beginner progression advice

[Blakej]

I'm looking to get lots of alpine experinece this coming year but being a southern boy for the most part I have no glacier experience and I pretty much refuse to take a class being old school and figuring everyone should have a climbing mentor. The question is are there any safe glaciers or areas to go out solo and walk around to gain confidence on crampons or ice axe arrest. I'm assuming arresting on ice is much different than snow. And what about alpine "climbs" that are safe enough to build confidence and provide a progressing, build my confidence reading snow and avalanch hazzards.

[Blakej]

My bad I missed the excellent progressing page posted earlier but the glacier question still stands and any other advice you can give.

[snoboy]

Simple answer, you can't arrest on ice. Too hard, too fast.

[Jason_Martin]

I'm looking to get lots of alpine experinece this coming year but being a southern boy for the most part I have no glacier experience and I pretty much refuse to take a class being old school and figuring everyone should have a climbing mentor. The question is are there any safe glaciers or areas to go out solo and walk around to gain confidence on crampons or ice axe arrest. I'm assuming arresting on ice is much different than snow. And what about alpine "climbs" that are safe enough to build confidence and provide a progressing, build my confidence reading snow and avalanch hazzards.

 

I've put this up a few times before, but it might be useful to you anyway...

 

Beginner Progression

 

Jason

[catbirdseat]

If you refuse to take a course, start by reading every book on mountaineering you can get your hands on. Don't try to reinvent the wheel.

[Alex]

Blakej, most of us are self-taught or taught by close friends. Here are some additional suggestions for you:

 

If in Seattle/PDX, come to Pub Club and simply ask the people around you how they learned and what good beginner routes are: you will get excellent advice, and be able to have a give-and-take interaction that isnt possible on this board. You will get not only great advice on how to start, but what gear is worth investing in and what isnt.

 

Read Mountaineering Freedom of the Hills and Andy Selter's excellent Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue.

 

Select some "practice outings" based on the advice you get. The stuff on Jason's list are all good beginner routes, but even simpler would be to take a day or weekend and play around on a glacier, learning how to self arrest and haul yourself and others out of a crevasse (setting up and anchor to rap into a crevasse ensures that you pay extra attention to everything - you'll learn alot just from this).

[Blakej]

alex what glaciers would you suggest as relatively safe and easily accessed for practicing on?

[mchisik]

you may need to join more experienced friends to get the confidence in solo glacier walks

[Alex]

In my opionion, here is a list of some great glaciers to go practice on (in US, BC has other spots) - relatively easy access, real crevasses n stuff. List is South to North.

 

+ White River Gl. on Mt Hood - hike up from Timberline Lodge to top of Palmer and do a rising traverse climbers right to around 9,000 ft. There you'll find some crevasses and steep snow slopes above the White River glacier, and a comfortable ski back to the car.

 

+ Eliott Gl on Mt Hood - in later season when Cooper Spur road is open, the Eliott and other N side glacier on Hood offer a real nice and scenic place to tool around relatively close to the car.

 

+ Nisqually Gl on Rainier. From Paradise hike up towards Panorama Point and then drop down to the toe of the Nisqually. You can hike up the moraine a bit to get to non-ablation zone stuff. Ski decent back to car once you get back out of the canyon.

 

+ Emmons Gl on Rainer - While its pretty far in there, in July after White River is open and the trail is good to Boulder Basin, hiking up to Camp Shurman for an overnight there and practice on the Emmons very close to Camp Shurman is a real treat!

 

+ Daniel Glacier on Daniel - this is a good solo or beginner outing with little real hazard or difficulty. Still, a nice place to go as a day trip or overnight.

 

+ Quien Sabe Gl. on Sahale - While Boston Basin falls within NOCA, which means you need a backcountry permit, the toe of the glacier is 3 hours from the car up Boston Basin and means a pretty doable day trip. This is a good beginner trip and will give you a great introduction to one of the better places in the North Cascades.

 

+ Colman Gl on Mt Baker - Going up Heliotrope ridge to the edge of the Coleman is pretty casual, and gets you to a large and active glacier with lots of traffic nearby.

 

Alex

[tomtom]

Simple answer, you can't arrest on ice. Too hard, too fast.

I've arrested on ice.

 

It was a fairly moderate angle, but I slammed my pick in immediately when my feet slipped out from under me and I didn't start sliding. I'm glad, because there were rocks at the bottom of the slope.