Since the day after Christmas I have been working as a Austrian certified ski instructor at a small local ski area and at two different beginner hills. "Östtereiches Schilehrer" sounds pretty impressive, but in reality you don't ski endless powder runs or philosophize about the fine points of edging or weighting the skis.
First off, the work is demanding. Try to bring a four or five year old with zero experience to link turns with a snow plough in five days. Do it in a group of 8 to 10 kids and add some cold, wind and bad weather - that is more the reality of what a typical ski instructor does. There are also things that you don't even think about at first: getting into the bindings, riding a T-bar or chair lift, side-stepping, getting up once you fall over, etc., etc.
Last week I was rewarded with a good group of 10 and 11 year old kids who I could start getting to ski parallel and edge with their hips and knees. In addition there was fresh snow every day (20cm-30cm) and very few people on the slopes. I have to say that last week was more what I had always imagined work as a ski instructor would be like.
Ice conditions in the Salzburg area have been very good over the last three weeks. A number of hidden ice flows that have not formed in the last four to five years have come into shape.
I have been in the Malta valley, Gastein valley, around Berchtesgaden, Gaissau (Hintersee & Wiestal) and Strubklamm climbing. The conditions have been good to excellent. The photos are from the "Kraftwerksfälle", 80m/WI4-5+ taken on Saturday the 7th of February.
The ice has been better at the lower elevations as we have gone through a few periods of Föhn conditions and inversion weather. In the small valley areas such as Königsee/Berchtesgaden, small micro-climates are in effect that really hold the cold and do not heat up throughout the day.
After climbing ice in the area over the last few years, I believe that I am starting to get a good feel to how things develop and change during the season in my immediate area. I starting to understand where and when to climb certain things as well as when to back off.
This season I have pretty much gone over to using a two ice screw belay in a line configuration as opposed to using self equalizing system. From what I have read and heard in Austria as well as through international sources, the self equalizing system is not as beneficial in spreading the force of a fall as once thought. As in all belay systems, what is most important is the quality of the ice. I try to set up a belay with two screws in two independent ice structures that are about 40cm to 50cm apart. The main belay point is always the lower screw. I set the first screw, clip in a large central locking carabiner with my smaller self belay screw gate carabiner then I clove hitch one of the half ropes to the self belay screw gate. Next I set a second screw and girth hitch a 60cm sling through the central carabiner and attach it to the second screw with a locking screw gate carabiner. If necessary, I will also set my tools and tie them in with a clove hitch using second half rope.
This system mimics what is used very often on bolted alpine rock routes. It is simple, fast, clean and in good ice it is very secure.
The time between now and my last post has been packed. Mostly skiing related. I got certified as an Austrian ski instructor after I finished a two week course, I started working as a ski instructor at a nearby Salzburg ski area, guided an Alpinverein ski touring group for five days in south western Carinthia and was also able to get in a few days of ice climbing.
Looking at my calender, there have been only three days in the past month or so that I didn't have skis on my feet or ice tools in my hands.
I'll be writing about some of the activities and experiences shortly.
Since mid-November I have been ice climbing (searching) and skiing a number of times. The ice was coming in nicely until four days ago when strong Föhn winds hit and messed things up.
One week ago in the Gastein valley I looked around at a few falls. Ice was there, but it was really thin. Additionally, the forecast Föhn weather was already in effect in the valley, so there was water running between the ice and rock and the ice was not always well adhered. It made for some nerve racking climbing; very smooth delicate movements.
Snow conditions (amounts) are much better in comparison to the ice conditions. In the Tauern regions there is about a meter to 120cm of snow. It has gone through a cycle of changeable temps and humidity levels, with some sunny spells, so the snow pack is stable and settled. There seems to be enough snow for touring above 1400 - 1500m with passable amounts lower down between 800 - 1200m depending on aspect.
This coming weekend colder temps and snow is forecast into the next week. We look to be in for a period of unsettled winter weather for the next 6-7 days.
The climbers from the AIS-Salzburg are climbing during their winter trimester in the
Kletterhalle Salzburg. The group of eight students, accompanied by AIS-Salzburg staff member Valerie Cicero, started up last Wednesday. The group is mostly made up of beginning climbers, with two students who have taken climbing courses from me before at the USI Salzburg/Rif on the outdoor climbing tower.
On Wednesday mornings the group has the climbing gym all to themselves between 08:00 - 10:00am.
Our first day started with the basics of climbing and safety. After getting the shoes sorted out, we did some easy bouldering that focused of precise footwork.
Then we put on our harness and then learned how to tie in to the rope with a figure-8 knot.
