One of the biggest time-consuming factors during a glacier tour is the lack of experience in rope handling.
Whether it’s about adjusting the distance between partners, building anchors, or setting up belay stations, time quickly adds up when you don’t master the basic techniques.
That’s why it’s essential to practice regularly and learn simple, fast methods that make a real difference in the field – not just for efficiency, but above all for safety.
On glacier tours, the distance between rope team members isn’t fixed – it must be constantly adjusted based on the terrain.
The basic rule for glacier tours is simple:
👉 Long rope when there’s a risk of falling into crevasses – especially on flatter terrain, where snow may hide dangerous voids.
👉 Short rope when the terrain becomes steep and there’s a risk of slipping – in this case, it’s essential to stay close together to react quickly and effectively.
What do we do when we encounter both snow-covered crevasses and steep terrain?
In such situations, the risk increases significantly, and caution becomes critical.
If we’re dealing with an area where snow might hide crevasses and at the same time the slope is steep, the best decision is to avoid that section altogether. We look for safer alternatives, detour around it, and choose the route with the least exposure.
Example: Breithorn (4,160 m), Zermatt – considered the easiest 4,000-meter peak
Between the cable car station at Klein Matterhorn (3,883 m) and the beginning of the final ascent to the summit, the route crosses a relatively flat glacier section. Hidden crevasses may be present here, so it’s important to maximize the distance between rope partners.
As we approach the final climb, the terrain becomes steep and exposed. In this zone, the main danger is no longer falling into a crevasse, but slipping. That’s why here we need to shorten the rope, so we can react quickly and stop each other if necessary.
👉 In this video, I’ll show you the fastest way to adjust the rope distance, using a simple knot.
The downside of this knot is that once it’s tied, you can’t exit the rope quickly. To detach yourself, you need to pull the rope back over your head – which can be inconvenient, especially if you’re wearing a helmet or carrying a backpack.
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