Re: [pct-l] Self Arrest & Frostbite

["Joanne Lennox" <goforth@cio.net>]

Well, I believe that one should use the feet in self arresting.  

Does that mean that that one will cartwheel if you use your feet? Depends.

The sign of a poor or non-existent ice ax self arrest, is that the belly is
"tobbagoning" on the snow. The back needs an arch in order to drive both
the ice ax and feet into the snow.  In soft steep snow, an ice ax alone
will not necessarily stop a fall.  You have to use your feet too. 
Unfortunately,steep slopes are also the circumstances where cartwheeling,
which can be very dangerous, are most likely to happen.  The next time you
are on soft snow, drive the pick into the snow, and drag it along to see
exactly how much resistence develops. Notice how the resistence changes
depending on how you change the angle of the pick( this almost depends on
the "droop" of the pick and the general conformation of the ice ax).
Imagine the same when you have gained a lot more speed after a slip.

The exception is when you have crampons on.   WHEN YOU HAVE CRAMPONS ON,
YOU DO NOT USE YOUR FEET BUT RATHER YOUR KNEES.( you still  need an anchor
point in your lower body to pull your belly off the surface of the snow)

Ice ax self arrest takes practice - practice to avoid cartwheeling and a
douzen other pitfalls.

Goforth
----------
> From: Bighummel@aol.com
> To: pct-l@edina.hack.net
> Subject: [pct-l] Self Arrest & Frostbite
> Date: Thursday, January 20, 2000 12:32 AM
> 
> In a message dated 01/18/2000 9:27:00 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
> Montedodge@aol.com writes:
> 
> << When falling 
>  into your ice axe arrest, your toes go a long ways in also stopping a
slip 
> by 
>  digging in.  >>
> 
> DON'T make this mistake!  If you are sliding downhill, feet first and dig

> your toes or heels in, you will cartwheel headfirst down!  ONLY use your
feet 
> to steer and as a last resort if the snow/ice that you're sliding on is 
> sliding with you.
> 
> I still have two toes that have no feeling from frostbite on my '77 hike.
 
> Keeping your feet dry and warm are a concern in early spring in the
Sierras.  
> Take it seriously, the consequences can be permanent!
> 
> Greg "Strider" Hummel
> * From the PCT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *
* From the PCT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *

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