[pct-l] Re: Ice Axe and Grippers

[Greg Hummel <ghummel@hydrogenburner.com>]

Rebecca / PCTL,

Re: Ice axe and grippers.

In 1977 I used this strategy.  I had instructions to buy and ship full
crampons (and snow shoes if necessary) to me in the event that when I
reached the Sierra I felt they would be necessary.  77 was an extremely dry
year, like 99 may be shaping up to be (standard liability releasing
statements apply here), and I entered the Sierra with ice axe and instep
crampons, grippers.  I used the grippers at Forrester Pass and on a few
other occasions.  The ice axe enabled me to get across Forrester and a 15
foot vertical wall of ice at the pass (recounted here before, I simply
refuse to repeat myself intentionally, although I probably do
un-intentionally all the time!) by cutting foot and hand holds and the
grippers kept my boots in the foot holds and on the solid ice surfaces all
over the passes.  I would have liked to have full crampons, but the weight
consideration is up to the individual and I opted not.  

BTW, I tired of carrying the ice axe once I passed the snow around Northern
Yosemite and sent it home at Lake Tahoe.

Greg "Strider" Hummel  
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