Ice climbing is a climbing discipline that involves ascending routes consisting of frozen water. To ascend the route, the ice climber uses specialist equipment, particularly double ice axes and rigid crampons. To protect the route, the ice climber uses steel ice screws that require skill to employ safely and rely on the ice holding firm in any fall. Ice climbing routes can vary significantly by type, and include seasonally frozen waterfalls, high permanently frozen alpine couloirs, and large hanging icicles.
Ice climber on Il Candelabro del Coyote (180-metres, WI 4+), in the Val di Cogne, Italy
Central Pillar (WI5+), Weeping Wall, Canada
Chéré Couloir (WI4 M3), France
Silent Memories (WI6, M9), Italy
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands, feet, or other parts of the body to ascend a steep topographical object that can range from the world's tallest mountains to small boulders. Climbing is done for locomotion, sporting recreation, for competition, and is also done in trades that rely on ascension, such as rescue and military operations. Climbing is done indoors and outdoors, on natural surfaces, and on artificial surfaces
Free solo climbing in the Verdon Gorge
Bouldering on Midnight Lightning in Yosemite
Traditional climbing on a crack in Indian Creek
Sport climbing on a bolted route in Spain