Just a few figures to round up what More Than Mountains have been getting up to in the last couple of months!
1 x new pair of crampons purchased.
2 x visits to the Ice Factor in Kinlochleven.
3 x ascents of the ZigZags on Gearr Aonach in Glen Coe.
4 x days of teaching winter skills courses in the Cairngorms.
5 x pitches of snow and ice climbing on North Buttress on Buchaille Etive Mor.
6 x days teaching winter mountaineering courses on Ben Nevis.
7 x pairs of gloves used most days.
Following on from the last blog about winter mountaineering clothing, this short article will outline some of the gear I take with me.
A good helmet is vital in winter and I will often end up wearing one for most of the day, particularly if it is windy. It is worth finding one that you can comfortably wear a hat or balaclava underneath and is compatible with the hood of your outer shell jacket.
You can get away with a simpler harness in winter as all the extra clothing negates the need for padding on the waist belt. A ‘nappy’ style harness can easily be put on standing up whilst wearing crampons or skis which makes for a good choice.
An all round pair of twelve point crampons will do for almost all eventualities without getting too specialist. It is worth taking the time to make sure they fit your boots well. It is also vitally important that they are fitted with anti-balling plates to prevent snow buliding up undnerneath your boots as you walk.
Ice axes come in all shapes and sizes. It is worth trying some out before you buy as the grip and swing of an axe comes down to personal preference. In general, tools should be about 50cm in length as this is practical for most uses.
Dry-treated ropes are an essential in winter and most people prefer to use a double rope system to protect the climb and allow for longer abseils.
A standard rack of climbing equipment comprising nuts, hexes and cams is usually enough backed up with a few ice screws and maybe pitons depending on the route. Lots of slings and some spare abseil ‘tat’ always come in handy.
In my rucksack I will always carry a first aid kit, group shelter, head torch and spare map!
I’ve been using and abusing kit ice climbing and winter mountaineering for a good few years now in Scotland on courses and for play. In the build up to the new season I have been compiling a list of what works really well for me.
Rucksack – The POD Thin Ice at 45 litres is big enough to take all my winter climbing kit for a day and yet still weighs under 1kg! I prefer a simple sack with a floating lid and compact waist belt and the Thin Ice fits the bill perfectly. On ‘go faster’ days I have been using the Osprey Mutant 28 which is a great day sack, again with all the right features.
Boots – Since first trying on the Scarpa Phantoms they have proved to be the perfect boot for ice climbing in Scotland throughout the winter months. They are one of the most comfortable boots I have ever worn and keep my feet warm and dry in all conditions. The La Sportiva Nepal are also a great mountaineering boot for when the going kets tough.
Socks – I wear merino socks every day – enough said!
Base layers – I usually wear merino baselayers and if it’s cold I will layer a technical hoody over the top. The new Mountain Equipment Eclipse hoody looks like it is going to be an awesome bit of kit that will be on my Christmas list this year.
Mid layer – The Patagonia R2 jacket is one of my favourite mid layer pieces. Another option would be a thin synthetic layer or something like the Rab Vapour-rise top.
Shell layer – Depending on the conditions I choose between a softshell, ‘event’ hardshell or more often than not a Paramo jacket which covers all eventualities.
Legs – Paramo Aspira Salopettes have proved themselves to be one of the best winter legwear options in all conditions. If it’s cold I will add longjohns underneath them.
Booster layer – A warm synthetic jacket such as the Mountain Equipment Fitzroy is great to throw on over the top of your other layers for lunch breaks or on cold belays during a climb. I would avoid down as it can soon wet-out.
Gloves – Lots are required to get you through a typical Scottish winter mountaineering day. I start with a thin fleece glove for the walk in. Windstopper works really well as a fabric for gloves. If I am ice climbing I will change to something thicker with a leather palm for dexterity and grip. The Black Diamond Punisher has been a great glove over the last few seasons. I always have a pair of warm mittens in my rucksack as a back up.
That’s about it for clothing. In the next blog I will list more of the technical climbing kit I use throughout the winter.
