[pct-l] Bouncing Crampons

[Montedodge@aol.com (Montedodge@aol.com)]

 The only way these will bounce off the ice is if you throw them at about 10 
yards aways!! Joan is a very experienced Mt. Gal and I value her words. These 
crampons though do a very good job on even hard ice. All crampons must be 
sharp to work well on hard ice and these babies are twice the crampons I saw 
others use on Adams this August. Morning snowfields were as black ice with 
their constant freezing , thawing and refreezing. It would be tough to " Kick 
steps" in this snow, yet these crampons strapped to a pair of 804's blew the 
minds ( and smurks) off all the climbers in their plastic " Rental" boots 
with lock  on crampons. Steel crampons may hold up better and out last the 
alum. ones, but weigh twice as much and are over kill for a thru-hiker. These 
ultralight crampons though weigh less the many instep jobbies and have twice 
the traction. Frozen icy snow and running shoes spell a lot of wasted forward 
energy. The whole crampon thing depends on there being snow to the sierras in 
the first place.  If there's no snow, skip crampons, if there is or your 
early, you want them!!!!!! Trust me on this one!