[pct-l] Ice Axe, Crampons, Grippers, Ice Stabilizers.

[Rebecca Williams <rebecca_pct@usa.net>]

I've heard alot of talk about crampons & ice axes etc.
But no one has seemed to mention any alternatives. 
I plan on carring an ice axe all the way b'c that's the only thing
you can do self arrest with. However, I also plan on carrying either
grippers or ice stablizers. Grippers might also be called instep crampons.
(But they are not technically crampons.)
They will fit on any hiking boot & might work fine on running shoes too.
They have four points and are smaller & lighter and easier to use than
crampons. (Imagine something about the length and width of a bar
of soap with a metal point going down at each corner & now add some straps
onto that that you can tie over your shoe & around your heel.) I've used them
once & they make a huge difference on ice. I haven't found a place
to buy these from yet, but I know they exist b'c I've used rented ones
from the MIT outing club here in Boston. Another option which I've recently
tried out is ice stabilizers. They could easily be made
at home by someone who had some metal working tools.
(I'm a city girl, so I just went to REI & paid $7 for them.) They are basicaly
a piece of metal strapped to the bottom of your shoe with the four corners
bent downwards ... you get 4 little mini spikes that dig
into hard snow or ice so you can walk across an icy parking lot w/out killing
yourself. I've used these too. These would even work with 
teevas & socks. They are not nearly as great as
grippers but they are very small & it makes enough of a difference that
you can comfortably stand or walk on a patch of ice & not feel like you might
fall flat on your face.

-r
rebecca_pct@usa.net

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