UKC

Winter climbing on the Continent

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 kingjam 20 Dec 2016
Hi

Can Anyone recommend some good starting objectives for winter climbing on the continent. Looking at mountain routes with medium level of commitment round D 3/4 . Was considering the nth face of tour ronde but think this comes in early summer.

Thanks in advance
 zimpara 20 Dec 2016
In reply to kingjam:

Do you mean climbing in actual winter? It's not clear in your post
Got some snowshoes? lol
1
OP kingjam 20 Dec 2016
In reply to zimpara:

That's the plan happy with easy ski or snowshoe approaches
 Misha 20 Dec 2016
In reply to kingjam:
How much summer alpine, Scottish winter and ski touring have you done?
OP kingjam 21 Dec 2016
In reply to Misha:

about 8 weeks summer alpine , 4 weeks Scottish, no ski touring but confident on piste
 Misha 21 Dec 2016
In reply to kingjam:
Unless you're looking for water ice (shortish approaches with tracks and shortish routes), the Alps in winter / spring are snowy and serious places. You need to be able to ski in and out, that means being comfortable off piste including in crevassed terrain and being able to ski tour as it's unlikely to be downhill all the way. As for the routes, big alpine face routes which go around D could be a bad idea - too much fresh snow and avalanche risk. Mixed goulotte/ couloir style routes are the thing to do in winter and spring but they're generally harder. Your profile says Scottish II/III. You'd want to be comfortable on V really.

Why not go on an off piste / ski touring holiday / course? Or an icefall climbing week somewhere like Cogne or Rjukan? Both are key skills if you want to do winter / spring alpine climbing and it's fun!
OP kingjam 22 Dec 2016
In reply to Misha:

Misha

Think your probably right , thanks for the advice

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