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[pct-l] Ice Axe Questions
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Hi!
This is more of a general mountaineering question than a PCT one, but =
I'll ask it anyway!
I'm looking for three things:
(1) some advice on ice axe length.
(2) some info on ice axe pick designs
(3) a source for a snow basket for an ice axe
Background:
I'm looking for a general mountaineering ice axe as opposed to a "just =
in case" axe that will spend most of its time on my pack. I'd like to =
avoid carrying both an axe and poles, so I want to get one that I can =
lean on without leaning over :-). I currently own a 74cm ice axe that =
is really too small for this purpose... when I put my plastic boots on =
and hold the axe by my side the end of the spike is about 7 inches off =
the ground... adding that to the length of the axe suggests that a 90cm =
axe would be about right (going by the "just touch the ground" =
standard).
Now, a 90cm axe is a LONG ice axe. Why it would size out that way is =
beyond me... I'm only 6' 2" tall, which hardly qualifies me as a giant. =
As far as I can tell only a few axes are even made in that length, and =
one person I talked to at a local shop felt that an axe that long would =
be rather unwieldly and suggested ordering something a bit shorter =
(maybe 80 or 85cm). Any thoughts?
Also, as I cruised the web looking at axes I managed to get myself =
seriously confused. Apparently there are two types of pick tip designs. =
These are described as having positive clearance and negative =
clearance. In a positive tip design, the tip of the pick angles away =
from the shaft of the axe... kind of like this:
____________
/_____ _____|
| |
In a negative tip design, the pick angles towards the shaft, like this:
____________
\____ _____|
| |
Now, the ice axe info at REI says that a postive clearance design is =
better for self arrest and that a negative clearance design is better =
for overhead hooking in ice climbing. On the other hand, Climbing =
magazine's online site =
(http://climbing.com/Pages/equipment/equipment-194.html) argues that a =
negative tip design is superior because the postive tip can catch in =
hard snow and yank the axe away... they state that a postive tip is used =
for vertical ice tools. Since these statements seem almost completely =
contradictory, I guess I'm feeling confusted. I don't even know how =
important this is! Anyway, I'm searching for facts, pointers, and =
opinions!
Finally, for snow travel the idea of a snow basket on the spike of the =
ice axe seems like a great idea. I think someone on this list mentioned =
seeing one, and I saw it mentioned in "Mountaineering: Freedom of the =
Hills." Unfortunately, I can't find any references to one on the web. =
If someone knows of a source for these things I would really like to =
know.
Thanks.
-- Jim Mayer
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hi!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>This is more of a general =
mountaineering question=20
than a PCT one, but I'll ask it anyway!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I'm looking for three =
things:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>(1) some advice on ice axe =
length.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>(2) some info on ice axe pick =
designs</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>(3) a source for a snow basket for an =
ice=20
axe</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Background:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I'm looking for a general =
mountaineering ice axe as=20
opposed to a "just in case" axe that will spend most of its time on my=20
pack. I'd like to avoid carrying both an axe and poles, so I want =
to get=20
one that I can lean on without leaning over :-). I currently own a =
74cm=20
ice axe that is really too small for this purpose... when I put my =
plastic boots=20
on and hold the axe by my side the end of the spike is about 7 inches =
off the=20
ground... adding that to the length of the axe suggests that a 90cm axe =
would be=20
about right (going by the "just touch the ground" =
standard).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Now, a 90cm axe is a LONG ice =
axe. Why it=20
would size out that way is beyond me... I'm only 6' 2" tall, which =
hardly=20
qualifies me as a giant. As far as I can tell only a few axes are =
even=20
made in that length, and one person I talked to at a local shop felt =
that an axe=20
that long would be rather unwieldly and suggested ordering something a =
bit=20
shorter (maybe 80 or 85cm). Any thoughts?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Also, as I cruised the web looking at =
axes I=20
managed to get myself seriously confused. Apparently there are two =
types=20
of pick tip designs. These are described as having positive =
clearance=20
and negative clearance. In a positive tip design, the tip of the =
pick=20
angles away from the shaft of the axe... kind of like this:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> =
____________</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> /_____ =
_____|</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> =20
| |</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In a negative tip design, the pick =
angles towards=20
the shaft, like this:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> =
____________</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> \____ =20
_____|</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2> &nbs=
p; |=20
|</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Now, the ice axe info at REI says that =
a postive=20
clearance design is better for self arrest and that a negative =
clearance=20
design is better for overhead hooking in ice climbing. On the =
other=20
hand, Climbing magazine's online site (<A=20
href=3D"http://climbing.com/Pages/equipment/equipment-194.html";>http://cl=
imbing.com/Pages/equipment/equipment-194.html</A>)=20
argues that a negative tip design is superior because the postive tip =
can catch=20
in hard snow and yank the axe away... they state that a postive tip is =
used for=20
vertical ice tools. Since these statements seem almost completely=20
contradictory, I guess I'm feeling confusted. I don't even know =
how=20
important this is! Anyway, I'm searching for facts, pointers, and=20
opinions!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Finally, for snow travel the idea of a =
snow basket=20
on the spike of the ice axe seems like a great idea. I think =
someone on=20
this list mentioned seeing one, and I saw it mentioned in =
"Mountaineering:=20
Freedom of the Hills." Unfortunately, I can't find any references =
to one=20
on the web. If someone knows of a source for these things I would =
really=20
like to know.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thanks.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>-- Jim Mayer</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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