[pct-l] Good Ice Axe

[Bighummel at aol.com (Bighummel@xxxxxxx)]

Accidents do and have happened with and without an ice axe on the PCT.  In 
1978 I mentored a PCT aspiring thru-hiker.  He left the trail in Yosemite when 
walking along carrying his ice axe as a walking stick he kicked a rock, lost 
his balance and fell upon the pick of the ice axe.  Dumb luck, fate, whatever 
you want to call it, an ice axe is a dangerous tool and if not used with caution 
can and will hurt you.  However, without it you MAY LOOSE YOUR LIFE, as did 
the good doctor in 1999 who choose to vacate the snowy high Sierra without an 
ice axe over Army Pass (new or old, I can't recall).  He slipped on steep ice 
and sustained injuries beyond his ability to recover or be rescued.

An ice axe wrist loop has saved me on a self arrest and many, many others.  
It should not be discounted due to one or two accidents in which a wrist loop 
caused an ice axe injury.  I'd rather have the slim opportunity when in a fall 
and being stuck with the pick, to regain control of the axe and save my life 
before plunging into the rocks or over the cliff.

Mountain Dave gives good advice though.  Learn how to use one.  Learn how to 
use one.  It rates repeating . . . Learn how to use one.

IMHO,

Greg

In a message dated 12/20/2003 6:04:07 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
CMountainDave@aol.com writes:
Now that I've scared all the newbies, remember that the likelihood of being 
injured by your ax on the PCT is extremely remote, especially if you enter 
the 
Sierra post melt out.