New to ice climbing

[Dirtbag Packwork]

I posted in the partners forum,but after thinking about it that probably wasn't the best place. I'm new to ice climbing, just got my tools yesterday in fact and I'm wondering the best way to get started. Non of my current climbing partners have any interest in alpine or ice climbing and I'm looking for the best way to start gaining the skills I need to obtain my goals.

This is something I've wanted to do since I was a child and I'm finally in a place to do it. In fact I've decided to only take temp jobs so that I can climb more and work on being the best climber I can be. Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance

Bob

[Jason_Martin]

The best way to start is to take some lessons:

 

http://www.aai.cc/Programs/Group/ice/

 

Jason

[t_rutl]

Hey Bob, was in the same boat as you...ice climbing looked kick ass but had nobody in on it. Ended up spending a week in Ouray, CO. Took an ice course through San Juan Mountain Guides and did laps in the ice park. You could do similar things in Hyalite. Prob the best way to jumpstart the skills.

 

a prev thread on the subject here: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/908933/Question_on_classes_in_climbin#Post908933

 

Troy

 

 

[selkirk]

Not sure about Portland, but there are a couple of dirty little dry tooling crags around Seattle with routes in the M3/4/5 range, and I actually started on those before I got on real ice.

 

It really helped learning to move delicately and in-balance, you know all those rock climbing techniques that sometimes get forgotten when people get on ice

 

It was also easier to find partners for an evening dry tooling by headlamp on toprope than finding ice for the first time!

 

I'll second a trip to Ouray though. That was stellar and you'll climb more ice there in 3 day then you will in an month or two around Seattle / Portland. A buddy and I went down and both had some ice experience (a handful of days TR'ice and some easy leads each) and didn't feel like we needed a guide. The anchors are clearly set out for TR's, and if you want to lead the ice is big and fat Lot's of good stuff in the WI2/3 range (less than vertical, or short stretchs of vertical with benchs and good rests).