Can I Climb Outside in the Winter?

By method
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It’s that time of year again. The sky is dark when you wake up and after you get off work, and the climbing gyms are filled to the brim. The brisk air cools your skin; now, all you look forward to is cranking the heater in your car. But wouldn’t you instead look forward to climbing outside?

No, not ice climbing; rock climbing. Not climbing in the freezing temperatures with dangerously cold fingers, either! Climbing in the winter is all about geography. Your options dwindle if you’re up north with the occasional south-facing crags that stay warm enough to climb in the winter.

South, that’s where you want to go. Take a trip to one of the premier winter climbing destinations and remember what it was like to be outside without a puffy.

Climbing outside in the winter takes persistence, but the reward is climbing, so it’s always worth it. You may need to posthole through snow, you may need that puffy coat if the clouds roll in, and you may get shut down by the wind; that’s the price you pay for adventure.

Great winter climbing destinations can get crowded, as everyone else wants to escape their snow-filled homes. However, don’t let that stop you from exploring new places and escaping the cold!

Winter Climbing Tips

Dress For the Part

If you plan to take a winter climbing trip to warmer weather, you must dress for success. Layer up because your belayer may need hand warmers even if the climbing is bearable.

Resting between burns can cool you down quickly. Trap your heat by covering your body as warmly as you can. A good rule is to wear base layers, warm socks, an outer layer, and bring a beanie and gloves/mittens. You may not need all of this clothing, but it’ll be nice to have if the weather suddenly changes.

Warm Feet = Happy Feet

Snuggle your climbing shoes into your armpits or jacket to keep them warm when you’re not climbing. It’s not easy climbing with cold feet. Edging on tiny chips feels fruitless when you can’t feel the rock!

This may be the time you finally try climbing with socks on. No matter what you’ve heard, wearing socks in your climbing shoes will not alter your performance unless you’re climbing at the highest level, but even then, there isn’t enough data to disprove the socks-in-climbing shoe debacle.

When it comes to climbing in the winter- function over fashion, you’ll have a lot more fun if you stay warm!

Snow-Ready Vehicle

Beware of taking a vehicle ill-equipped for snow travel. Nobody enjoys getting their car stuck in the middle of nowhere without cell reception unless that’s your favorite type of adventure.

When traveling to a winter climbing destination, a vehicle with higher clearance is a good idea. Something with a 4-wheel drive and some all-terrain or snow tires is ideal.

Always have a backup plan if you plan to go out on a sketchy road. A good rule is to always communicate with somebody where you’re going and when you plan to go and be back. Consider grabbing a satellite device like an InReach for your adventures. They’re great to have when things go wrong in any season.

Chase the Sun!

The warmest part of any wall will be the one that’s getting blasted by the sun. Many crags have a sunny and shady side, or some get sun during specific times of the day. Rock will absorb the heat from the big flame ball in the sky, making climbing much more enjoyable.

Climbing on a wall as soon as it’s hit by the sun will still leave you with cold rock, such as first thing in the morning. Wait for the heat to do its trick if you want to maximize your warmth.

Hand Warmers/Hot Rocks

Hand warmers are your friend. They fit well in pockets, sleeves, hats, shirt collars, you name it. They likely won’t fit well in your climbing shoes, but you get the idea. And, of course, they fit great in a chalk bag!

Another out-of-the-box trick you can do is to fashion your chalk bag with flame-retardant material. Yes, some dedicated winter rock climbers swear by this idea.

The next step is to collect some good heat-absorbing rocks. Find the right ones, though. You don’t want rocks that will break when heated; you’ll see why in the last step.

You last need a small backpacking stove with a tiny pot or pan. Get this; heat up the rocks and throw them in your newly fashioned flame retardant chalk bag. You’ll have warm hands whenever you dig into your chalk bag, no matter how high you are on the wall. Just make sure to

let them cool a bit before you add them to your bag. You want them warm enough to handle but not hot enough to burn!