Ice Screw(s) for Glacier Climb?

[SeanO]

Hi everyone, I'm wondering if people bring an ice screw on standard glacier climbs. For example, a trip up a snow route such as the DC on Rainier, Hogsback on Hood, etc. If so, what size do you bring, and what is your justification and intended use?

 

I've heard from a few experienced climbers who bring a screw or two just to be safe, even in summer. I've also heard anecdotes about using a screw when inside a crevasse to aid climb out... an extreme example perhaps, but applicable.

 

What do you guys bring?

[ScaredSilly]

Yes, I bring a 22cm long screw. I can use it in a crevasse or on a glacier as part of rescue. Also use it to hang a stove or my pack.

[DPS]

I'd say bring in a screw especially in the summer when the bare glacial ice is exposed. Only a screw will work in those late summer conditions. I bring 17 -19 cm for crevasse rescue rigging.

[TRoth]

22cm for V thread anchors :-)

[yasso1am]

Screws don't really have any additional holding power by just being longer. Ultimately it is their threads that decide holding power, and anything over a 13cm screw has the same amount of threads (if we are talking BD express here). Glacial ice is generally pretty consistent so I bring a 16cm and figure it will be just as strong as anything else. It will also make any v-thread plenty strong that I will need for an unintended rappel. If I was planning to top-rope something, I would bring the 22cm.

[rob]

Screws don't really have any additional holding power by just being longer. Ultimately it is their threads that decide holding power, and anything over a 13cm screw has the same amount of threads (if we are talking BD express here). Glacial ice is generally pretty consistent so I bring a 16cm and figure it will be just as strong as anything else. It will also make any v-thread plenty strong that I will need for an unintended rappel. If I was planning to top-rope something, I would bring the 22cm.

 

Why bring a 22cm for top-roping if anything over 13cm is just as good? And if there IS a difference, why reserve your strongest screw (22cm) for top-rope duties, where the actual strength requirements are minimal, and use smaller screws for leading, where the strength requirements are much higher? Is that to prevent melt-out?

[ScaredSilly]

Screws don't really have any additional holding power by just being longer. Ultimately it is their threads that decide holding power, and anything over a 13cm screw has the same amount of threads (if we are talking BD express here). Glacial ice is generally pretty consistent so I bring a 16cm and figure it will be just as strong as anything else. It will also make any v-thread plenty strong that I will need for an unintended rappel. If I was planning to top-rope something, I would bring the 22cm.

 

It is not about the screw being stronger it is about getting it into decent ice. One can not always count on decent glacier ice. As such, having more length allows one to get the screw down into deeper and hopefully better ice without having to dig a pit for it. Similarly when building a V-thread.

[SeanO]

Thanks for the information everyone. Looks like it wouldn't hurt to bring a 22cm along. Just one, or perhaps also bringing a 16/17cm as well?

[genepires]

one or two depends. If it is late season, I would say two and mainly because of the need to possibly put directionals in tough crevasse crossing situations. but for everything else, one or none. I know of one situation where a ice screw came in handy for a crevasse rescue and that was a very strange situation.