UKC

Hi there,

I am looking to get into winter climbing this year. I have a lot of rock climbing experience in and outdoors happy to lead 6b, I have done the allalhinhorn, blinnenhorn and hohsandhorn, and some glacier crossings. Now I am looking to get into some "basic" winter climbing.

My questions are does anyone have any recommendations for beginner friendly routes? Does anyone know any routes close to the Aletschglacier in Switzerland?

Can anyone give me some tips for the "must have" gear comapred to summer climbing?
This year I am also planning to buy my own trad gear, what should buy first that I can use in the winter aswell? Because I am not really able to buy all the trad gear at once.

Thanks a lot

In reply to Dutchclimber1999:

Additional gear - assuming you've got suitable boots, crampons and gloves...pair of tech axes.

Depends on where you're climbing and what style but maybe consider a monopoint crampon. Personally I climbed plenty at Scottish IV/V in walking crampons, it's possible but far nicer with a monopoint!

Rack wise for UK winter stuff wiresand hexes over cams, for the limited Alpine mixed on granite I've done cams have outscored wires.

Other than that without any knowledge of the area you mention I'm really not much help!

In reply to JackM92:

Thanks for your reply!
Do you have any recommendations for routes anywhere in western Europe?

And does anyone know if the Grivel air tech evo is any good for easy winter climbing? I have two of them so it would safe me a lot of money that I can spend on a basic rack.

Rack wise I was thinking of getting the DMM wallnut set 1-11 and DMM torque nut set 1-4. Would this be enough to get me out and do some climbs with this?

In reply to Dutchclimber1999:

I've climbed many routes of Scottish grade IV in Airtechs which have the added benefit of being much nicer to walk in than technical crampons. Gear-wise those DMM wires and Torque nuts are a great start but you'll need a few slings and screwgates. Most of all you'll need to gain experience slowly and steadily. There's no rush to smash grade VI. The scenery doesn't improve at higher levels of difficulty. Enjoy your apprenticeship.

In reply to Dutchclimber1999:

The Air Tech Evo is very much a mountaineering rather than climbing axe, but couple of them would certainly get you up grade II routes without being at a major disadvantage. Beyond that, judge it by how it feels on those easier routes. I suspect you'll find yourself wanting some climbing axes beyond that, so keep an eye on the For Sale forum here. Often good deals available on second hand tools.

In reply to BnB:
Thank you for your reply! I am in no rush at all to climb hard routes, I just want to be out in the mountains and enjoy the day. Sometimes I enjoy easier routes more then hard routes.

I already have 2 120cm slings, 4 60cm slings, and something like 10 screwgates and 1 22cm ice screw, 2 grivel airtech evo axes and 1 pair of black diamond crampons (which I don't know the name of), Do you think if I will add the DMM wires and hexes I will be ready to do easy routes in the alps and schotland?

In reply to Dutchclimber1999:

Throw in some quickdraws and a rope (e.g. a dry treated lightweight 60m single - the extra length is often helpful in winter when good belays are more scarce) and that sounds good to me! The DMM Torque Nuts are great - as are the Wallnuts.

If you want to get cams so as to be able to make use of a greater range of rock protection possibilities, I'd suggest Tricams for winter rather than normal cams: they're lighter and cheaper, and will often work in iced-up/vegetated locations where normal cams wouldn't stick. The only real advantage of normal cams is their ease and speed of placement, but that's not an issue on easy routes where you'll generally have your weight comfortably on your feet while placing the gear. And they double as extra nuts too!

In reply to Dutchclimber1999:

Routes around chamonix - chere couloir is good, way easier than WI4 and bolted belays so no commitment. Cosmiques arete has a few well protected short mixed steps if there's some snow.

Could recommend far more in Scotland if you were considering going there?

That rack of rock gear should be fine, I tend to take a bit less but have additional cams.