[pct-l] ice axe

[Paul Robison]

That depends entirely on the size of your own balls, as well as your start date, the years snowpack, and your comfortability around ice

~outpost


Sent from my iPod

On 2011-01-31, at 5:57 PM, Brandon McGinnity <bmcginnity at gmail.com> wrote:

> I know there's lots of opinions here, but is an ice axe really necessary? I
> wasn't going to use one, instead depending on my trekking poles, but I'm
> beginning to think I should reconsider.
> -Moccasin
> 
> 
> 
> On Mon, Jan 31, 2011 at 4:56 PM, Brandon McGinnity <bmcginnity at gmail.com>wrote:
> 
>> I know there's lots of opinions here, but is an ice axe really necessary? I
>> wasn't going to use one, instead depending on my trekking poles, but I'm
>> beginning to think I should reconsider.
>> -Moccasin
>> 
>>  On Mon, Jan 31, 2011 at 1:49 PM, Jason Moores <jmmoores1 at gmail.com>wrote:
>> 
>>> Normally I trend towards ultra-light equipment/hiking but when it comes to
>>> an ice axe I carry a 75cm. What I've found is that I use the axe more for
>>> stability than for self arrest concerns. An ice axe left on your pack is
>>> just dead weight. If I'm going to have one in my hand, instead of a
>>> trekking
>>> pole, I want something that is going to be useful. While trudging uphill
>>> through the snow I am able to plant the axe in front of me and use it as
>>> leverage, downhill it provides a better bite than my trekking pole.
>>> Normally
>>> I only carry one trekking pole but if I'm to spend long hours on the snow
>>> I
>>> want a second point of contact. When I consider the weight of a second
>>> trekking pole along with the weight of say a 55cm ice axe, the near
>>> uselessness of a short axe from preventing a fall in the first place and
>>> the
>>> overall usefulness of a longer axe, it becomes an easy decision for me. Of
>>> course, I would prefer to leave the axe in my closet next to a dusty bear
>>> canister, but if I need the tool to provide for a safer hike...I'll carry
>>> it. What's the point of reducing my pack weight to sub-eight pounds if I
>>> can't add a little extra safety gear without suffering unduly.
>>> 
>>> Jackass
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>> 
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> ~ Moccasin
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> ~ Moccasin
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