Climbing ice has ‘edge’ in all sorts of ways, and what you bring to it will directly effect how much you enjoy the experience.

From Japan to China to the Charakusa valley, the socks you wear, what you eat, your state of mind, paying attention to the things you need is the best way to maximize your fun when ice climbing.

when youre all booked and set to go, click here for a checklist before heading out the door.

‘it doesnt have to be fun to be fun’ – Mark Twight 

ATTITUDE

ice climbing can be as intense as it is serene, and as you’ve paid good money for the experience my job is to see you get a good dose of it and have fun, and the best thing you can bring is an adventurous yet relaxed attitude. to make it happen there may be times when we have to push on into nightfall, rise early, eat standing up and navigate the unforseen – and that’s before we even get to the climbing.

Half of ice climbing is projecting a fun and positive attitude, so a sense of adventure and humour is the number 1 asset you can have.

CLOTHES

if you dont own specialist ice climbing gear dont worry, skiing or snowboarding gear will do so long as its not too baggy. the essential list is:

• a warm layer tight against the skin top and bottom (absolutely no cotton)

• a warm mid-layer as breathable as possible (fleece or softshell)

• a windproof layer (doesnt have to be goretex, a thin windshell will do)

• an insulated layer (down or synthetic)

• warm headwear

• SEVERAL pairs of socks

• LOTS OF GLOVES (2 pairs is NOT enough. minimum of 3. mitts are good. ski gloves are good. fleece gloves are not)

• gaiters if you want to protect your legs

• headtorch (good chance of heading out or coming back after sunset)

 leave ALL cotton clothing at home.

STUFF

• day pack (35L is ideal, bigger if youre planning on overnight. no cheapo school bags)

• thermos or insulated cup

• camera

• sunglasses/ballistic glasses (forget goggles unless youre doing alpine trips)

 

FOOD

the aim here is to stuff yourself with warmth-producing calories. sorry to anyone on a diet, but the key here is energy – a normal day ice climbing will burn thru 3500 to 4500 calorie – so eat well and snack often. dont rely on sugary junk to fulfil your energy needs – you will need fat and carbohydrates to keep you warm and probably crave salty snacks as well as sweet. we will have a stove at all times to boil water/melt snow.  snack ideas are:

• salami

• energy bars

• muesli bars

• packet soups

• cheese

• pretzls

• instant ramen

• chocolate

stash it in a small bag you can keep in a pocket and grab easily.

OVERNIGHT

GEAR

things are very different once the sun goes down. whether its a bivvy or in a lodge, winter nights need special gear. on top of the general day gear listed above, you also need:

• down or synthetic booties

• down or synthetic pants

• insulating mat (note: a thermarest is NOT enough directly onto snow, requiring a closed cell mat under it)*

• sleeping bag*

• headtorch and LOTS of batteries (they die faster in the cold)

• pee bottle

• tent*

• bivvy bag*

(* can be supplied by iceclimbingjapan)

MULTI-DAY FOOD

how and what to eat for a night out in winter deserves consideration. we will use a liquid fuel stove that, whilst effective, doesnt allow for gourmet scenarios more complicated than boiling water and melting snow.

the calories used when staying out in winter is significantly more than for just a day trip. you need to keep that sleeping bag warm as well. to this end, throw in some extra calories to see you through the night. a jar of peanut butter to snack on, cream cheese, a block of butter, some pesto – all go a long way to keeping you warm during the night when you dont have exercise to keep your temperature up.

easily available in Japanese supermarkets and conducive to winter camping and ice climbing, good food choices are:

• muesli

• powdered coffee & milk

• powdered mashed potato and herbs, seasoning, butter to add

• couscous and herbs, flavours, fruit to add

• packet soups

• peanut butter

• instant deserts

• hot chocolate

• bread & biscuits

• freeze dried expedition food

food for multi-day trips can be arranged at cost + 15% sourcing fee

winter camping gear. clockwise from left: bivvy bag, sleeping bag, 4 season tent, insulating mat, headtorch, pee bottle, closed cell mat, insulated booties, insulated pants.

Mt FUJI

conditions climbing Mt Fuji in winter can be seriously cold. this is NOT the place to head for with ‘maybe gear’. on top of the standard clothing described above, the special gear required is similar to Himalayan climbing:

• insulated boots or a super gaiter

• expedition jacket, preferably down, with hood.

• insulated pants, preferably down

• hardshell jacket (neoshell, goretex etc)

• expedition mitts (insulated with a windproof shell)

• balaclava

• googles

winter Mt Fuji gear. clockwise from left: hardshell jacket, expedition mitts, insulated boots, expedition weight insulated jacket, expedition weight insulated pants, balaclava and goggles (centre)

 FOOD & WATER AT EXTREME TEMPERATURES

water needs to be kept under clothing layers to remain drinkable when you need. slim profile or soft water bottles sit better in inner pockets, and even better is a small hydration pack worn under your clothes. adding a piece of reflective closed cell foam further enhances the insulation, keeping hot liquids warmer longer.

consider too that those chocolate bars, gels and candies may freeze as well. more than one winter climber has damaged their teeth trying to bite into frozen mars bars. stash them in inside pockets to keep them edible.

hydration for winter on Mt Fuji requires special preparation: a small hydration pack, watter bladder & piece of insulation foam. worn under your jacket it will prevent your vital water and snacks from freezing.

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