Ice Axe length
Original post
What's a good ice axe length in relation to alpine tramping?
I need a new axe.
My one is quite a few years old, wooden shaft 85cm long. I like its length as it is easy to use as a walking stick. I have never had any problems when I have practiced self arresting and for most times just sticking it in has stopped the slide. (I once took a tumble but I can quite remember what happened) A climbing mate at work laughs at me wanting a long axe but I am thinking I don't want to go to short, I was thinking 70 or 75cm. What do other alpine trampers have?
14 comments
11–14 of 14
Page: 12
^ what 1strider, and then Wayno said. Unless you want to save weight, then get a shorter one.
btw in nz, snow will ball up all the time, even with 'anti ball' plates..
p.s if your ice axe has a wooden shaft, hang it on the wall, its where it belongs now.. :)
Oh, pipeking. I recall doing an ice climbing course with Pat Deavoll as the instructor. I showed her my treasured collection of titanium ice screws and she said, "hang on to those, they'll be good for a museum soon". So deflated - they weren't that old, I'd thought.
haha classic.
I had a few of those old hammer in aluminium screws that I had acquired from garage sales etc they called them 'snargs' similar to a warthog but hollow. Anyway, I had concluded to myself these were pretty much useless until I climbed in the Darrans with an old scotts man. He was frothing on these things, they were soft so they mushed into cracks and holes kinda like a piton.
I gave them to him anyway, hopefully he got some use out of them.
warthogs!! ... I remember warthogs ... used to jam them behind snowflakes and larks foot a bit off old rope off em .... we used to dream about snargs and get up half an hour before the rest went to bed so 's to get on the face while there was still water to freeze ... arrr ..but tell that to young climbers of today ... :-)
11–14 of 14
Page: 12
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| Forum | Tracks, routes, and huts |
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| Started by | nzpixie |
| On | 18 June 2015 |
| Replies | 13 |
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