Can you climb waterfalls? Sure, that's called ice climbing! For this year, I wanted to make some progress, so I signed up for a course on the cold pleasure. He definitely helped me in the four days.
It started on Wednesday afternoon from the base camp Konstanz to Praxmar im Sellrain valley near Innsbruck. Meeting point was the Alpengasthof in Praxmar, where we all arrived almost simultaneously. Three participants from Constance and two from Wuppertal. After checking in the hotel there was in the cozy warm lounge a comprehensive four-course dinner and a cozy get-to-know.
Course, exercises, ice screws
On Thursdays it went to the material issue with adjusting the crampons. After a short drive and about 15 minutes on board we were already at the inn case. First of all, it was about getting acquainted with crampons. So it was to complete various coordination course, to practice the use of ice tools and off we went to implement on Toprope routes.
Pro-Tip: Although toes in mountain boots have plenty of room: even when ice climbing freshly cut toenails are an advantage!
On the second day we started with a slightly longer ascent to the "Easy Afternoon". Today we had ours next to ours Mountain guide Juho Laszlo as a trainer, which enabled us in the afternoon to form two rope teams and so to climb two pitches. Climbing up with a stand, etc., simply gives you a much more intense climbing experience than just Toprope. However, it was a matter of revenge that we had spent too much time in the morning. So we had to make the descent more or less in the dark - which did not stop us from the "back at the car" beer.
Day 3, Saturday, -2 °, snowfall, real climbing: lead
As two party teams today we climbed through the baffle case (3SL), while Juho climbed and gave tips. Respect to the Wuppertal guys, I would not have dared the upper pitches in the Vorsteig. Afterwards I practiced a bit of advancement in the lower part of the baffle case. As well as climbing in the rock, I always find myself a few steps more concentrated at the front and feel a bit cleaner. In any case, climbing is not a problem when ice climbing, with a little training is certainly still a lot!
To conclude, there were still a few routes on Sunday in the inn case. As expected, the course with Juho of out and up just fun. In any case, I really feel ready to go out for a change myself. So now it's urgent ice screws and ice tools save. Then it will soon be off again in the next icefall.
