Barry Blanchard
(Alpinist / Mountain Guide)
Photo by: Ian Parnell - Alaska, 2001

 “A couple of new tricks in the last year:
   I've been going leashless in the mountains quite a bit, or at least until it gets steep and I get scared, then I clip on my leashes. To keep from dropping my tools before I get scared I've been using a bungy load leash that clips into both tools and my harness, its totally removable when I don't want it. I'm using Grivel's “Spring" though I did cut the small harness clip off and replaced it with a small locking biner.
   Steep stances become far more organized with an opening and closing rope hanger (there's a European one out there, I'm using Metolius' "Rope Hook"). Great piece for ice climbing ... you immediately figure out that you need two!

Old trick for thirsty dogs:
Use a long ice screw as a drinking straw when you come upon those small streams and glacial rivulets that you lust to thrust your muzzle in and melt the sandpaper from your mouth.”

Barry Blanchard is a UIAGM/IFMGA Mountain Guide based in Canmore, AB and specializing in alpine, ice and rock climbing in the Canadian Rockies.

Rob Owens
(Alpinist / ACMG Guide)
Photo: Rob Owens Collection

Petzl Self Rescue/
Epic Prevention Tools

Spatha Knife: fits safely on a Oval carabiner and can be opened with one hand. Useful for cutting cord and spreading cream cheese among many other things.

Tibloc: Great for rope ascension, extra pulling power for hard to pull rappel lines, can replace a prussik cord in rescue applications. Not to be used as a ratchet within the rescue. Be sure to follow the instruction provided!

Charlet Multi Tool: Needed for threading Abalakov’s. Also good for cleaning the ice core form your ice screws and has a hex head that fits the Petzl self drive bolts that are often used in the Canadian Rockies and the bolt on the Charlet Aztar.

Personal Prussik: 1.6m of 6mm cord. Great for ascending ropes, backing up a rappel, and in rescue systems. These items all fit onto a Petzl Owall oval carabiner and are useful for many climbing applications increasing safety and facilitating rescue systems.

See www.petzl.com for further info into the usage of the suggested equipment. Also, see the Petzl catalog for a variety of technical information.

Carlos Buhler
(High Altitude Mountaineer)
www.carlosbuhler.com
Photo by: Crista-Lee Mitchell

 “Whether I am making approaches to climbs, or fitness training by power walking up mountain trails, I always use adjustable, 3 section poles. Going up a steeper trail, I shorten up on the length until I feel comfortable pushing off with each step. Poles give me added power from my wrists, arms, shoulders, and back. When I'm ready to descend, I lengthen the pole to suit the terrain. The idea on descent is to spread out the impact, normally absorbed only by the knees, ankles, hips, and thighs to include the shoulders, elbows, and wrists. Distributing the impact of descending over broader areas of the body is the formula for a longer career enjoying the mountains.”

Scott Semple
(Alpinist / ACMG Guide)
Photo: Scott Semple Collection

Where’s the Magic? Technique and fitness are important, but without confidence, none of us would become comfortable with the mandatory run-outs that make ice climbing such a joy. My biggest leaps in ability came when I got smarter, not necessarily stronger. So while still working on technique, also re-examine your thinking—you’ll find that some sacred cows deserve slaughter.

Leave the X-position in the history books. Alternating tools, or “tracking”, does more with less. Pick up a how-to book on modern technique and learn how to put your rock climbing skills to good use on ice.

Become ambidextrous. Not every piece of ice is going to be where you want it. And genetics has nothing to do with why your left hand feels so dumb… Practice placing screws with your left hand until you have an either/or screw-placing ability.

Place screws at hip height. You need a certain amount of force in order to get an ice screw started, and that power is in your pelvis. Use bio-mechanics to your advantage by leaning into a screw as you place it.

Opposites attract. If you’re placing a screw with your right hand, have most of your weight on your right foot and vice versa. Stability comes from supporting your weight through opposite limbs, ie; hanging from your left arm while standing on your right foot. This’ll eliminate that horrifying barn-door feeling.

Accept failure. If failure is a tolerable outcome, then there’s no need to pack the kitchen sink. By choosing good style, ie; a lighter pack, as your prime motivator, you’ll move faster, stay warmer and succeed more often.