What size ice axe to buy? Another opinion

[keenwesh]

 

A few years ago an inexperienced climber fell on a small ice slope near the summit of three-fingers and ripped his calf open with his crampons. He had a HUGE antique ice axe, one of those long wooden ones with a straight pick and no teeth. He was unable to arrest.

 

did he die?

[wetslide]

 

"unable to arrest and having crampons on is a bad situation. actually, falling with crampons on is a bad situation too."

I can attest to this.

[cartman]

Thanks to the spray clowns for reminding me why I almost never post to this site. Well done.

 

Back to your sandboxes now.

[yasso1am]

Thanks to the spray clowns for reminding me why I almost never post to this site. Well done.

 

Back to your sandboxes now.

 

Undoubtably there are people who spray here. However, you came bringing an unsolicited opinion that many people feel is outdated and out of touch with the way climbing is progressing. While you are entitled to your opinion and it is valid, you also opened yourself up to being disagreed with, and vehemently at that.

 

Surely you will still share with whatever beginners you take into the mountains your opinion, just as I and the rest of us will share our opinions. Unfortunately, people often feel that when someones opinion is out of touch and potentially leading to a less informed new climber, they worry that they'll have to deal with some sort of rescue situation or something. 99% of the time, this isn't true, it just means there will be one less well educated climber out there.

Edited April 13, 2012 by yasso1am

[JoshK]

Thanks to the spray clowns for reminding me why I almost never post to this site. Well done.

 

Back to your sandboxes now.

 

So people disagreeing with you is spray? The majority of the replies were on topic, people just didn't agree with you. If you are that sensitive, perhaps don't start a thread stating your opinion? Just a thought...

[rob]

Thanks to the spray clowns for reminding me why I almost never post to this site. Well done.

 

Back to your sandboxes now.

 

So people disagreeing with you is spray? The majority of the replies were on topic, people just didn't agree with you. If you are that sensitive, perhaps don't start a thread stating your opinion? Just a thought...

 

+1, I didn't see any spray, either. I thought it was a good conversation

[obwan]

This stuff is becoming hilarious! Basically, a newbie should maybe rent an axe for the first year - and use a 65-70cm. Starting out they feel more comfortable, until they see how the axe works. But when it comes to buy one, they will be more satisfied with a 60-65cm. Just my 2cents, couldn't resist.

[Coldfinger]

A really long axe is also a royal PiTA sticking off the top of your pack when you are in the middle of a bushwhack.

 

Very good point, I'd add an 85cm axe and ultralight gear (titanium ___) don't really go together.

 

While a long axe might plunge into ideal bottomless uniform snow, as we know more likely than not it will hit resistance if not rock or solid ice, then half out it is probably a better lever (like a digging bar) than anchor. Holding a crevasse fall while plunging both myself and an axe shaft to the surface is easier with a short axe.

[sobo]

So keenwesh, Coldfinger, and myself get moderated for the Axe spray pic and resulting snarky comments.

Yet Tennessee's post 2/3 of the way down Page 1 is not considered moderatable spray?

So what, exactly, am I missing here?

 

Plus, I believe this may constitute a CC.com first: Getting moderated from damn near halfway around the world.

I'm 11 hours ahead of you sukkerz...

[jon]

Sorry Sobo, running daddy daycare and daddy spraycare at the same time sometimes things fall through the cracks.

[keenwesh]

So keenwesh, Coldfinger, and myself get moderated for the Axe spray pic and resulting snarky comments.

Yet Tennessee's post 2/3 of the way down Page 1 is not considered moderatable spray?

So what, exactly, am I missing here?

 

Plus, I believe this may constitute a CC.com first: Getting moderated from damn near halfway around the world.

I'm 11 hours ahead of you sukkerz...

listen bro, you gotta sneak in the snarky spray while you can, usually under the radar. by the way, always make sure it's cool before spraying on one of the opposite gender, that can get a lot more messy than any cc shitfest real quick.

 

stay safe boys.

[Coldfinger]

Well the lesson might be don't post pics here like they do over at MP, I have to admit I just knew where that was going to end up Jon.

[Buckaroo]

I think you are right if you are on a majority of low angle slopes. Once you get 40deg or steeper though you might want a shorter axe.

 

I have a 70 that I would use on one of the Rainier walk ups like DC cleaver or the Emmons but I want my 50's for something like Liberty Ridge.

 

In some cases I've taken both a 70 and a 50. I don't climb the volcanoes as much as I used to so the 70 has been collecting dust.

[Fromage]

Thanks to the spray clowns for reminding me why I almost never post to this site. Well done.

 

Back to your sandboxes now.

 

Translation (blurted in clipped nasal whine of Cartman on South Park):

 

Screw you guys, I'm going home.

[JBC]

In 16 years of climbing mountains I have not found a single advantage to a longer ice axe.

 

Long axes are FAR superior when chopping steps while descending. You can reach below your feet to chop the step without having to lean over so much! So there!

 

To answer the obvious question - in 35 years of climbing I have had to chop steps while descending exactly - ONCE. I hope to never have to do it again, long or short axe!

[KaskadskyjKozak]

 

On moderate slopes <35 degrees I am never worried about sliding and not arresting - I am worried about being bored to death. I use trekking poles to spread out the effort onto two legs and two arms. On slopes greater than 35 degrees my traditional 65 cm or 57 cm BD venom work great. I am 5'9. I'd never buy anything longer than 65 cm.