Editing Ice climbing (section)

== Description==
[[File:Ice Climb Val di Cogne.jpg|thumb|left|Ice climber on ''Il Candelabro del Coyote'' (180-metres, WI4+), in the Val di Cogne, Italy]]
Ice climbing involves using specific pieces of specialized equipment, namely [[ice tool]]s and [[crampon]]s, to ascend routes consisting of frozen water ice, and/or frozen snow fields.<ref name = "lowe"/><ref name=WG2/>

As with [[rock climbing]], ice climbing can be done as [[free climbing]], and performed in pairs where the [[Lead climbing|lead climber]] inserts [[climbing protection]] into the route as they ascend.  The second climber (or [[belayer]]), removes this temporary climbing protection as they climb the route after the lead climber has reached the top.<ref name = "lowe"/><ref name=WG2/> In contrast to free rock climbing, the climbing protection used when leading ice climbing routes is based on the use of specialized steel [[ice screw]]s.<ref name = "lowe">{{cite book |last=Lowe |first=Jeff |title=Ice World: Techniques and Experiences of Modern Ice Climbing |publisher=The Mountaineers |location=Seattle |year=1996}}</ref><ref name=WG2/>  Ice screws require considerable experience to use properly and safely, and given that the underlying condition of the ice can change materially over time (including constantly breaking off),<ref>{{cite web | newspaper=[[The Guardian]] | url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/05/woman-dies-saving-fellow-climber-ice-column-collapse-utah | first=Maya | last=Yang | date=6 April 2023 | accessdate=11 May 2023 | title=Woman dies saving fellow climber from ice column collapse in Utah}}</ref> the seriousness of leading an ice climbing route is considered to be greater than that of a traditional rock climbing route.<ref name = "lowe"/><ref name=WG2/> For example, while an intermediate ice climber could [[top rope]] a WI4-graded ice climbing route, leading WI4-graded route is a far more serious undertaking.<ref name=WG2/> In contrast to rock climbing, "the leader must not fall" ethos is a core part of ice climbing.<ref name=WG2/><ref>{{cite web | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] | url=https://www.climbing.com/skills/was-i-wrong-to-call-for-rescue/ | first=Michael | last=Levy | date=27 February 2023 | accessdate=10 May 2024 | title=Was I Wrong To Call For a Rescue? | quote=I committed the cardinal sin of ice climbing: I fell on lead. I’d had the maxims of The Leader Shall Not Fall! and The First Rule of Falling When Ice Climbing Is Don’t Fall When Ice Climbing drilled into my head since my first days learning the craft on drips near New Hampshire.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] | url=https://www.climbing.com/skills/how-to-safely-lead-an-ice-climb/ | title=Four Tips to Lead Ice With Confidence | first1=Sean | first2=Tim | last1=Issac | last2=Banfield | date=19 November 2021 | accessdate=10 May 2023|quote=There must be absolutely no falling while leading ice. Unlike rock, the ice protection is more spread out, the medium is less predictable, the terrain tends to have more ledges, and an ice climber has too many sharp points attached to themselves (which can catch on the ice or stab body parts)}}</ref>

Ice climbing can also be done as [[Free solo climbing#Related disciplines|free solo climbing]], which is an even riskier undertaking, or done as [[top roping]] which is a much safer form of ice climbing and the format used for novices being introduced to the sport.<ref name=WG1/>

Ice climbing was developed as part of the broader climbing discipline of [[alpine climbing]], where it is still a key component of the alpinist's skill set.<ref name=AAJ2/>  Where the ice climbing route does not fully consist of ice and has elements of bare rock, it is known as [[mixed climbing]].  Where the route has no ice whatsoever, but the climber still uses the ice tools and crampons, it is known as [[dry-tooling]].<ref name = "lowe"/><ref name=WG2/>  Because mixed climbing and dry-tooling routes can be fully [[bolt (climbing)|bolted]] like [[sport climbing]] routes are in rock climbing (i.e because there is bare rock into which bolts can be drilled), they have become popular as safer alternatives to traditional ice climbing routes.<ref name=WG1/>

===Types of routes===
{{multiple image
|perrow             = 2
| align             = right
| total_width       = 370
| header            = Types of ice climbing routes
| image1            = Ice Climbing in the Canadian Rockies 1 of 5 - 2022.jpg
| caption1          = ''Central Pillar'' (WI5+), [[Weeping Wall (Alberta)|Weeping Wall]], Canada
| image2            = Triangle du Tacul - Goulotte Chèré.jpg
| caption2          = ''Chéré Couloir'' (WI4 M3), France 
| image3            = Kristoffer Szilas climbing a mixed route graded M9.JPG
| caption3          = ''Silent Memories'' (WI6, M9), Italy
| image4            = Flo dans Juvsøyla à Rjukan, Norvège.jpg
| caption4          = ''Juvsøyla'' (WI6), Norway
}}
Ice climbing can take on a broad range of [[climbing route]]s. A common type of ice route is a frozen waterfall, particularly one that cascades down a mountain face or a down-mountain gully. Ice climbing routes can also take the form of high alpine snow-covered [[couloir]]s that are permanently frozen year-round.  Giant icicles (also known as ice-daggers) have also been climbed as ice routes, and also as part of mixed routes; although such icicles can often dangerously break off and have been a source of several ice climber fatalities.<ref name=WG1/>

Ice climbing routes normally don't move beyond the sheer vertical for sustained distances due to the nature of ice (i.e. ice rarely stays in an overhanging fashion for any length of time).<ref name=GR7/>  This means that standard ice-climbing grades broadly peak at WI6-7 (i.e. WI7 being completely sheer vertical ice and with additional risk issues).<ref name=GR7/> In contrast, extreme mixed-climbing routes have been developed beyond the equivalent M7-grade as they can incorporate routes that cross overhanging bare rock [[overhang (climbing)|roofs]] to get to the vertical hanging icicle such as [[Jeff Lowe]]'s groundbreaking ''Octopussy'' WI6 M8 in [[Vail, Colorado]].<ref name=WG1/>

In [[Helmcken Falls]] in Canada, an unusual situation arises where a perennially active waterfall keeps severely overhanging rock faces covered in thick ice, thus creating overhanging ice routes.  Ice climbers have established bolted routes (there is enough rock for the bolts) that are graded above WI7 (currently at WI13, as at 2023) in Helmcken.<ref name=CLBR/>