How to Place Ice Screws While Climbing
Not for the faint of heart, ice climbing is an extreme winter sport that has grown in popularity over the last few decades. Much like rock climbing, safe ice climbing relies on smart placement of protection and good technique. Along with knowing how to front-point and proper use of ice tools, knowing how to place ice screws on a route is important to ensuring a safe and enjoyable climb.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Clear away any snow or ice that's soft, dirty or fragile. You want to place the screw in the hardest ice possible so that it can hold your weight if you fall.
-
2
Find a spot to place the screw somewhere near your waist. You'll have better leverage for cranking the screw into the ice than if it is near your head.
-
-
3
Insert the screw so that it's angled 10 to 20 degrees in the direction of its potential load. This means the screw will be facing slightly downward if you're on a vertical or near-vertical surface.
-
4
Brush away any chips of ice that form as you crank the screw into the surface. You want to ensure that the threads of the screw are only holding onto ice that's anchored and firm.
-
5
Place adjoining screws one above the other. Ice tends to break away horizontally, so placing your screws vertically increases the chance that you'll be protected if one of them fails.
-
6
Work the screw in until its end is flush with the ice. The loop or eye should be pointing in the direction of the load (again, usually toward the ground).
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Long screws generally provide better protection than short screws. The main exception to this rule is if you're climbing on ice that's shallow and crumbly. In this case, use a screw that's short enough to completely fit into the ice.
Angling the screw in the direction of the load is only a good idea if the ice is "good." If the ice is lacking in quality, you might be better off angling the screw against the load so as to provide a hooking action in the event of a fall.