If you have just started out rock climbing or are looking to update your existing rock climbing equipment then UK based gear manufacturer DMM have produced a useful factsheet on their website and a video to view in conjunction with this explaining what to consider when buying new carabiners.
The Annual Outdoor Show took place recently at Friedrichshafen in Germany. All the major outdoor brands were there exhibiting their new products for next season. Kit is definitely getting lighter and shinier!
UKClimbing were there to report on the latest products and have published a comprehensive report on the show on their website. Click here to read about the award winners.
It is positive to see that helmet designers are really thinking about making helmets that people will want to wear when they go rock climbing or mountaineering.
We run a lot of navigation courses here at More than Mountains and our customers bring along a wide variety of compasses. I have never seen one that is more suited to purpose than my favourite; it is the one piece of kit I am happy to recommend outright, whoever you are. Whether you are just about to come on your first ever course or are hoping to do your Mountain Leader assessment this year we would strongly recommend you get a Silva Expedition 4 compass. They cost around £25 and, you never know, one day it could save your life.
The only compass you will ever need.
Silva compasses are very good quality and it is possible to get cheaper Silva compasses than the Expedition 4 but I would not recommend it. For your extra money you get a larger baseplate which makes measuring distances on your map a lot easier. There are scales on the base plate for measuring on both 1:50,000 maps and 1:25,000 maps. The fact that the scales go down two sides of the compass makes taking a grid reference much easier too.
Cheaper compasses often start the scale at the very edge of the compass – this means that if even the tiniest part of your compass is chipped off your measurements will no longer be accurate. I even saw a compass the other day that started the scale from the edge of the compass but had rounded the corner of the compass so that the scale started somewhere in mid air.
Another common problem with poorer quality compasses is that they must be held perfectly level when being used to follow a bearing or the needle will get stuck and point in the wrong direction. It is good practice to hold a compass level anyway but the Silva will give accurate readings even if it is tipped slightly.
The Silva Expedition 4 also has a magnifying glass which is useful for looking at the really fine detail on the map. The version in the photograph also has glow-in-the-dark markings supposedly to help with navigation in the dark. Personally if I am navigating in the dark I will have my head torch on in order to be able to read the map so I do not find the glow-in-the-dark markings useful but they do not cause any problems so there is no harm in having them just in case.
We do not have any affliation with Silva: we have just spent years using their compasses and watching others make their lives more difficult with cheaper compasses.
If you are not sure how to use a compass then come on one of our navigation courses – we also have compasses for you to try – Silva Expedition 4s of course!
If you are coming to Keswick for a course or personalised guided day with us you might want to take some time out to browse some of the latest equipment in one of the many outdoor gear shops here in the Lake District.
One of our favourites is Needlesports an independent specialist technical climbing equipment shop founded in 1990 by Stephen Reid. The friendly and knowledgeable staff are always happy to advise you on the next shiny piece of kit to complement your rack.
Another shop that is well worth taking the time to visit is George Fisher, particularly if you intend to drop by their well known cafe and try some of the excellent cakes on offer!
On the Market Square either side of the Moot Hall you will find Cotswold and Mountain Warehouse. Both have a good range of waterproofs, fleeces and camping equipment at reasonable prices. Cotswold’s ‘rock bottom‘ store in Grasmere is also worth popping into if you are passing as there are often a number of very good bargains to be found.
One of the more recent additions to Keswick’s outdoor shops is EDZ which specializes is selling technical base and windproof layers produced locally in Cumbria.
The Keswick Boot Company on Station Street is worth hunting out as it stocks hard to find boots from Aku and HanWag. Although these names are relatively unknown in the UK they are very popular on the continent.
Last and by no means least it is always worth taking the time to pop into the Oxfam shop as a few outdoor bargains can often be found in there. It is a good source of climbing guidebooks for all over the world and recently I have picked up a pair of rock climbing shoes for £4.99 and a Patagonia R2 fleece for under a tenner!
This is just a few of the outdoor gear shops in Keswick and I haven’t even started on Ambleside! All have very friendly, helpful staff who will make sure you have the right kit for an enjoyable day in the hills.
