Good Snice Protection?

[Colin]

I rarely use pickets, but I often find myself in situations where I am climbing frozen water that really wouldn't hold an ice screw. I have fantasized before about a "scricket," which I imagine as a 25 cm, very wide, titanium ice screw. I just recently ran across this ice "peg," made by Faders, and I wonder if it is the sort of thing that I am looking for. Hopefully this link works, otherwise you can find it on Barrabes: www.barrabes.com/barrabes/product.asp?dept_id=234&pf_id=3642

Thoughts?

[Alex]

These are pickets, shortest length 40cm (1.5 feet), to longest length 80cm (just under 3 feet)...

Alex

[highclimb]

Colin,

Your crazy man! Scricket! the peices on the link look like tubbular picketes (similar to CM tube pickets?) and by the lookes of it these things wouldnt go into rotten ice that well. to big? and plus if you are climbing on ice that wont even take an ice screw then ice is gunna be falling and you might want to get out of there, just a thought .

Aidan

[This message has been edited by highclimb (edited 02-08-2001).]

[rayborbon]

Colin,

My advice don't climb slurpees if you can't get good pro..

If you are in search of good ice and nothing is in consider Canada. Join me on my next trip if you want. I am heading up today.

-Ray

[Rodchester]

Back in the day many people used conduit to pound into ice as pro. These were often left in place until the spring melt because they were a bitch, if not impossible, to pull. These were used on water ice as well as apline ice.

It makes sense that a "tubular" picket like that shown on the web site would drive easier and give more holding power in rotten apline ice, bit I agree that if the water ice is that rotten you shouldn't even stand under it, let alone climb it.

What it comes down to in my mind....this thing is just another picket.

I have cut 3-foot SMC pickets into 18 inch pickets and made a pointed end on each section and used them without any problems.

------------------

Have a nice day.

[This message has been edited by Rodchester (edited 02-09-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Rodchester (edited 02-09-2001).]

[DPS]

I had an early climber partner who was fond of making his own climbing gear, most of it was crap but one invention that had its place was a mini picket that worked well for the sort of conditons you describe. It was about a foot long, made of T-stock aluminum, and had a sharp point on one end.

[dan_e]

Those bomber tent stakes that BD makes (or used to make?) might work, but of course are not tested for climbing and you could get yourself killed, but hell if it's that thin! This brings up a good point though and there is always room for innovation. I would rather see some sort of clean pro developed for this use, has anyone noticed the surge in bolting next to this ice routes. This pisses me off. I am thinking of starting a thread on this subject to get everyone's opinion.

[This message has been edited by dane (edited 02-09-2001).]

[rayborbon]

Start it up dude! It is off the subject from this.

[seeker]

the smc "T" shaped pickets cut in half have worked well for me for many years. metal conduit really doesnt have enough strength or resistance for climbing, but has been used extensively on big mountains for rappelling long routes[its cheap]. also, if you live near seattle, go to boeing surplus and buy the W shaped aluminum aircraft framing. it has large surface area, you can choose your thickness [strength vs weight] and make them any length you like.i feel they hold better than regular pickets. give thought to how you thread them so you dont compramise the webbing. if you avoid shnice, youll miss out on alot of better ice further on:}