Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25233
Explore new terrain and experience different cultures from an icy perspective. The following areas are just a drop in the proverbial ice-climbing bucket, but should get you thinking. Allow plenty of time if you are planning long or difficult routes as bad weather or conditions can double or triple the time needed to complete a route. CHAMONIX. FRANCE Chamonix combines a staggering number of routes with unbelievable access. For decades this section of the French Alps has been a proving ground for climbers from all over the world. Pack an extra dose of humility in your backpack, this is the real thing! Eight miles down the road is Argentiere, with similar staggering conditions. Contact the Association Internationale des Guides du Mont Blanc at www.guides-du-montblanc.com for guides and conditions. BEN NEVIS. SCOTLAND Ben Nevis is the highest peak in Great Britain. Training grounds for early British expeditions, the combination of steep vertical relief and always changing weather makes this area sought after but success elusive. The best climbing is usually in February and March but Atlantic weather systems including heavy precipitation and fickle wind direction can lay waste even the best made plans. Contact the Scottish Mountaineering Club at www.smc.org.uk for guides, huts and conditions. HEMSEDAL, NORWAY Praised by locals as the best ice climbing in Scandinavia, ice forms reliably and climbing can be found in all lengths and difficulty. When not climbing, the skiing, lodging and nightlife of Norway's best ski resort is in the area. Contact Skandinavisk Hoyfjellsutstyr (47-32-06-01-77) for conditions. ROMSDAL, NORWAY Best known for its rock climbing on the Troll Wall , Romsdal also has a great selection of ice routes, including the 2,300 foot tall Dontefossen, Give yourself plenty of time and call ahead for conditions as they are less consistent than Hemsedal, Contact AAK Fjellsportscenter (47-71-22-64-44) for more information, EIGER, SWITZERLAND The best-known mountain in the history of extreme alpinism, this is not the ideal location for the beginner ice climber. The only routes on the North Face are difficult and one of them, a mixed route, kills climbers every year. Experienced climbers all know the reputation of this wall and beginners should pack a few years under their belts before attempting the Eiger. ICELAND Iceland is a dynamic conglomerate of inconsistency-water and icefalls sit next to each other and moss grows at the top of hanging pillars, Most of the known routes are around Reykjavik, but there are routes to be found everywhere. The season runs from October to April. For more information, contact the Icelandic Alpine Club at 011-672-273, www.isalp.is).