Choosing The Proper Ice Climbing Equipment For Mountaineering
Games Guy | December 28, 2011
There are few sights more beautiful on this whole earth than of a mountain in winter with a perfect blanket of snow. Just seeing mountains in this state gets my heart racing and I know that come winter time I plan to be out as much as I can walking, climbing and skiing. But being safe on mountains entails a fair bit of preparation. Much of it actually is about having the right abilities to survive.
Every year folks die in enormous numbers in the great mountain ranges of the Earth. Some get caught out in stormy weather. Others fall. And avalanches also extract a fair toll. So before heading out you need to know what your talents are and what their limits are too. Do not push the boundaries of your understanding too far or you could potentially find yourself in a troublesome situation that's beyond you.
Safety on the mountains is also about having the right gear. I will get to ice axes in a minute, but always be sure to have water and a little food with you as well as clothing that will defend you if conditions turn bad. If you are in landslide country you have to have a shovel and avalanche beacons. And if crossing steep snow or ice you've got to have an ice axe. I guess that in a real emergency any old one would do, but ideally you'll have the correct one for your sport. For principally walking you need a reasonably long one.
For mixed mountaineering a mid-length alpine ice axe is quite flexible. Only go for an intense technical tool if you are essentially planning to do real ice climbing. Beyond just having the right clobber you also need to be skilled in using it. So practise at home and practise again when you hit the mountains or slopes. Also be certain that you've got the right perspective. It is a mental state of being prepared to do what is needed to return home.
Whether or not that's surviving extraordinary conditions, or turning back early if you suspect they may develop, it's your psychological preparedness that's your surest source of safety in the mountains.
You can read more about finding an ice tool and practising self-arrest methods on my site, which has reviews and articles on mountaineering and ice axes.