Scaling New Heights

Ice climbers are a rare bunch of people. During times when most people cozy up around their fireplaces, ice climbers are psyching themselves to scale frozen waterfalls in sub zero temperatures. The sport combines the right amount of balance, skill and agility and is immersive; key elements for any great adventure activity. The sense of achievement is very tangible for ice climbers.

Traditionally, there are two types of ice climbing, glacier Ice climbing and water Ice climbing. In simple terms, waterfall Ice climbing refers to ascending frozen waterfalls and other such surfaces that are formed by the freezing of flowing water. The second type of ice climbing involves traversing compact snow on top of mountains and glaciers. With regards to the difficulty level, Pranav Rawat, an ice climber adds, “Water ice comprises regions where flowing water freezes. It is brittle and difficult to climb.”

Read FHM India in the digital libraryEvery issue, every shoot, on TCG Media.

Training facilities

Since this sport is still in its nascent stage, there are not many opportunities to learn ice climbing. “I did not take any kind of specific training and got most of my knowledge from books and the internet. At mountaineering institutes they teach the old tip toe Ice climbing techniques. Nowadays, the triangle technique has gained prominence. These new techniques are not taught in India and I could not afford to go abroad to learn, which SCALING NEW HEIGHTS ADVENTURE is why I taught myself. I belong to a small group of ice climbers that have successfully utilized learnt new techniques.” adds Pranav.

Sukrit Gupta, Founder of 4Play, an adventure sports media firm says, “There is no place in India for specific training with regards to Ice climbing. There are some informal training circuits in Spiti. Most ice climbers in India are self-taught. We are looking to create a buzz and start a program to train people in the craft of ice climbing. The lone government initiative in this direction is a planned artificial Ice climbing wall in Mukteshwar.”

Potential of this sport

Himalayan regions like Spiti and Ladakh are ideally suited for Ice climbing during the long winters. Enthusiasts have also identified circuits near Himachal where Ice climbing is possible.

With regards to the growth of the sport Pranav says, “This is an attractive sport with a good growth potential in India. Ice climbing has been included as a sport in the Winter Olympics. Now participation and performance will get better as more people will want to have a chance at getting an Olympic berth. The sport is still developing across the world, so Indians have a good chance to compete with the best athletes globally.”

“It depends on the kind of impetus that it gets at different levels. The Indian topography has a lot of potential for this sport. Abroad, the ice climbing season lasts between four to eight months. In India the only regions where we get this is in Ladakh and Spiti. In 2019, we are going on a recce to Ladakh to discover new possible locations for the development of the sport. The sport is bound to grow since there are some Indians who are representing us at international competitions,” adds Sukrit.

Getting started

The main season for Ice climbing is December and January. Most of the climbing is done in Spiti, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh. Ice climbing requires a sufficient level of technical skills and climbers need to ensure they have the right equipment. One can enroll at a mountaineering institute like Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, to learn the basics. Some tour agencies offer beginners packages as well.

“One needs ice axe (tool), the crampons and special boots. One needs a safety harness and carabineer, along with a rope to steady oneself during the fall. We also use an ice screw anchor to secure the rope harness to the ice. Warm and waterproof clothing is necessary as there is a risk of hypothermia. A first aid kit should also be carried,” says Pranav with regards to equipment.

“Accessing regions like Spiti and Ladakh is tough in the winter so we have decided to host the ‘Screwed up’ Ice climbing festival in Manali. The advantage of Manali is that one can go Ice climbing during the day and return to the hotel room at night, ” adds Sukrit.

Must-Have Kit

• Ice axe: Provides the grip and is crucial for climbing a vertical ice wall.
• Helmet: Important safety feature as ice chunks may fall down the slope.
• Crampons: Essential to maintain a grip with the foot.
• Harness: The most important safety feature in case of slippage or accident.

From the January 2019 issue of FHM India.