Temperatures have taken a dip at the moment and we have had some gloriously cold and frosty mornings in the Lake District over the weekend. One of the biggest dilemas that seems to crop up every year is the eternal search for the perfect glove. Though this may not justify why I now own at least two drawers full of them. Last week when the temperature dropped a bit I dug out one of my favourite pairs made of windstopper fleece. Windstopper is one of those technical fabrics out there that sounds awesome but gets mixed reviews. Personally I’ve only ever owned gloves made out of the stuff and I think that is where it is best used. Heading out for a walk with friends over the Wainwright’s of Knott and Great Calva my fingers were snuggly warm and yet the gloves were still dexterous enough to enable me to take photos and eat snacks without taking them off. So next time you’re on the look out for a pair of warm, thin gloves for hill-walking check out the many pairs available made from windstopper fleece.
More than mountains are busy planning winter courses for 2012. Look out for courses in winter skills, winter mountaineering and winter snow and ice climbing in Scotland and the Lake District coming soon. To help you get the most out of your winter mountaineering the following advice should help you look after your feet in the snow.
Choosing the right boots and crampons for winter mountaineering.
It is all too easy to be tempted into buying the latest shiny climbing gear on a rainy day but it is important to make sure you are getting the right tools for the job. To help winter mountaineers make the correct choice about their boot and crampon combinations mountain guide Brian Hall designed a system of different categories that makes it clear to see which boots will work with which crampons.
B1-boot-with-C1-crampon
A B1 boot is a four season walking boot that is very durable and has a semi-stiffened sole to cope with walking over rough ground. It is suitable for year round use in the mountains. Attached to the boot in the photo is a ten-point C1 crampon. It is a flexible crampon that can be fitted to most boots.
B2-boot-with-C2-crampon
A B2 boot is almost fully stiffened and has been designed to easily cope with walking, scrambling and climbing. They can be used year round but may feel a little warm in summer. A twelve point C2 crampon offers more security on steeper snow and ice slopes and often comes with a heel clip to make fitting them to the boot a little quicker.
B3-boot-with-C3-crampon
A B3 boot has a fully stiffened sole and has been designed for steep, technical climbing. They used to exclusively be double boots with a plastic outer but modern technology has allowed lighter models using different materials to come onto the market. A fourteen point C3 crampon with vertical front points is designed for climbing vertical or even overhanging ice!
It is possible to go for a walk in a B3/C3 combination but you may find it uncomfortable. In the same way, starting up a grade V ice fall in bendy B1 boots may feel slightly unnerving.
Make sure your crampons are fitted with anti-balling plates to prevent a build up of snow underneath your boots. A quick tap with your ice axe will knock off any snow that does start to stick.
It is worth carrying a small repair kit with your crampons on the hill. This may consist of a small multi tool with pliers and a screwdriver and a spare strap and nuts and bolts. I find a few cable ties can be incredibly useful for holding everything in place in an emergency.
Have your crampons ready to put on before you need them. It is much easy to fit them somewhere relatively flat rather than trying to balance on one leg in the middle of a steep slope. Adopt the ‘John Wayne’ position when walking with crampons on, remember you have just strapped 24 more ways to hurt yourself to the bottom of your feet!
When I first got into this outdoor stuff I quickly realized that a down jacket was a must-have piece of gear. That and some very chilly early starts in Scotland. I quickly came to own a down jacket but soon realized whilst great for standing around in it was not so good on the hill in our soggy climate. When I moved to the Lake District I soon acquired a synthetic filled jacket which is still going strong today having been to nearly 6000m in Ecuador, got soaked in Scotland and scraped up a couple of gritstone chimneys. Anyway, a few jackets down the line and I’m pretty happy with my current system of a hooded synthetic (primaloft) jacket which is awesome for Scottish winter belays and a down gillet which in the last couple of weeks I have been layering over the top to add extra insulation. Complementing this I also regularly use a synthetic gillet throughout the rest of the year to add core warmth when needed. The synthetic pieces have replaced bulky 200 weight fleeces (much lighter and more compressible when carried in a sack)and the down is still there for posing.