock-climbing in many ways, not the least of which include the additional dimensions of freezing weather, slippery surfaces and shorter daylight hours. These dimensions should also inform beginner climbers of the importance of dressing in layers while ice-climbing.

Ice-climbing also requires a variety of specific tools with which beginner climbers should be aware. Some of these tools include the following:

• Helmet - protects your head from immediate contact with falling ice or other debris.
• Crampons - pointed footwear that attaches to the bottoms of stiff-soled ice-climbing boots.
• Ice ax - device used to cut through ice and gain leverage while climbing.
• Ice screws - hammered into ice to form anchor placements and hand and foot holds.

For those who might want to give ice-climbing a try without doling out a large amount of money for equipment, consider renting your gear from the Outdoor Adventure Program at Colorado State University or the Colorado Mountain School in Estes Park, which also provides clinics and tours. The Mountain Shop in Fort Collins also rents some ice-climbing gear. Otherwise, for more information on ice-climbing, Craig Luebben's "How to Ice-climb," published by the Globe Pequot Press, is a great resource.

In the end, you are your most important piece of equipment when ice-climbing. As such, you should be in strong mental and physical condition. Like rock-climbing, climbing on ice requires strength, patience and confidence. A safe and positive mental attitude will go a long way in your having an ice day.