Ice Climbing - Basic Ice Grade II
02 Days Ladakh, India
COMPREHENSIVE COURSE
This course is highly instructional & covers all basic ice climbing techniques & safety skills
LOCATION
Ladakh is an ice climbing paradise with fantastic ice falls for climbers of all levels
ACCOMMODATION
This course does not includes stays (You'll have to book your own accommodation)
BASIC ICE CLIMBING INTERMEDIATE COURSE
Now that you are hooked on ice climbing, you would like to go out on your own. Developing intermediate level climbing skills will accelerate your transition to advanced ice climbing. Continue your learning progression by joining our Top Rope Management ice climbing course in Leh, Ladakh where you will learn the skills required to set up top rope ice climbs. Using the climbing crag we will cover anchor positioning, construction, and cleaning, placing ice screws as directionals, belayer positioning, and anchoring, and rappelling, and general hazard management for single-pitch ice climbing areas. Of course, we will continue to build on and improve your skills developed during our basic ice climbing grade I course with personalized coaching. This is an essential outdoor top rope ice climbing course in Leh, Ladakh.
Optional PLUS DAY:
INR 8500. Every day following ‘Basic Ice’. Available to Basic Ice participants only.
Please note you will be required to sign the རི Ri Guides Release of Liability, and Waiver of Claims prior to commencing the program. Please review the sample waiver prior to booking and call us with any questions.
Is it for you?
The Top Rope Management course is suitable for ice climbers, rock climbers or mountaineers who are comfortable with top rope belaying and have used crampons before. Ice climbing can be a strenuous activity, but our instruction will emphasize the development of the technique to reduce the need for brute strength. The ice climbing routes will be tailored towards your ability and strength as much as possible and the venues will be chosen to provide the best learning opportunities. A high level of fitness will contribute to enjoyment and achievement as will being up to date with your gear, basic knots, and top rope belaying.
BASIC ICE GRADE II
| Date(s): | 2025: Jan 2-3, 6-7, 12-13, 19-20 |
| Cost: | INR 16,450 |
| Deposit: | INR 8000 |
Day 1: Brief and activity at Local Climbing Crag:
- Welcome, introduction, goals, and agenda
- Check gear and adjust crampons
- Discussion of emergency preparedness
- Hazard awareness at the climbing area
- Review of belay techniques, climbing communication, and climbing techniques
- Top rope anchor construction using bolts, ice screws and V-threads
- Rappelling with a bottom belay
- Rope coiling and care
- Climbing with coaching
- End day
Day 2: Activity at Local Climbing Crag:
- Basic trip planning (review weather, avalanche conditions, road conditions, and topos)
- Student-led hazard evaluation of the site
- Route selection
- Student-led route set up
- Using screws and anchors as directionals
- Route cleaning (getting your gear back)
- Continue to develop steeper climbing technique
- End day by 4:00 pm
Basic Ice Grade II ‘Plus Days’:
Stay for an extra day after the Basic Ice Grade II course and put your new skills into practice on a classic multi-pitch ice climb. The instructor-to-student ratio is 1:2, we divide into compatible teams, choose a suitable multi-pitch route (several rope lengths in height) and spend the day climbing it.
INR 8500. Every 3rd day following the Basic Ice Grade II course. Available to Basic Ice Grade II participants only.
Meeting Time and Place:
The course begins at the Ice crag in Leh at 9:00 am on the first day.
Instructors and Group Size:
The “ རི Ri Guides Ice Team” includes some of the best ice climbers and course instructors! Enthusiastic and extremely talented mountain guides. Your safety and enjoyment are paramount to them. There will be a maximum of 12 students and a minimum of 4. Instructor/student ratios range down from 1:6. In addition to being expert ice climbers, they are well trained to རི Ri Guides’s high customer service standards and are highly experienced course instructors.
Transportation:
To keep prices down participants are responsible for their own transportation during the program. Local Ice crag is a 20 mins (km) drive approx. from Leh town.
Crag Passes:
Please note that the local ice crag is developed every year by the Ladakh Mountain Guide Association (LMGA), guests will be required to purchase day pass for training at the local ice crag.
Accommodation and Meals:
Accommodation in Leh is not included. A variety of accommodation options exist in Leh, including hostels, all levels of hotels as well as condo-style accommodation with kitchens or suites. We recommend that you book your own pre-post and during accommodations well in advance.
Food is not supplied. You will need lunch and something to drink each day. Each day bring plenty to drink and lunch plus energy snacks. We particularly suggest bringing a Thermos and hot drink.
Equipment’s:
རི Ri Guides can provides the following personal technical gear on rent. Please feel free to bring your own items if desired.
- Boots (must be crampon compatible)
- Crampons
- Climbing harness
- Climbing helmet
- Ice tools
- Belay device, carabiners, slings
These items are available for rent. Please advise us in advance.
