I suppose the whole concept of the sport, clambering about on steep snow and ice, often walking to and from the climb in the dark, sounds unpleasant. By Mick Fowler, former Vice President of the Alpine Club, a serving member on the Everest Foundation Management Committee and pioneer of numerous first rock and ice routes in Britain, Peru, Pakistan, India and Nepal. Historically of course it didn't. This released ice climbers from the 'hug the ice, cut handholds and footholds, get very cold and get stuck on the mountain for the night' era and opened the door to a new breed of ice climber. Quick progress can now be made up sheer ice walls simply by twanging in the picks of axes and kicking in the front points of crampons and this has made the sport more fashionable and universal.
Ice climbers tackle numerous different types of ice climbing problems.
These may vary from short frozen waterfalls of brittle frozen ice to long steep and horribly exposed ice couloirs. Either way, the technique of ascent is similar with ice screws being used as the predominant form of protection against falling too far in the event of a slip. Being experienced as an ice climber opens the door to winter trips abroad where pure ice climbs abound in most mountain ranges. A grounding in ice climbing is essential to enjoy the full flavour of mountaineering even in summer. To the adventurer the experience may well prove addictive.