Aluminum Crampons for DC route

[spotly]

Can I get away with aluminums for this route or is there a fair amount of rocky terraine to cross over where taking crampons off would be too much of a pain? Thanks

[catbirdseat]

You can use them. Taking them off would be a pain for the bit of rock you'll encounter. It'll be hard on the points, but you can sharpen them later.

[spotly]

Thanks CBS.

[scottk]

Depends on the time of year, but you could be walking on quite a bit of dirt/rock that would be rough on aluminum crampons. I'd plan on removing the aluminum pons for the dirt/rock but otherwise they should be fine.

[treknclime]

I've gone through a few pair of alum. 'poons, mostly because of totally bent points. They tend to bend on the way down if you're moving quick and agressive. Doesn't always happen, but if there's a lot of rock...IMHO...either take'em off, or wear steel ones.

[catbirdseat]

Depends on the time of year, but you could be walking on quite a bit of dirt/rock that would be rough on aluminum crampons. I'd plan on removing the aluminum pons for the dirt/rock but otherwise they should be fine.

If you have step-ins with quick release, this isn't too time-consuming.

[Alpine_Tom]

How much dirt & rock you encounter depends totally on the time of year. (two weeks ago we descended the route, and it went down the Ingraham direct, so there was no rock travel at all.) In my oh-so-humble opinion, stopping a couple of times to remove or replace crampons isn't a big deal. If your partners can't abide the 45 seconds or so it takes to crouch down, take off the crampons, and clip them to your harness or pack, then to hell with them.

[dmuja]

Stopping on the "nose" of the DC for any reason can be a deadly mistake due to rock fall from above. You should get well up on the spine before pausing imo - there are some slightly sheltered areas up there but as CBS said aluminium crampons should be fine (this time of year) but with a little wear on them.

[Bill_Simpkins]

I take off my steel crampons for the cleaver. Just clip them somewhere, no need to take the time to put them on/in your pack.

Just takes a few seconds. I've seen too many people stumble and step on the rope with poons on the cleaver. Plus, up higher on the cleaver is a good place to change layers etc..., you'll probably take them off anyways.

 

my $0.02 :

I'm a lightweight packing freak, but I still don't think aluminum poons are up to snuff. I don't use them ... yet. You can bend the teeth by walking on ice or kicking steps. You really want to lose a point on Rainier? They are dullish too. If the snow your on takes crampons that dull, you probably don't really need to wear them (knocks on wood). There are some minimalist steel poons out there that aren't obsurdly heavier than aluminum ones. I vote for getting lighter boots and using good sturdy crampons.

[philfort]

I've walked on a lot of rock and hard ice with my stubai aluminum crampons. Never bent a point. I don't think much about it anymore. (treknclime: what brand are you using?).

 

I don't think I'd take them on Rainier though, as I don't trust them on steepish hard glacier ice... I've have them slip on me, where a steel crampon with sharp points probably wouldn't have.