Racking Pickets

[chinook2]

I would like to know how different experienced climbers rack their pickets. A more efficient method would same significant time on running belays. For instance, say you are carrying and placing 4 or 5 as a leader.

 

Thanks

[mattp]

I don't mean to sound snide, but I question where you would want to rack 4 or 5 pickets.

 

I have never ever carried 4 or 5 pickets on a climb anywhere -- and I've climbed "alpine" routes in North America, Asia, Europe, and New Zealand (Europe not really). I have actually brought that many pickets on one or two trips where I planned to use them as tent stakes, but I have never "racked" that many. For the most part, I consider them to be marginal as anchors, although I have (rarely) encountered snow conditions where I trusted them. I've seen insanely steep snow in Alaska, but any terrain where I've actually used pickets was mostly semi-technical where I used them at a belay or carried one or two for a possible crevasse rescue. I don't think I have ever placed one as "protection" in the middle of a pitch. Seriously: I have never carried more than two unless I was planning to use them as tent stakes.

 

In answer to your question: If I want to keep one accessible I usually carry it clipped to a pack strap, with a 'biner clipped to it above mid-point so it hangs vertically but dangles the least possible amount and stays as much as possible out of the way.

[genepires]

you could put a couple on either side of your pack in the compression straps. Have the sling (preferably a single or double length runner) girth hitched to the top hole of the picket. Don't have this sling trapped under a compression strap but rather hanging down from above the straps. Clip this runner to a accessible place like the shoulder strap. Maybe have a overhand knot in the end of the runner so that the sling doesn't flop around too much. When you need the picket, unclip the biner and pull up on the sling thereby pulling the picket straight out.

 

Or you could have the runner (double length only) girth hitched to the top hole and the other end of the runner clipped to the opposite hole on the picket. You could put the sling over your head and one shoulder, sort of like a purse. More than 4 like this is a pain.

[mattp]

I admit: I've carried them "purse" style too. It is not manly, but it does offer easy deployment and they don't droop down to trip you up as much as they do hanging vertically. They do, however, get in the way of other racked items if you have pins and qizmo's and ice screws on a normal shoulder sling.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

I prefer to call it bandelier style. Much more manly sounding.

[Brewer]

How about this (or some variation of this):

 

 

Girth hitch a double sling into an end hole on the picket, then clip a biner into the sling. Slide the biner up against the picket so the spine is next to the girth hitch. Wrap the sling tightly around the picket (so the biner is pinned and doesn't move much) and when you get to the end of the sling clip it into the biner again.

 

Now, to help it stay secure on your pack you may need to fashion a small loop of webbing onto the side of your pack at about shoulder height. Maybe somewhere near that groove that forms between your arm and the side of the pack. 3 or 4 inches diameter, roughly.

 

To rack it, take the end of the picket (without the sling/biner) and slide it up into that loop (like packing an ice axe kinda). Now take the other end of the picket and clip the biner into a compression strap at the bottom of the pack, or that small strap that comes off the back of your hip belt. To unrack it, just reach back, unclip the biner and pull down.

 

Racking two of them might be easy with this (one on each side of the pack) but more might get cumbersome.

 

 

 

Note: I haven't tried this yet, only imagined it, so if it fails miserably then I am not to blame.