Adze ice axe5/10/2023 This hole is also where you would attach a leash. (More on the benefits of adzes and hammers later.)Ĭarabiner hole: As its name suggests, you can use the hole at the top of the axe/tool to attach it to a carabiner on your harness for safe keeping. Ice tools will either have an adze or a hammer. On a mountaineering axe, the pick is also the part used during a self arrest.Īdze/hammer: Mountaineering axes always have an adze opposite the pick. Pick: The pick of an ice tool is the part you swing into the ice. Shafts are typically made of aluminum, steel, or carbon. Shaft: As previously mentioned, mountaineering axes have straight shafts (though some models do incorporate a slight curve) and ice tools have curved shafts. (Some ice tools don’t have one since walking is not the primary use.) Spike: Found on all mountaineering axes and some ice tools, the spike is a sharp metal point, and helps maintain balance when walking on ice. Ice Axe Anatomyīefore we go any further, here’s a brief lesson on the anatomy of ice axes and tools. A curved shaft allows for a much more efficient swing, and makes it easier to get good pick placement in the ice. ![]() In addition to be shorter, technical ice tools also feature curved shafts. The straight shaft of a mountaineering axe also provides much better leverage for more efficient self arrest. ![]() Mountaineering axes are much longer than ice tools since they are used primarily for traversing across less-steep terrain (almost like a cane or more aggressive trekking pole) or as a snow anchor. The biggest difference between the two types of ice tools is, coincidentally, how big they are. While many people use “ice axe” loosely to describe the tools used for both mountaineering and vertical ice/mixed climbing, they technically have different names axes used for technical ice climbing are actually called “ice tools” rather than ice axes. Not all ice axes are created equal, however, and the axe you’d need for a mountaineering trip is quite different from the one you’d need for a day of technical ice climbing. No matter which image comes to mind first, you’re right-both scenarios require the use of ice axes. When you hear the term “ice axe,” what do you think of? Do you imagine a mountaineer traversing an epic, snow-covered alpine route, using his axe in a cane-like fashion on his way to the summit? Or do you picture a climber meticulously working her way up a frozen waterfall, carefully placing each of her two axes in the ice before moving her feet up and kicking in with her crampons as she moves toward the top?
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