Ice Climbing Advice for a Small Female Needed
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Hello, |
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Huh I'm not great on ice at all but honestly I feel like I get my best placements and power from the flicking of my wrist and not from my muscles when I'm swinging my tools. Sort of a loose, snapping a drumstick sort of a motion. There may be some different tools out there with different handle profiles that will work better for you. (I feel like grivel makes some with smaller easier to grip handles, anyone else?) but honestly I think that just really focusing on the technique of your swing will generate a lot of positive progress for you. It's like you're barely holding the tool, just kind of letting it snap while very loosely holding it with your thumb and first couple fingers, the pinky and ring barely engaged at all. At least that's how I do it. I bet Will Gadd has something somewhere on his blog that could help you too, hope this all helps! |
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Troll |
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Hi, Ali. |
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Kirby1013 wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChNVI4eZ_k4&list=UUK_d-RVpGjtvIYsCuXLAguAAh, beat me to the video. Any way its technique you are lacking. Yesterday I was watching a father and daughter on some WI4, the young girl was 10 or so years old by my best guess, and maybe 5.0' tall and 80ish lbs. She was burying each swing at lest 2-3 inches every time. Every swing was belay ready that I could see. if she can you can too Watch Will Gadd's video and practice practice and more. |
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+1 for learning some technique tips-- it's more finesse than power, even for ice climbing. At 98 lbs., you'll actually have some great advantages. |
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If you have first gen. Cobras, those tools have large diameter grips that can be a strain to hold onto if you have small hands. Also, all BD tools seem to require a fairly long swing to work well. They are head-heavy and will penetrate the ice quite well once you've built up the head speed, but they are NOT a wrist flick style of tool. Grivel Quantum Techs, CAMP Awaxes, and Cassin X All Mountain, now those are wrist flick type tools IME. The good news? It's easier to develop a "big swing" (look at photos where the climber has the tool way out behind the shoulders) than a powerful wrist flick. I find most folks plant the axes better when they get angry too. Not to suggest you pick a fight with your signif. other before you hit the ice crag, only to try to decide what you do differently when you're PO'ed and get a good stick. Then try to do that all the time. |
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Pull ups. Lots of pull ups. |
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Try Petzl Quarks -- even lighter than Cobras, and for me they worked better, as well. |
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XMonsters, the original versions from about 2007 were pretty light tools. And they made those 'kids' versions that were basically just for hooking into ice holes. Try lots of other tools if you can borrow them when out climbing with others. |
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You'll find that tool preference is very personal. My wife has BD Vipers and swears by them; I don't think she will ever use any other tool (but she's not built like you). I, on the other hand, have never liked swinging any BD tool ever. What others have said is spot on: swing as many tools as you can. Go to the ice festivals and use the demo tools for free. |
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You might want to try a tool with a smaller diameter grip... Grivel Matrix, or Quantum, have smaller grips than most... Best training you can do for swinging axes is to pound nails in a board. If you can swing a hammer well, you can use an ice axe. Don't forget, you gotta use both hands, and keep your arms extended, not close in to your body... Good luck dude. |
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My eldest daughter started ice at probably 80lbs. Smaller shaft ice tools and non-bulky gloves help. Petzl Quarks are decent for smaller, lighter ice climbers. Though, even big folks will be challenged to stick tools well early on. There is a good, old video of Jeff Lowe teaching Bird Lew to climb ice after being an accomplished 5.12 rock climber that may be instructional. Learning how to relax and snap the wrists at the end of swing rather than pushing the tools into ice is an early ice climbing milestone. Good luck! |
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Chicks w/ Picks will set you right, Aki. |
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Nomics they stick so much easier and better. |
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Thank you so much everyone for great advice. I really appreciated all your insights and advice on techniques. I'm definitely going to practice snapping skills using a hammer and work on my wrists/hands. Like some of you mentioned, I need more experiences on ice and just keep practicing until I feel confortable with my axe placement. Another thing, I think I need to bring a hot coco or tea in thermos to keep me warm. Keeping my hands warm is a key for me since my hands literally goes numb out in the cold which makes it hard for me to feel the grip. |
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We introduced a girl to ice climbing last weekend. Had matrix's, vipers, and cobras with us. She liked and climbed the best with the vipers. The cobra's grips are the slimmest of the three. The vipers worked the best for the gal because it didn't require as much speed or flick in the swing because of the weight. Highly recommend getting some slim ice specific gloves. These will stick better to your tools and help you drive your picks straight. Don't make the common mistake of buying dry tooling gloves... Some are slicker than snot when wet! Swing from the elbow not shoulder... This is a common beginner mistake. |
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Buff Johnson wrote:Chicks w/ Picks will set you right, Aki. It's more about feet and hips than it is about power.+1 on CWP outings. Go for it if possible. Also the tips on thinner gloves works well. I doubt if you are leading 150 ft. cold ice routes right now, so thin works well to toprope at first, then swap back to handwarmers and thick gloves between your climbs. Any thin handle tool will probably work well, and not one with too agressive a pic arc or design. Having a selection to use is nice, so find lots of climber friends with different sized tools and see what fits best. |
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Aki K wrote:Keeping my hands warm is a key for me since my hands literally goes numb out in the cold which makes it hard for me to feel the grip.For sure, keeping your hands warm is key!!! I always bring three pairs of gloves. One for hiking, belaying. One pair for lead climbing. One spare, super warm pair. When you're climbing, whenever you can, rest with one or both hands lower than your heart; better circulation helps stave off freezing fingers. No matter what you do, the screeming barfies lurk!!! Ya just gotta wait it out; endure the pain till the barfies go away. |
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Stephanie Mareau is a fairly diminutive woman and probably one of the best ice/mixed climbers stylistically I have ever seen. She uses a set of older prototype Cassin tools with which she absolutely crushes everything from the Directe Super Couloir to Inglorious Bastards. Granted she's a guide, but she utterly applies herself so I am guessing your stature has little to do with your plight. Proficiency on ice takes a while, there is no magic solution to gaining this proficiency other than being prepared to suffer and being patient as the consequences of even a minor fall in the winter mountains can be dire. Always be prepared to take another lap you will stay warmer that way as opposed to just freezing your arse off. Lastly I would suggest climbing around people who are brilliant at ice and mixed as opposed to top-roping with a bunch of duffers. I have never been a big fan of TRing on ice or mixed, it seems to breed a dependency on being able to walk around and drop a rope which if you want to actually climb anything like an alpine face is a useless endeavor... |