ice axe arrest stories

[mr.radon]

"I did say might be better to take them off."

I've taken them off and then back on again. And in conditions where you just can't arrest (ice) UNROPE so one member doesn't drag everyone down with them.

I have a nice set of anti-ballers that work well.

 

[rob]

I have a nice set of anti-ballers that work well.

 

must....not....spray

[Stefan]

I was 4th man on a 5 man rope team coming down on the Emmons glacier many many years ago. All of the sudden the guy behind comes ripping down right beside me to my surprise. He is like a turtle flipped on its back on an ice rink. I immediately go into self arrest and think, "This is gonna hurt my hips!" It just so happens there was a rope team right next to us going uphill. As he went past me and I went into self arrest, he took out two people on the rope team next to us like he was a Nebraska Cornhusker linebacker and the other rope team were cross country runners.

 

I managed to stop him. Oh, and it did hurt.

[AR_Guy]

June 20th, 2006 on my PCT thru hike, from my journal (note, the crampons were insteps - I know to NOT dig the toes in with 10 or 12 points, something about flipping or breaking a leg if you do):

 

Word for the day: “Self Arrest”

High Sierra Day 7

 

Well, the ice axe finally paid its way today. On the way up the final switchback of Glen Pass, there was a steep snowfield to cross. I stopped and put on my crampons, put away one trekking pole and pulled out the ice axe. I started across, angling up the slope, kicking steps as I went. Well I must have been a little cavalier about kicking firm steps and planting the axe shaft for a solid self belay as I slipped and started sliding down the slope about ½ way across the snowfield. I immediately got hold of the shaft of the axe with the opposite hand and jammed the pick into the snow, leaning on it with my chest, and digging the toes in. I stopped after about 20 feet or so. Had I continued sliding, I would have hit the trail on a lower switchback in another 30 feet or so. It’s hard to say if I would have been injured as the slide wasn’t especially fast, but then again, I was on the arrest instantly. In any event, the axe paid it’s way right then and there.

 

 

[Bug]

A girlfriend and I did that couloir above Bridge creek cg many years ago. It was her first time with an ice ax. We practiced self arresting a few times and she was fine with it. We climbed the coulior and came back down. At the very bottom of the snow was a steep section that ended on talus. Yup. She fell head first. I was preparing for an ugly afternoon when she placed her ice ax, swung her body around below the ax, and gently lowered her feet onto the first rock.

 

[plexus]

Last Saturday was glissading down from the saddle of Grays and Torreys here. Was steeper than I thought it would be and picked up some pretty good speed. Digging the boots in and pushing more on the shaft of the ice axe didn't retard my speed at all as I saw some rocks coming close.

 

I casually rolled over and started to arrest - which isn't all that effective when you're riding a large cushion of softening snow. Casted a glance down and saw the rocks were now indeed close. Did it with more earnest and came to a stop about 20 feet above the skin-removers.

 

Whoever said it above, self-arresting on softening snow this time of year can almost be futile. That's been a majority of the time in having to pray to the mountain gods. Was prepared to roll to the climber's left if I couldn't slow down any.

 

And glissading while still wearing crampons is just lunacy. I'd rather take the extra time to remove them and then put them back on.

[OldManRock]

Its was Dec 1969, and the Eugene Moutain Rescue was doing a winter practice session. I was one of the "Experts" who was going to demonstrate the self arrest. Set up a safety line at bottom of the cliff edge on Hayrick Butte next to Hoodo - It was tied to a tree and then run it down the fall line, where I took the end of the rope and brought it back up to look like a "J". A friend tied it to his ixeaxe and jammed into the snow up to the head and sat on it. I had the students line up along the safety rope so they could watch the expert do his thing. Back up to the top and clipped into the line, sat down, lifted my feet, and with iceaxe at the ready position, went zipping down the hill. The expert way over judged his skill level, and and even after doing everything right, did not even slow down. I hit the bottom of the "J" and it came tight. My friend went sailing into the air when his aceaxe started after me. The rope rapped around my neck a couple times and I continued on down the hill. I then found out whats it like to be "Hung by the neck until dead". I

was lucky that a few students who could not stand the sight of my blue skin color, dashed over and pulled me back up the hill, where I was able to get the rope from around my neck. I actually had rope burns that lasted some time. I later went back and did a couple self arrests (without safety line) to get my confidence back.

[mike1]

I was crossing an "eroded gully" in the NC one summer that was one of those, "should we rope up?" areas. There just wasn't any way to protect it, so I pulled out my axe for stability and threw on my helmet. We had stopped to do some route finding and my left foot blew out on some talus. I dropped to my other foot which sprung me backwards. I would have tumbled once then dropped over a cliff. Instincts took over - I swung the axe into the talus/dirt as I was dropping to my foot and sunk it - it held! First and last time I've self arrested a real fall and it wasn't even on snow.

[marc_leclerc]

I took my ice axes and randomly started climbing a telephone pole in town... the cops came and arrested me,

[mike1]

:shock:terrorist alert!

[sobo]

I took my ice axes and randomly started climbing a telephone pole in town... the cops came and arrested me,

Sorta like this, marc?

[111]

A few months ago I agreed to drag some folks up hood west crater and all but one decided they were comfortable without being roped up. The one gal who did want to rope up wasn't wearing gaitors and this contributed to two falls. The way up was fine, but I think she was too fatigued on the way down and was getting sloppy with stepping carefully and hooked her pant leg with her crampon. I was in back and saw her do it. I immediately said "SHIT" and hit the snow, she came tight on me shortly therafter(there was probably 5-10 ft of slack in the rope; I know, a bit much) and pulled me down the hill a few feet but due to good packed snow/rime the arrest held firm enough. The second fall she affested before she came tight on me.

 

Moral #1: wear gaitors, they do more than keep snow out of your boots.

Moral #2: if someone is going to fall, let it be the 100 lb person of the group; they are easier to catch.

[SemoreJugs]

This is a great topic that no one seems to talk about very often

[Wastral]

Most people I have seen only think about self arrest using the pick. On firm snow you aren't as likely to slip as on soft gooey snow due to snow buildup on crapons/boots. In those conditions you must see the conditions, flip the ice axe around and use the spade end of the ice axe as the pick end will only make a nice line in the goo snow as you pick up speed going over a cliff.

 

Most slips are because you are tired. Know when you are tired and slow down, putting more care into foot placement. Almost all slips also happen going downhill.

 

Brian

 

 

[Alpinsanity]

I know someone who was arrested with an ice axe.

...for "brandishing" a deadly weapon.

Couldn't remain calm in a heated situation.

 

 

[josephfazioli]

I had a scary moment practicing with a clinic in the NY adirondacks. I was wearing a full goretex suit and moved WAY faster than even before. I managed to stop before I hit the trees, but I covered about 100 meters in what felt like 2 seconds. I was also using a cassin ski-mountaineering axe that slid through the snow like a hot knife through butter substitutes. Scaaaaary.