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[pct-l] glissading
Another facet of mountaineering that makes use of the feet to slow down is
glissading. Any one with minimal knowledge of glissading will tell you that
it is a natural thing to use your feet to brake and control your speed. The
ice ax used as a rudder helps too, and helps you retain control, but it is
the feet that really slow you down when you need to slow down. It's just like
a car. Feet: regular brake. Ice ax: hand brake. The two best glissades I ever
had were 1- on Mt Rainier. All the way from Steamboat prow near Camp Shurman
to just above Glacier Basin in one slide a 5000 foot + drop (Yes legalists, I
know, It's a no no to glissade on a glacier, but the situation was it was
early June with at least four feet over the permanent ice. There was a
glissade chute already present and I dare anyone who loves to glissade to
resist the temptation, strict legalists excluded from the fun, of course.) 2.
Mt. Adams from near the summit down to lunch counter a 4000 + drop. Talk
about a real gas!! Better than anything Mr. Disney has to offer. Novices:
when glissading make sure you hold the ice ax so that if it catches and snaps
back towards your head for any reason your knuckles will hit your face
instead of the adze or pick. I saw this happen to a woman once, but
apparently she was right with the mountain because she only got a slightly
chipped tooth. We teased and called this wonderful person snaggletooth from
then on.
Joanne - you peak bagging wonder you (she has 500 + summits) how about
some sage advice on how to glissade for newbies?