I am at work kililng time, so I figured I would post this quote I just read:
"Other useful, though seldom indispensible, articles of equipment are crampons, or climbing irons. These consist of iron or steel frames, with projecting spikes, that are fastened to the sole of the shoe and permit the wearer to gain a purchase on ice or hard snow which would be impossible in ordinary nailed boots. On long uphill trudges of not too steep gradient crampons can take the place of step cutting, but on extremely steep slopes they serve merely as an additional safeguard against slipping. Their chief disadvantage is that they are heavy and cumbersome to carry when not in use."
James Ramsey Ullman, High Conquest .
This is from 1941 ... shortly after Ome Daiber pioneered Libery Ridge. Unbelievable what these guys did back in the day - no screws, shitty crampons, wool clothes (no cell phones). How much would that suck to get to the crux of route, have to take off your crampons and start cutting steps with no belay?
Here's to the old-timers.