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An ice bollard is an anchor-like system made directly from ice to provide belay help for lowering yourself or equipment during climbing. In general, an ice bollard is only attempted by professional climbers, as it requires some expertise in order to use it safely. Bollards can also be made on snow, although snow is much harder to work on and cannot be used in all instances. Read on to learn more.
Choose a section of ice that is free of cracks and any foreign objects, such as vegetation and debris. Make sure the ice is deep enough that will allow you to dig successfully without hitting any underground wreckage.
Make sure you choose a location at least 20 meters away from the edge; so there is no danger of the underground breaking under the weight or the rope slipping off.
Use your climbing ice axe to dig a trench in the form of an inverted teardrop (the small point of the teardrop should point to the edge of the ice), making sure the bollard is at least 18 inches wide and 6 inches deep.
Make sure the ice doesn't crack as you're digging and removing the excess. If it does, you will need to start again in a different area.
Create a small overhanging border (known to climbers as "lip") all around the trench to use as protection. The border will stop the rope from slipping off and will prevent the added pressure on the bollard itself to cause cracking and breakage.
Rest the rope around the bollard, making sure it's as deep as possible against the bottom of the trench. You may also add some fresh snow on top if you have it available. This will cause some friction between the ice and snow and allow the rope to be steadier.
Never attempt to make an ice bollard on melting ice or after a snowstorm (unless you dig deep enough to reach firm ice underneath).
Practice building ice bollards in angle terrain first and try hanging onto them to see how much weight they can resist. Adjust the design until you get a hang for the right size and format to handle your body weight while climbing.
Non-coated, thick ropes work better when used in ice bollards. They don't slip off easily and they can resist more weight and pull.
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