We recommend you bring:
- Daypack (30-45 liters)
- Lunch, snacks
- Thermos flask and/or water bottle (1-2 liters combined volume)
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Camera
- Hand Sanitizer
Clothing:
There can be prolonged periods of inactivity in very cold temperatures throughout the course. Don’t be afraid to bring too much! We recommend bringing clothing that can be layered to achieve comfort as you change from periods of activity to periods of rest. Cotton clothing is not appropriate as it causes rapid heat loss when wet.
We recommend you bring:
- Long underwear top and bottoms (heavyweight synthetic or wool)
- Socks (synthetic/wool blend)
- Softshell pants and jacket
- Midweight synthetic or down jacket
- Waterproof hardshell jacket with hood
- Waterproof hardshell pants (should have a full-length side zip so they can be put on without taking off boots and crampons)
- Heavyweight parka (big enough to fit over all your other layers)
- Gaiters (big enough to fit over large boots)
- Waterproof mountaineering or ice climbing gloves (at least two pairs)
- Warm hat that fits under a helmet
- Face Mask
Additional gear info:
Boots:
A good pair of boots is essential. They need to be warm and crampon compatible. You are welcome to try the Scarpa white plastic mountaineering boots that Ri Guides provides.
Crampons:
A good waterfall ice crampon will have vertically oriented front points and some have the option to switch to a single point for mixed climbing. We use the Petzl Lynx for our ice and mixed climbing programs.
Climbing harness:
A winter climbing harness should be sized to fit over your winter clothing. It is recommended to have a harness with a dedicated spot for an Ice Clipper or Caritool.
Ice tools:
It is important to have a tool with a curved hand grip at the bottom. For thin ice and mixed climbing, it is much safer to have a hammer or nothing at all attached to the head of the tool, instead of an adze. For all-around ice and mixed climbing, Ri Guides uses the Petzl Quark. For steep ice and advanced mixed climbing, Ri Guides uses the Petzl Nomic.
Belay device:
Many options exist for belay devices. Ensure that your device has two slots for ropes, to facilitate rappelling. We provide the Petzl Verso or Petzl Reverso on our multi-pitch instructional programs.
Booking Info:
Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment. Our beginner ice climbing courses tend to fill up quickly. We require full payment on booking.
We ask that you make yourself familiar with our detailed booking instructions and conditions.
Risk is an inherent part of all mountain activities. We strive to manage and reduce it; however, it is impossible to totally eliminate. Learn more about our safety and risk management approach. Please note that you will be required to sign our waiver before commencing the program. Please view our sample waiver copy.
Insurance:
There are two basic types of insurance that most travelers need to consider: Medical and Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance. We don’t sell or provide insurance and highly recommend you purchase it.
Emergency Medical Expenses Insurance:
It is wise to ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident during your trip. Obtain extra coverage if necessary.
Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance:
We recognize that our guests’ schedules may change for many reasons, business, family, flight delays, injuries and other unplanned events. For these eventualities, the Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance is a great way to protect your investment.
For all your travel insurance requirements we recommend the Global Rescue. This agency offers a wide range of travel insurance options including Trip Cancellation/Interruption, Travel Medical and Personal Effect Loss. We highly recommend purchasing this insurance. For more information and to purchase a plan, visit the Global Rescue website.
Included
Guide Fees
2 days of guiding and instruction by a qualified mountain guide.
Group Equipment
Ropes, safety equipment, etc will be provided when needed by your guide.
Office Support
Our team is based in Leh and will be happy to help you with any questions you may have before, during or after your trip to Nubra.
Not Included
Personal Equipment
Please see the "Equipment" tab to find out what you will need on this trip / course. For private customized guiding, please contact us directly to confirm your personalized kit list.
Accommodation in Leh
Accommodation in Leh is not included in the price but we would be happy to advise or organize it on request.
Travel to Leh
The price does not include flights, airport transfers or any other travel to/from Leh. However, we can organize airport transfers for you on request, please contact us for details.
Insurance
Travel insurance including a mountain search and rescue insurance is mandatory on all our trips (we can organize the mountain search and rescue insurance for you on request). We highly advice to have a policy covering the cost of medical treatment and to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation. When taking out insurance please ensure the policy you choose covers you for the activities and altitude included in your itinerary.
Food & Drink
The price does not include lunch or snacks. You should bring your own lunch and hot drinks. Please make sure that you are carrying sufficient water and snacks as we will be at the crag for a number of hours.
Equipment hire
Please see the list of recommended equipment on the other tab. Most technical equipment can be rented from Ri Guides, please contact us if you would like prices and advice on whatever you need.
Insurance
We highly recommend that you take out specific insurance for mountain activities. This will cover you for search and rescue services, evacuation by helicopter and emergency medical treatment. You should also make sure that you have adequate travel insurance that covers you for the usual things such as cancelled flights, lost luggage, hospital treatment, etc. We don't provide mountain rescue insurance for your trip.
Accomodation in Leh
If you wish to book accommodation in Leh we would be happy to recommend some local hotels, guesthouses, hostels and advise on the best locations. Please contact us if you would like help finding accommodation in Leh.
Airport Transfers
We can help you to organize your transport to/from.