climbing over a cornice

[skimtn]

Normally I'm dealing with cornices from above, before skiing or climbing down. Usually I'll end up knocking them down before doing my run, or downclimbing.

 

However there's a 40-55 degree chute I've been eyeing that I'd like to climb up to reach the summit, I'm wondering what the best approach is for dealing with a cornice when coming from below.

 

It should be a smaller cornice, and avy danger should be low. I expect the chute to be a little icy at this point.

 

Is the normal approach to just hack a notch/tunnel through it and up you go? I feel like doing that is just likely to drop the thing on top of me taking me down with it.

 

Even though avy danger is low I don't really like standing right where an avy will typically fracture, as I hack down snow blocks around me.

 

thanks for any feedback.

 

 

 

[ivan]

seems like you got it figured out - if you can get a mortar and some nitro though, there's a better way

Edited January 28, 2015 by ivan

[christophbenells]

yeah, pretty normal to hack though it. just do it gingerly...maybe theres some rock or ice near by you can anchor to?

[ScaredSilly]

Just remember a cornice is a result of wind so the area just below it is going to be wind loaded. Getting through a cornice is pretty much as folks have said start digging ...