jfer45 Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Come this October I'll have quite a bit of free time. I want to get into alpine climbing (I've mainly been a rock climber with only a bit of mountaineering) and was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on where I should go in the winter months to practice for alpine climbing. I would like to be somewhere in the NW and was thinking the North Cascades, but I'm guessing weather makes it tough to climb all the time. I was also thinking about CO or New Hampshire or Canada for learning how to climb ice. Any thoughts about this or just where I should start in general to begin progressing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genepires Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) WA mountaineering in the winter is a waiting game. waiting for the right conditions that may never even happen. If winter mountaineering is what you really want to do, then get some backcountry skiis and go to the sierras for better use of time. A better option though is to go to Banff and become a ice and mixed climbing master. This will make the technical parts of mountains seem so easy. You might even be able to get up some peaks if the weather and avi work out in your favor. I would prefer banff over CO and NH for total terrain. Exchange rate does not work in your favor though but that is a small price to pay. Take a avi course wherever you go. Edited February 9, 2012 by genepires Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvashtarkatena Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 New Zealand. You can learn alpine climbing by alpine climbing there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfer45 Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 genepries, Banff does sound like a great place. At that time though would it mainly be in shape for steep ice / waterfall climbing or would there be some less aggressive steep snow/ice routes in couloirs and on rock that I could practice on? Is there a guidebook you would recommend? Thanks for your help by the way. tvash, I'll probably save New Zealand for a later time. Wanted to go there last year for fishing/climbing, but it didn't work out. If I remember correctly a lot of the mountains 'required' helicopter transportation to access. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genepires Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 you could do snow routes. You could rock climb at yamnuska year round when the weather is cooperative. There is always something to do in that area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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