Ice climbing is all about the balance between challenging boundaries and knowing where to draw the line. A living material, changing from season to season or even from day to day, you never know what you’re up against until you reach the location. A lot more complex than just chopping your way to the top, the trick is to learn how to take advantage of all the natural corners, cracks and small plateaus in the ice. Learn how to read the features and enjoy the variation.

Set up for change

Ice is a living material, in constant change. It behaves differently depending on temperatures: Really cold ice breaks a lot easier. Unlike an abiding rock face, an ice climbing route will change from season to season, and sometimes even from day to day. No matter how much you prepare, you never know what you’ll face until you reach it.