Our goal for the morning was to climb on top rope. The students learned how to thread the belay device, attach it to their harness and do a pre-climb safety check of the climber and belayer.
We learned, and then did a dry run through, of the proper way to belay: pull the rope out through the belay device, bring the right hand down to create a 90 degree bend in the rope, left hand grips the rope just above the right hand, and then bring the right over the left hand and re-grip the rope.
The students then were ready to climb on the top ropes in the course area of the gym. The routes are designed for practicing on and are about 6 meters in length. Everyone got to do a lap or two on the short wall before we ran out of time.
Of course, the two hours went by far too quickly for the students liking. However there is always next week ...
In our second meeting, we will climb more on top rope in 3-person teams. We are going to try the longer routes in the main section of the gym.
As the students get more accustomed to belaying each other correctly and safely, we will be able to do a lot of climbing in our brief two hours on Wednesday mornings.
Meine Kurse fürs Ausbildungsprogramm der OeAV-Salzburg im Winter sind fest.
Kurse / Termine sind:
Eisklettern Beginner
Fr. - So., 16. Jänner 2009 bis 18. Jänner 2009
Kurs Begin Fr. Um 18:00 AV-Haus Nonntal, Sa. und So. Tagestouren Raum Salzburg / Berchtesgaden
Stop or Go / Notfall Lawine
Do. - So., 22. Jänner 2009 bis 25 Jänner 2009
Kurs Begin Do. und Fr. um 18:00 AV-Haus Nonntal, Sa. und So. Tagestouren Raum Salzburg / Berchtesgaden (Event. Hütten Übernachtung Sa. bis So.)
Eisklettern Fortgeschrittener
Fr. - So., 06 Februar 2009 bis 08 Februar 2009
Kurs Begin Fr. Um 17:00 Gasthaus Hubertus Maltatal (Mitfahrgelegenheit ab Salzburg, Treffpunkt um 15:00), Übernachtung Fr. Bis So.
Skihochtouren
Do. - So., 19. März 2009 bis 22 März 2009
Kurs Begin Do. um 11:00 Franz Senn Hütte, Stubaier Alpen, Tirol (Obligatorisch Treffpunkt in Salzburg um 07:00, Mitfahrgelegenheit) Übernachtung Do. bis So.
Ich würde auch ein paar Termine für Übungstouren zwischen Jänner 2009 und ende März 2009 aussuchen. Ich habe Übungstouren fürs Eisklettern, Skitechnik im Gelände, und Skibergsteigen vor.
Weitere Infos sind auf der AV-Salzburg alpine.ausbildung webpage:
http://www.alpineausbildung.at/
From mid-October until this past week, I have been able to do a number of cool rock routes with friends. This time of year is one of my favorite times to rock climb in the Salzburg area. (Honestly, my favorite time to rock climb around here is when it's not raining!) The weather is generally pretty stable and temps are cool. In addition, I have been very busy with climbing courses both in and outside of the climbing gym too.
A short overview of routes includes, amongst others, climbs on the Austrian and Bavarian side of the Untersberg and in the nearby Tennengebirge. My friend Erwin and I climbed on the "Kleine Südwand" on the Untersberg and then a few days later roped up again on "Fun in the Sun"/"Panorama" (VI/550m) on the Große Fieberhorn in the Tennengebirge. Here's the obligatory ass shot as I smear up one of the cruxes on "Panorama". The photos are from the multi-tasking Erwin.
10th rope length, "Fun in the Sun", VI
Toni and Berni climbed as a second rope team with us too. It was a great way to welcome them back after an extended trip to South America, Canada the USA and a bit in the western Alps in between. We got to the top of the Große Fieberhorn at about 3:00pm. It gave us enough time to scramble down to the fixed ropes and ladder of the Via Ferrata in daylight and finish the hike out by headlamp.
Me, Berni and Toni on top of the Große Fieberhorn.
A couple days later, my friend Gernot and I did the route "Samsara" (VII-/450m) on the Gamsalmkopf on the Bavarian side of the Untersberg. This was a great climb: a very nice two hour approach, a long route that was fairly consistent, and again a descent by headlamp.
As I write this, I think the outdoor rock climbing season is over as winter takes hold. This week has been damp and frosty with snow in the mountains. Cold temps and snow storms are forecast for the coming week. With a bit of luck, the ice climbing season will start up in a couple of weeks and will have enough snow to be confronted with choice of, "skis or ice tools?"
Since the day after Christmas I have been working as a Austrian certified ski instructor at a small local ski area and at two different beginner hills. "Östtereiches Schilehrer" sounds pretty impressive, but in reality you don't ski endless powder runs or philosophize about the fine points of edging or weighting the skis.
