Universal Alpine Rack

[fishstick]

Realizing that terrain in the mountains differs widely, I was wondering what people's thoughts are on a "universal alpine rack". What do you carry when you don't know what to expect or even what route you might find yourself on?

[Guest]

A bunch of pitons and a hammer that can be used for ice as well, light aiders, bolt kit, ice ax with an adze.

[Dru]

6 pins from kb to baby angle, northwall hammer, 10 wire nuts, 12 long draws, 6 Tri cams and a full set of cams (any brand) from 00-4 for rock. take long slings for bailing or to fake up aiders if necessary, and 3 hooks for blank sections (never ever taken a bolt kit in the mountains cause I am too lazy to hand drill) ropes =double 8.5x60's.

for mixed add 6 screws and one picket per climber, and trade 2 long draws for 2 screamers.

for pure snow and ice i usually just take pickets and screws.

[verticalswamp]

Happy now Gored? Your hero has spoken. Make it all Ti and you're off like a bride's nighty.

 

[verticalswamp]

Poor Neri. Don't you find it hard to share a single harness?

CE

[Mr._Blister]

Don't forget the two grams of weed and small pipe and lighter.

[Cpt.Caveman]

A ropegun (human type by the name of "Danimal")

[Dru]

One of those bolt guns from Cliffhanger is also pretty handy especially when you are an innocent Forest Ranger who is attacked by terrorists and have to single handedly slaughter them all.... now if only they would make a gun that chops bolts too it would eliminate all that tedious hand crowbarring.

[Cpt.Caveman]

Drul,

I am the Terrorist

So what does that leave me?

[Dru]

Suck it man you know your fate is to be impaled on a stalagtite in the 3rd reel.

At least you get Gullich for a stunt double

[Neri]

This will get you almost anywhere on almost anything (base on my experience in the Northeast) the gear is for 2

1- Picket

1- Fluke

2- Ice axes (65cm) [opt', modular with 2 picks snow/ice]

2- Ice hammers ice picks (50cm)

2- 12pt semi rigid crampons

2- LA stubby and medium thin

2- Baby angles ¼, 5/8

1- KB

1- Bugaboo

6-Slings 24” spectra

4- Slings 48” spectra

50” of 7mm substitute to the slings or in addition to the slings

2- 8mm X 60M ropes

0.5 through 3 Tricams

6,7,8 Wild country Rocks

9,10,11 self slung Hexes

0.75, 1, 2 Camelot

2- Alpine bod

6- Ice screws (2-22cm, 4-17cm)

Optional 25’ of "Rabbit ears"(Lighter kind of cordelette made out of 7mm and have a two figure 8 on bite on each side kinda web-o-let thing looks like funknes device but much longer)

Carabiners: total of 26

2- locking HMS (munter)

4- D locking

10- ovals

10- wire gate

 

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

Neri Carmi

nericarmi@yahoo.com

[This message has been edited by Neri (edited 08-09-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Neri (edited 08-09-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Neri (edited 08-10-2001).]

[Dru]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Neri:

Optional 25’ of rabbit ears

 

---

 

poor rabbits

 

[verticalswamp]

"a tab of acid is the ultimate bivy gear"

Someone said it, and I heard it second hand (at least)

C

[Beck]

Sounds like one of the Burgess brothers from Britian or that other whacko Brit alpinist who tagged a lot of firsts in S. America and disappeared on one of them- he was an advocate of halucinogenics on climbs but I've forgotten his name.

 

[Dru]

Then again it could have been walt shipley.

[haireball]

I favor multi-use items, so my "universal" setup is a 60-cm ice-axe, a classic-style alpine hammer (pick functions as a nut-tool); a dozen or so standard length runners, which can be doubled or tripled short for quick-draws, a cordelette or two, which function as extra-long runners, prussiks, or even aiders if the need arises; twenty or so carabiners, plus three or four locking crabs; cams from about 3/4 inch to 3"; rope-slung hexcentrics from about 1" to 3" (the rope slings can be used as extra runners, or prussiks), stoppers from about 3/4" down to 1/8 inch, half-dozen or so pitons (blades & small anges) "wart-hog" style ice-pegs (can be used as either ice or rock pegs in a pinch); crampons.

I avoid carrying extra items like a mechanical belay device (learn the munter-hitch - it doesn't weigh anything), sewn runners, or dedicated etriers. In fact, I'll often leave the cams, and just go with 4 or 5 hexes, a half-dozen or so stoppers, and lotsa runners & cordelettes. I favor twin-roping, but I'll often take only one twin-rope, doubling it to half-length and belaying short pitches (rope-length is irrelevant when simul-climbing, and shorter is often better for this practice).

 

[freeclimb9]

Obviously, the "universal alpine rack" never compares well with the beta-rack for the area you're targeting. The mega-rack that many climbers own can always be pared down to a sick minimum, or a sane medium, with a few suggestions from others (or from your own experience in the area). I've never gone into an area without at least an inkling of what's there to climb.

[This message has been edited by freeclimb9 (edited 08-11-2001).]