KaskadskyjKozak

Thanks CC!

who doesn't?

The marketing online for axes like the Aztarex make a point of the straight shaft being better for "penetrating" snow. Thanks for the insight (though the sarcasm was not necessary). There is also the weight issue, which would be nice to hear some comments on. Aztarex and Grivel Light Wing make a point of this, as I recall. If it's more market-speak w/o a real need or any other downside, that'd be good to know. And yeah books are great - but just one resource.

Kid Rock

Basics aren't taught how to place pro, or in general how to build anchors unless it involves slinging an enormous tree. For snow anchors they are shown how to build a good dead man, and a bollard, and shown the limits of pickets. In the course of a basic climb the basic will never build an anchor, but only clip into an anchor built by a more experienced climber. Nor will they place pickets for running belays. That said some of the more focused inquisitive ones do ask good questions, which I'm usually happy to answer, or refer to someone who knows more than I. Intermediates are taught more on snow anchors, and ice screws (with the caveat that only with oodles of experience will you learn to evaluate ice.) For rock anchors the standard was a 3 point equalized coordalette, and they've transitioned to John Longs Equalette this year, with the caveat that every situation is different and you need to think about/evaluate your anchors for direction of pull, stability, etc. They learn to build belay anchors. The person who would suffer from bad / insufficient instruction there would be the leader who relies on that belay - not the student belaying from it. Hence, it is on the instructor to make sure the anchor is sound before he climbs a route from it.

Just how many years of experience and certifications are required to teach people to tie in to their harness, read a topo map, tie knots, and discuss gear, clothing, hydration and food for climbing? Sorry but one year is enough. If you're talking about LEADING climbs that doesn't happen after one year.

adult ropeup? sounds naughty

ice cragging on the Coleman Glacier terminus

Wow, you ate a lot of guacamole.

your age / demographic are very similar to a typical climber in the mountaineers.

I hadn't seen the terminus in 4 years and it was obviously melted out since I last saw it.

Can anyone else vouch for the Aztarex for this role? I've got a similar goal as the originator of this thread. I tried the Quark's this weekend on an outing and liked them. I'm not sure they'd be great for plunging in snow on steep alpine stuff because of the handle shape. A compromise might be the Aztar's, which also have a handle. Any comments out there? The other tool I tried was the Grivel Light. It has a straighter handle/shaft than the Aztar and worked well on the steep ice... not quite as well as the Aztar though.

He's African-American not Pakistani...

+1 Spray Park will get you the most bang for your buck

BB is jizzgurgling clownpuncher

Does Barry Bonds actually have any fans?

Coleman terminus! No scotch yet this weekend... beer though...

I saw some melting ice today. :-P

holy crap, SC is back!

Impalement (a la Vlad the Impaler) would be worse.

I have to say a big WTF to this whole article... linky

we just got a gas tax hike

wow, sucks for him. burns in this life... only to expire and jump into a lake of eternal fire

The social engineers running our city, county and state don't want to fix bridges and fund anything that supports SOV on the roads. It's in their interest to let this infrastructure rot in place while they fund their own agenda.