Hi all. I'm going to be spending some time in the Kosciuszko area over winter. A friend and I would like to find some slopes to practice our skills using crampons and ice axes. We can both competently self arrest - my friend has needed to arrest a real fall, but I haven't. We'd like some steeper and longer slopes to climb. Any ideas? Ideally something that doesn't need roped travel though this is something we would like to practice again once we are more confident.
Thanks a lot! Everything I've seen about Blue lake is about ice climbing. Are there some gentle chutes to climb unroped as well? If anyone has pictures I would be really grateful!
There are all over the place but very conditions dependent. There are small icey/snowy clifflettes on the East face of Tate for example. Nothing fancy or long but suitable for training. Likewise a couple of spots on The Paralyser.
Towers at Thredbo ;-) More seriously, there are some great slopes around blue lake that aren’t icy. Also out the back of Thredbo on way to north ramshead.
Club Lake would be good. The central chute (The Elevator Shaft) is now so popular with skiers and boarders and the top entrance is blind, so it’d unfortunately be best to avoid climbing up it but the terrain either side is steep with safe runouts. The Corrie and The Couloir at Leather Barrel Creek would be good too.
I did my training with Steve Bickerstaff on Tate... plenty good enough for crampon, ice picks, whippets, self arrest training. Pretty safe out there. Paralyser not a great spot. Don’t want all that picky stuff screwing up the runs ....
Thanks all for the tips. This is great, looks like there are plenty of places and hopefully more than enough room to avoid skiers. What is the etiquette in the situation we do come face to face with some skiers coming down? Stay still? Get out of the way? Wave our axes around madly?
Haha, just make sure they know you are there, though they should have a heightened sense of awareness anyway, its normal to scope a line before hitting it. Sound carries, most people should know whats going on. Maybe a woot woot as they blast past?
Probably more a question of access, some areas are quick and easy to get to, some its a journey to get there.
Right. I'm guessing places like club/blue lake are busier as they are closer. We are going to do some snow camping so we will try and get out further into the range. I've seen talk about Watsons Crags. Would this be a good area for climbing?
Are a serious hike to get to in Winter. I would consider Watsons Crags as sketchy for what you want to do. And they are good hike to get to, not a day trip.
Watson’s Crags are excellent but can sometimes be icy and sketchy with high risk consequences if you fall. You just need to scope your line of adventure and know the snow or ice conditions
Sentinel would be awesome, and make for some great photos, just make a nice neat boot pack thanks! Id just head in from Guthega, plenty of places to play. Are you skiing, split, or shoes?
Watson could be daunting . Set up a good anchor. Rappel the line and ascend using 2 Micro Traxion devices. A Jumar ascender will suffice. You need to set up the ascenders using loops/ tethers so that you dont have to keep sliding them up by hand. Learnig good rope and belaying skills is advisable before you get to an adverse/ difficult situation.
Ive boot packed up Stag once, Fk me it was one of the sketchier moments in my life, cresting out, but didn't want to go back down either by then. High five and woop rush at the top. Would have been a doddle with gear.
Either skiing or snowshoes. My skiing isn't good enough for serious backcountry descents so it will depend on conditions etc. This sounds fun, maybe something for the end of the season. Might want to have someone more experienced take me out for this.
Maybe start off with the Club Lake area for snow climbing. There is also some easy slopes at Etheridge.
I've boot packed out to the Sentinel with an ice axe and some snowstakes as additional help. Were roped and pretty much swapped over lead with each rope length. Would also fit snow stakes every few metres. Was more technique training than serious climbing and wasn't on ice.
Pleeeeease don't climb up the elevator - there are so many quieter, more sensible places to practice in the immediate vicinity.
There are chutes on Mt. Bogong for white season Mountaineering skill training. Ditto for Mt. Feathertop .Some other places such as the Eastern Chutes of The Cross Cut saw are a bit of a mission to get to . Avalanche risks need to be weighed up. If the slope is steeper than 25- 30 degrees then a slab avalanche can occur. Ice axe training can be done near the Big Dipper on The Razorback not far from The Great Alpine Road. I have taken people up above the tree line on the Eskdale spur in winter and done some self arrest drills with ice axes. Little Feathertop also offer some slopes to rehearse this skill .Plus you can camp near Federation hut.
