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Mountaineering Axe-What's the use


texplorer

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I have concluded that I can replace my traditional mountaineering ax for an ice tool. I feel the primary use of a traditional ax is for self arrest on lower angle terrain and I have yet to actually fall on a slope in which self arrest is possible. In any case if one were to fall on a slope, I would say an ice tool would work almost as well in most situations. In addition ice tools have many more situations in which they are clearly more useful. Besides perhaps an advantage of weight are there any other uses I have failed to consider.

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If you are doing more general mountaineering than technical ice climbing, a general mountaineering axe is what you want. The straight shaft without any pinky-thing is designed to be inserted into the snow for use as a tent stake or used the same way as a hand-hold on a snow climb. It slots downard between your shoulder straps more easily when you have to make a quick downclimb or rappel, and the curve on the pick is designed for general alpine use rather than more specific to water ice. Length is also an issue: if I was going to climb the Emmons Glacier route on Mount Rainier, I'd much rather have a 70 cm ice axe than an ice tool.

 

It is unusual for someone to blow out of their steps or topple over on a snow climb, but it does happen so I wouldn't discount the self arrest use of an axe either for yourself, or for arresting a slide after your partner falls into a crevasse on a glacier.

 

I often use an alpine axe for water ice climbing and, believe it or not, it works fairly well. I have also used the ice-tool on alpine snow climbs, and it also works fairly well. The right tool for you depends on what you think you are going to do more of, or what you want to do more of.

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I admit that the a 55-60 aluminum shafted job would probably be better for a short glacier crosssing (although I would rather have aluminum crampons and no ax) and any of those lamo slopes that people think are fun to ski down. My point, I guess was that once you advance past the slog routes and start getting into steeper rock/ice that an ice tool although a pound or so heavier would be immensely more useful and would save you from taking a mtneering ax AND a tool.

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For "steeper rock/ice" you may be right. But rather than taking one tool that is not useful for glacier travel and, if it has a bent shaft, is clumsy when placing pitons (it sounds as if you are thinking about a single tool), don't completely discount the possibility of going "old school" and taking an alpine hammer and ice axe. With such a combination, you are all set to clean grass-choked cracks, hammer away at whatever you want, climb at least small amounts of vertical ice, and probe the edges of suspect snowbridges.

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haha! I was hoping that prophet wouldn't be noticed but nevertheless I think you'd agree that snow is classic pick territory too. not saying an ice tool isn't nice to have at all, but I've enjoyed a 55cm ushba axe at 335g for some climbs like the reid and sandy hw's, both quite moderate but I've seen ice tools used on there before. And it self-arrests well too, which I have used before. Prob with the general picks are the release, which can waste a lot energy prying out.

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Paul_K said:

I've been using a 60 cm DMM Alpine Raptor as an inbetween tool. You can interchange a mountaineering and technical pick. So far I've been happy with it.

 

That's been my weapon of choice for the last 2 years, too. I'm totally happy with it. Outdoor n More carries the interchangeable picks for it, in the event you can't get to MEC for them.

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A good "compromise" tool like that is probably the best way to go. Isn't that what they used to call a piolet axe? Essentially a short mountaineering axe. A classic mountaineering axe is totally versatile though and can be used to climb steeper snow and ice as well as hack through brush, decent for belays, used as a tent stake, and used for balance on talus, etc. And a technical tool is not as good for self arrest.

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Modern ice tools will deprive you of those old school boot-ax belays. They also suck for probing snow but are better than nothing. Having said that I use my modern tools for everything I do. But I live on the East Coast where a glacier is only a concept and Mt. Washington is the highest peak you have to heft the extra weight up.

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