[pct-l] Length of ice ax

[CMountainDave@xxxxxxx (CMountainDave@xxxxxxx)]

Measure the distance from the ground to about 6 inches above your kneecap.
However, if you only intend to use it for crossing snow on the PCT, I would
(and did) use the lightest one I could find and forget about the length
  I notice that the Mountaineers have banned the use of very light weight
titanium ice axes on their climbs, presumably because they don't have enough
heft to them to penetrate hard snow during self arrest. But then again some
people tend to overanalyze. I very much prefer my lightweight titanium one
  Contrary to common belief, the main purpose of an ice ax is to keep you
from falling in the first place by providing balance and/or a hand hold when
crossing  or ascending steep snow. Of course, it is inevitable that you will
eventually slip and fall, and then the self arrest aspect comes into play
when a handhold alone isn't sufficient enough to stop you.
 On moderate slopes with a safe runout, I actually prefer to hold the ax on
the downhill side. That is not the way it is taught, however. I have even
used it as a handhold by slamming it into the ground  or log above an awkward
 4 foot bench step