[pct-l] Alpenstocks and Self-Arrest Poles

Thu Nov 19 20:39:02 CST 2009

I'm not quite sure what AsABat was using, but he said it was an Alpenstaff, 
which was a stout stick with an iron point at the end. If you have nothing 
else, to jamb the point into the snow/ice to affect a self-arrest is the 
right thing to do, but because of the leverage on the shaft while doing so, 
the stick is likely to break.

I don't really think AsABat would take another up on the mountain the next 
time!

For all practical purposes, the choice for the thru hiker would be one of 
the following,

The Life-Link Guide, Variant, or Mountain Lily ski poles
http://www.garmontusa.com/310003.html

and the accessory http://www.garmontusa.com/390001.html , "The Claw" work 
well in the backcountry, and
their accessory baskets are worth mentioning, either the larger, "Snowflake" 
http://www.garmontusa.com/390009.html or the "Snag-Proof" Basket are 
preferred in soft snow or ice

http://www.garmontusa.com/390013.html

Or, the Black Diamond Whippet self-arrest pole
http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/ski/ski-poles/whippet-self-arrest-pole

Reviews:

We have used both for years up and down the snowy Sierra. Both perform well.

The B-D used to convert back to a regular hiking stick, idea for thru hikers 
before, during (convert), and after (convert back) the Sierra.

Now, the Life-Link is the only one that advertises this ability. This design 
was first sold by Paul Ramer back in the late '70s and early '80s and is now 
a product of Life-Link. We love this handle because of its flat, wide top, 
which is great for pushing against and sitting on when resting. The narrow 
steel top of the B-D is a little hard on the bare hands of the Spring 
traveler.

Mtnned
Mountain Education

Please review our Forum on Postholer for other very important advice 
regarding Snow Travel
http://postholer.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=25

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Reinhold Metzger" <reinholdmetzger at cox.net>
To: "AsABat" <asabat at 4jeffrey.net>
Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>; <ned at pacificcrestcustombuilders.com>; "Hiker97" 
<hiker97 at aol.com>; "Deems" <losthiker at sisqtel.net>; "MONTE DODGE" 
<montedodge at msn.com>; "scott williamson" <duckface99 at gmail.com>; "joseph 
kisner" <lostonthecrest at hotmail.com>; "Stephen" <reddirt2 at earthlink.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 12:41 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] The foolish things hikers do on Mt. Whitney

> As ABat,
> DUMB  LUCK???........I  RESENT  THAT!!!
> It was not dumb luck,.....it was precise execution of a superior strategy 
> by an older and wiser  "Sierra Wise"  backpacker.
>
> Speaking of dumb luck,......you surviving your out of control slide down 
> the ice chute on Mt. Whitney using a broom instead of an ice ax, and then 
> hanging on to dear life by your pack straps, was certainly more the result 
> of dumb luck than precise planing.
>
> I wonder what Ned"s opinion is on using a broom for arrest purposes?
>
> Although, I must compliment you on your choice of pack.....the external 
> frame with sturdy shoulder straps.....for had you been carrying a flimsy 
> UL internal frame, the shoulder straps, for sure, would have ripped out 
> and you would not have survived the ensuing crash.....that broom would not 
> have arrested you, no matter how hard you tried.
>
> There probably would be a  "Head Stone"  now at the crash site with the 
> following inscription:
> R I P...AsABat
> Here rests a brave but foolish backpacker, who foolishly substituted a 
> broom for the ice ax.
>
> With this my friends, I will now sign off and retreat back to my roots to 
> do what I do best, devote my time to explore the wilderness, rather than 
> talk about the wilderness.
> Hope to see you all on the trail someday.....until then  "Happy  Trails"
>
> JMT Reinhold
> Your hopelessly in love with the " JMT " trail companion
> ------------------------------------------
>
> AsABat wrote:
>> Riiiight...
>>  First, it wasn't a "broom", it was what was called an alpenstaff. I got 
>> the plans from an old mountaineering book. It worked well going up, 
>> breaking only when I used it for a purpose it wasn't designed for, and it 
>> wasn't needed going down given that the "chute" was a square two feet 
>> wide and two feet deep (from the external pack frames cutting into the 
>> snow, I'm sure you remember external frames), so I wasn't going anywhere 
>> but down to a clear runout.
>>  As for "foolish things," I've heard some on Whitney have:
>>  - got caught in the hut, during a white-out, on the eve of a JMT 
>> fast-packs and could not find the way back to the hut, having to 
>> criss-cross the summit half a dozen times to finally find their way back 
>> to the hut through sheer dumb luck......
>>  - during a violent thunder storm abandoning the hut (good move) and 
>> seeking refuge in a cave like crevice 100 - 200 feet from the hut (bad 
>> move) ...reasoning was,  for sure the lightning would strike the metal 
>> roof and the lightning rods before it would strike me, huddled in the 
>> cave, as all literature written since the lightning rods were installed 
>> recommend NOT going in caves and overhangs during a thunderstorm
>>  - spent hours sitting on the "Throne" admiring the view and pretending 
>> to be King Arthur, King of the mountain, sitting on my  "Throne", 
>> selfishly preventing anyone else from using the facilities, resulting in 
>> the area becoming a cesspool and finally resulting in the requirement to 
>> use a wag bag.
>>  Ok, I'm done and out of here for a couple weeks.
>>  AsABat
>>
>
>
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