Ice Climbing’s Dangerous Secret
As with all mountain related winter activities, the threat of avalanches is something to be taken seriously. For backcountry skiers it is obvious and goes without saying that one plans and prepares accordingly as well as carries avalanche rescue equipment. Interestingly, ice climbers often do not in spite of traveling in what amounts to the same types of terrain. While it is often true that skiers are more likely to trigger an avalanche due to skiing right on the snow pack where it is weakest and ice climbers are simply exposed to the threat and not typically traveling in the trigger zones, avalanches strike indiscriminately regardless of what sort of equipment one has on the feet.
It is worth pointing out that in the Rocky Mountains and Colorado in particular, the conditions that seem to favor the copious frozen waterfall ice for which the area is famous are more or less the same conditions that also foster the development of Persistent Weak Layers (PWL) in the snow. This is why Colorado is one of the most avalanche prone mountain regions in the world. It is a very rare season when a PWL does not develop and the 2024/25 season is no exception; it’s already there! These layers are typically formed early on from the first significant snow storms and last all season. Obviously, they can be somewhat dormant and then “wake up” later on with additional loading. This is overly simplistic, however the takeaway here is that you really can’t avoid the potential for avalanche hazard in Colorado if the terrain is exposed to this. Soon, ice climbers in Colorado will benefit from a standardized Avalanche Terrain Exposure (ATE) rating system for most climbs. This system already exists in the Canadian Rockies and has helped climbers identify how exposed certain climbs are and based on the given snowpack stability at that time, make an educated decision about their potential risk exposure to this hazard and how to accordingly manage that. As this system becomes applied to the bulk of Colorado climbs it will be a great tool for the public to have for better decision making. Suffice it to say that most, though not all, of the classic routes in the Ouray area are exposed to avalanche hazard given the right (or wrong?) snow conditions.
Spindrift pours down the third pitch of the ice route, The Ribbon, above Ouray, CO.
As ice climbers, it is somewhat uncommon to carry and climb with avalanche protective equipment: beacons, shovels and probes. If you’re exposed to an avalanche and get caught it is prudent to have this basic equipment. The reality is that most climbers justify not having this due to a few things: the extra weight can be a burden and hinder efficient climbing progress and, since you're roped together, if anyone were to survive an avalanche you could arguably find the other(s) by following the rope. The latter is easier said than done and sometimes ropes can get severed. The former is legit, but modern ski-mo racing equipment has yielded some much more lightweight options for those that want to try to carry something with them while climbing.
Some, though not all, climbs have threatening slopes on the approach, though the climbs themselves may be less exposed, as is the case for the classic Bird Brain Boulevard near Ouray, Colorado. For climbs like these (especially BBB) it makes sense to carry avalanche equipment to the base of the route and leave it to retrieve upon return from descent. Other climbs however, may have actual exposure on the climb from above or often on mid-climb snow pockets themselves. For climbs like this, which typically are more moderate it is wise to consider carrying "avy gear” the entirety of your climb and descent. Of course sometimes the risk of an avalanche is very unlikely in spite of the exposure and then it is just a matter of personal choice.
A spindrift avalanche on the Hayden Slidepath where the popular mixed routes The Racing Stripes ascend. While spindrift may be mitigated on skis it can pose significant risk to ice climbers as even small avalanches can knock a climber off their stance, causing a dangerous lead fall.
Another thing to consider is that it may not be you who is the problem. Ice climbing is much more popular than ever before and we often encounter other parties on classic ice climbs. It is not unusual to climb below another party on routes like the classic Stairway to Heaven near Silverton, Colorado where the threat of falling ice is easy to avoid. STH is also a good example of a moderate route with numerous mid-route snow slopes as well as significant starting zones high above. It would not be a surprise for a party to accidentally trigger a small slope on this climb that could cascade down the lower pitches and threaten any other parties below. Have you ever looked on a map to see what the terrain above the ice climb you're doing is really like? Skiers are used to researching the terrain and ice climbing should be no different. Don’t just rely on the fact that others are going there to assure you that the climb is safe from this hazard.
Though we don’t see quite the numbers of climbing related avalanche accidents as we do with skiing, that has a lot to do with the total numbers of participants in each. Ice climbing avalanche accidents numbers will rise as we continue to see growth in the sport. It is important for that growth to also acknowledge this and take a proactive approach towards risk management by being better educated on avalanche safety, terrain and travel procedures.
At Skyward Mountaineering, we take a relatively conservative approach to our decision making regarding the level of exposure to avalanche hazard we are willing to accept. Many times others are comfortable with the exposure while we are not. That’s not to say that others are necessarily making bad decisions, just that we prefer a relatively larger buffer zone with our margins of error. We are passionate about helping people achieve their climbing goals and connect with the magic of Colorado’s mountains in winter but are also just as passionate about doing our absolute best to return unscathed.