Life

Cool sport on rapid ascent

By Yang Wanli (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-24 09:34

An ice climber pulls herself up toward the summit of ice cliff. [Photos by Wang Jing / China Daily]

As the mercury soars in Beijing, some recreational athletes are cooling off by hitting the wall. Ice climbing provides a dizzying, if chilly, experience for urban sports fans aiming to embark on new adventures in an indoor setting. "Ice climbing is really interesting and refreshing," said Guo Zhenyu, 28, a climber who was recently introduced to the sport by a friend. The pair practice their favorite pastime in an outdoor equipment retailer in The Village of Sanlitun, in Chaoyang district.

Guo said he is energized by the difficulty of the sport. "The ice cliff didn't seem so challenging before I climbed it," Guo said. "But when I kicked my legs to engage the front points of the crampons into the ice, I knew that it was not going to be an easy job."

Guo is among the growing number of Beijingers who are grabbing their ice tools and crampons and taking to the sheer walls. The room might be a little cold, but their passion for the task is red hot.

Ice climbing shoes. [China Daily]

In Sanlitun, free ice climbing courses are provided every weekend in the North Face store, which allows up to 15 registrants to climb per day. The ice cliff, which is 7.1 meters high, is the biggest indoor ice cliff in China, store officials said.

Ice climbing is different from rock climbing, said Wang Nong, 41, an instructor for the store program.

For new learners, skills are much more important than strength, he said. "No matter how old you are or whether you have learned it before or not, you can successfully do it with confidence and practice," Wang said.

Ice climbing is accomplished with crampons and ice pitons or ice screws. Climbers kick their legs to engage the front points of the crampons in the ice, and then swing the piton into the ice above their heads.

Zhao Mengyi, a 28-year-old trainer, said beginners often get tired arms because of improper climbing techniques. "Their arms, rather than legs, bear most of the body weight" when it's done incorrectly, Zhao said.

"Climbing is a process of trusting the tool," he said. "It's different from believing in a person with whom you can communicate through words and emotion."

According to Zhao, the strength of the ice often surprises newcomers to the sport; pitons inserted only a centimeter provide enough leverage for climbers to pull themselves up.

A beginner climbs the ice wall with help of an instructor. [China Daily]

Ice climbing teaches teamwork and gives new vistas for seeing the world from an icy summit, said Kevin Hong, an outdoor sports enthusiast who practices the endeavor in Sanlitun.

According to Wang, climbers who are no longer satisfied with simply making it to the top derive pleasure from improving their skills and summiting swiftly.

"My record to the top is 10 minutes. But I always tell the learners that how you use your tools is more essential than the time you spend," Wang said.

Experienced climbers graduate to outdoor climbs. Zhao has accomplished a 50-m climb up natural ice earlier this year. Wang suggests that climbers always use protection tools on outdoor climbs, however.

"After all, we do the sport for fun and interest," Zhao said. "You need not to think about other things, just the ice and yourself. If you risk your life for it, it's no longer fun."