Talking point why we use smaller ice axes now
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ค. 2023
- Every now and again I see folks on volcanoes with really long ice axe shafts, for the most part they usually just get in the way when they're on the backpack and catch on tree branches and other stuff. For the most part we don't need axes that long any more, especially if you have trekking poles, so here are some reasons why all the modern climbers have smaller axes now.
patron: / ryantilleyclimbinganda...
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I got a bit of a chuckle out of this discussion of “short” axes. Back in the good ole’ days, my technical ice tools were Chouinard X-tools…a 60cm axe paired with a 45cm hammer (they came in a wide range of lengths). An odd combination, but the different lengths allowed placements at different levels, which made dinner-plating your placement with the other tool a little less likely. I climbed a lot of tough New England routes with this setup…complete with wrist leashes! Things sure have changed! I like my more modern, matched 50cm tools, but I can’t say they let me climb any harder than my original setup. Maybe being 55 years old rather than 25 makes a difference too!
This may be extreme but I've been using a 35cm DMM Flux and I'm not gonna lie it's been a blast, for Scottish speed mountaineering where the days are short enough to be jogging winter peaks it's a blessing to be carrying a much shorter axe and using it for super simple Grade 1 ascents. It has its downsides but it works as a safety tool and after a few practice self arrests it feels more practical over the initial novelty of a 35cm "walking axe"
North ridge of Baker, I know a guide who onsighted that! ;) -Syl
I notice that none of your glacier axes have a leash. What is your take on that?
If you want to put a leash on your harness while climbing a glacier there's nothing really wrong with that. I find that most of the time if I drop my axe it won't go to far while on an easy glacier, I will still use leashes for long alpine or ice routes where it would really suck to drop my axes. The same rule applies for mountaineering, if I'm worried about loosing my axe if I drop it and that'll be a huge issue then I'll add in a leash, it just not something I use all the time.
I always carry a short axe like the sum tec because my duffel bag for travel is not long enough for a longer ice axe 😂😂😂 by the way I did a two day baker climb with northwest, had a great time!
Climbing baker with NW alpine guides sept 1-3! Haha any chance you’ll be my guide? I’ve been watching your vids for a while man! Have learned a ton, I originally had a 66cm axe but I’ll be bringing my 55cm. Thank you!
nice video, what about places with no snow/ice and stiff terrain with a lot of lose rocks and small bushes, do you recommend an axe? i got injured using a walking stick 😔
That's a tough call, I would go with the walking stick personally. I don't think an ice axe would have any use in that terrain and you could just injure yourself more if you fell on it.
Seems like it would be difficult to self arrest with a trekking people if someone on your rope team falls in a crevasse on one of those non technical routes on Rainier or Baker. Or do you use a whippet trekking pole?
I always carry an ice axe when I’m on a glacier, I just don’t use it as a walking stick. So if my team member falls into a crevasse I’ll throw the pole away and go into self arrest with the ice axe, I only have the trekking pole to make walking easier and becuase of that I don’t need my ice axe to be longer to use as a cane on that more flat terrain. Hope that clears things up!
The ice axe is it good for self defence?
Why would you need it for self defense?
How tall are you, Ryan?
I'm like 5' 9"
@@ryantilley9063good to know. At 6’5”, that gives me a 55cm axe for the same proportion to my body. (For the less technical ones. For true steep climbing, I’ll stick with the 1 available size).
Lighter = faster = safer