OVERVIEW

The course strictly focuses on climbing technical ice: technique, gear, movement on ice, efficiency, safety, and ice protection. Most students are pursuing lead-climbing on ice. This is usually an integral part of the course, but it is not mandatory.

The objectives of the course generally vary by student because each student identifies their own objectives and the instructors tailor the course to these objectives. Typical objectives include: improved technique, increased efficiency, placing good ice screws, leading on ice, and multi-pitch ice ascents and descents.

Skills acquired from the Technical Ice Climbing School help develop safe and competent ice climbers and leaders, and increase safety and technical competence on CMC semi-technical and technical mountaineering trips as well as on mountain expeditions.

PREREQUISITES:

(1) graduation from TLCS (or equivalent), and
(2) comfortably leading 5.7 trad.
(3) Students are expected to use or rent their own equipment.

If you don’t have these prerequisites, or if you’re not interested in leading on ice, you might consider the Basic Ice Climbing Seminar (BICS)

Please note: TICS does not cover crevasse rescue, winter survival training, construction of snow shelters, or evacuation procedures for injured climbers. Many of these skills are taught in High Altitude Mountaineering School or HAMS

TICS also does not cover avalanche awareness or avalanche safety. These topics are covered in the Avalanche School

Schedule:

February 7th, 2012: Lecture, 6:00pm-8:30pm @ the CMC: Topics (subject to change): Hazards of ice climbing (falling, sharp objects, ice fall, avalanche, frostbite, hypothermia, etc.), History and evolution of ice climbing and ice climbing equipment, review of modern ice climbing equipment, “Rules of Ice Climbing”, equipment, ice climbing grades.

February 9th, 2012: Lecture, 6:00pm-8:30pm @ the CMC: Topics (subject to change): Technique, efficiency on ice, ice climbing protection (intro), multi-pitch ice climbing, weekend field trip coordination.

Saturday February 11th, 2012: Field Day 1. All day. Exact times and location to be announced. Expect an early start (4-5am) and a long day. Focus is on technique & efficiency. Sunday February 12th, 2012: Field Day 2: All Day. Lincoln Falls, Mt. Lincoln (near Alma, CO). Exact times to be announced. Expect an early start (4-5 am) and a long day. Focus is on multi-pitch ice climbing, including descending multi-pitch routes.

February 15th, 2012: Lecture, 6:00pm-8:30pm @ the CMC: Topics (subject to change): review of Field Days 1 & 2, coordination for Field Days 3 & 4, ice protection discussion, alpine climbing, intro to mixed climbing, review of all topics, Q & A.
Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012: (If needed) Lecture, 6:00pm-8:30pm, American Mountaineering Center (10th & Washington, Golden, CO). Topics (subject to change): optional review of all topics, Q & A.

February 24-26, 2012: Ouray Ice Park in Ouray, CO for Field Days 3 and 4.

Application Process:

To apply for the Technical Ice Climbing School you must provide the following information to Todd Felix. Once your information is reviewed, you will be given the authorization code to sign up on line.

Please provide the following information in an e-mail to Todd at Todd Felix

(1) a brief climbing history or climbing resume, including how long you’ve been climbing, leading experience on sport and trad, and any ice experience. [Experience leading 5.7 trad is typically a prerequisite for TICS].

(2) Year you graduated from Trad Lead Climbing School (TLCS), or equivalent. [Graduation from TLCS, or equivalent, is a pre-requisite; if you did not graduate from TLCS, please include information about any equivalent training and/or a more complete climbing resume showing trad leading experience].
(3) Names and contact information (telephone and email) for 2 climbing references who can vouch for your experience and safety as a climber and leader–preferably references within the CMC Denver Tech Section, or otherwise known by the TICS Director. [For the safety of students and instructors, and because we will focus on ice climbing, we need to ensure that all students are safe and competent climbers, proficient with knots, communication, belaying, rappeling, etc--we will NOT be teaching or reviewing these skills].

Cost:

$180 for Denver Group members, $200 for non-Denver Group members

If you are already an experienced and competent ice climber, and would like to volunteer as an instructor, or assistant instructor, please contact Todd Felix, TICS Director, at: Todd Felix