Solo ice climbing (and I guess skiing ) trip…

Kids are almost grown up and I’ve now got more time available. The missus has grown out of roped climbing and I’ve fallen out of touch with the other people I climbed with 20 years ago

Been wondering about trying to do a week or so somewhere with good semi guaranteed ice, and the logistics of finding a partner etc. Apart from 1 amazing week in Rjukan decades ago, I found ice climbing pretty scary and never really got any good at it. Never did anything harder than grade 4. Which I think will limit the chances of finding a climbing partner on a trip.

I imagine Rjukan is much less reliable these days. Reports from Cogne last year were pretty bad. I was wondering what other places there are where I might be able to hook up.

Was wondering about Ouray or somewhere like that. But not sure how inspiring it looks after a few days.

I’m guessing guides are well in excess of if £300 per day, so that’s only an option for a day or two.

Is there a suitable place, with a big enough spread of grades and a semi reasonable chance of finding someone solid to climb with?  The more I think about this the dafter an idea it sounds. Sport climbing, maybe even trad- fine. But who in their right mind would climb ice with a complete unknown…

Having said which, both the routes I did last year were with complete strangers, so perhaps.

PS. I appreciate the insane irony and selfishness of jumping on a plane to find ice/ snow. Feel free to tell me off.

Well, could be life-affirming in many ways.. go for it, just be prepared to go snow-shoeing or looking at views and having a beer in the evening if it doesn’t work out?
You can get a train and coach to La Grave.. good valley ice options there. Which is where I went skiing for the first time when a January trip got us poor conditions about 10 yrs ago. Never did more than icy scrambles and basic mountaineering myself but always loved being out in the mountains.

Have you tried asking on ukclimbing if anyone is up gor it? That might give the option of a days climbing here before either of you commit to the scary white stuff

I’d be up for it in theory. The flying troubles me, if only Scottish conditions could be guaranteed.

Edit: that’s not me inviting myself, but I would in theory do it on such an invitation. But right now it has to be a big trip, which I couldn’t commit to. Hence, if Scotland was reliable …

Was in Ouray recently. Wonderful place. They had water jets all along the canyon ready turn it into a wall of ice when the weather turned. Looked very well set up. Even if you didn’t climb it’s a great place to holiday. Loads to do in amazing scenery. If you are into that sort of thing I’d get yourself out there. Whatever you do it’ll be a great trip.

Yeah +1 for putting it on ukclimbing. The response rate for folk needing climbing partners seems pretty good on there.

Calgary and Canmore area spring to mind. Further to travel (obviously) but more reliable conditions.

Rockies ice climbing Facebook page might yield a few people.  A lot of the good climbing is in the ghost wilderness area and getting there is half the adventure…