Three Specific Questions On Ice Axe

[DayTrip]

Great follow up answers and links all. Thanks.

One thing that still does not seem right to me is the way people fall in these videos. I would think when you are traversing a slope and have the axe in uphill hand and slip you would slide down the slope away from the axe so it is extended out away from you. In the videos they always seem to conveniently fall down on the axe. I've fallen in snowshoes and downhill skis in this manner and was never fortunate enough to land the way they seem to in video. I'll be curious to practice and see for myself.

Good info. Thanks.

 

[DougPaul]

One thing that still does not seem right to me is the way people fall in these videos. I would think when you are traversing a slope and have the axe in uphill hand and slip you would slide down the slope away from the axe so it is extended out away from you. In the videos they always seem to conveniently fall down on the axe. I've fallen in snowshoes and downhill skis in this manner and was never fortunate enough to land the way they seem to in video. I'll be curious to practice and see for myself.

Practice to develop the reflex--one hand should already be on the head and you should learn to get the other hand on the shaft before it is out of reach. Otherwise do your best to get full control of the axe--failure will result in an inability to arrest.

Doug

 

[Chip]

To reinforce this point, I'll add that before venturing onto a slope that requires using an ice axe,
the climber should evaluate the consequences of falling at that location if a self arrest is not successful.
In some cases, use of a rope and belaying is appropriate.

I like jfb's response a lot.
99.9%: You should NOT FALL to begin with. This is more complicated than it seems as it has to do with preparation:
Some is mechanical, but most is physical for the winter. If you're tired, you're at risk.
If you fall in an area that could kill you, an ax might help, but a rope or not making that crossing definitely will.

I'd be happy to go to an area in the NW Whites to practice self arrest with anyone who wants to.
I'm not there all the time, but if you PM me here, we could arrange something. Practicing is fun and valuable.

 

[Chip]

In the videos they always seem to conveniently fall down on the axe.
I've fallen in snowshoes and downhill skis in this manner and was never fortunate enough to land the way they seem to in video..

Right. Upside down and backwards is a strong potential and something that can be practiced. It's not the same as the standard slip flip and plant.

 

[DayTrip]

I like jfb's response a lot.
99.9%: You should NOT FALL to begin with. This is more complicated than it seems as it has to do with preparation:
Some is mechanical, but most is physical for the winter. If you're tired, you're at risk.
If you fall in an area that could kill you, an ax might help, but a rope or not making that crossing definitely will.

I'd be happy to go to an area in the NW Whites to practice self arrest with anyone who wants to.
I'm not there all the time, but if you PM me here, we could arrange something. Practicing is fun and valuable.

Well that would certainly be appreciated and worthy of purchasing a few beers as payment (after the practice of course). My trips to NH are fairly impulsive and last minute due to my schedule but I'll keep you in mind. Thanks.

 

[sierra]

It ain't rocket science. Stick the long pointy end deep in the snow, and you've got a hand-hold. If you start to slide, put the curvy pointy part into the snow and HANG ON TIGHT. The best way to do that is illustrated in various places mentioned above. It's crucial to arrest IMMEDIATELY, so go to your local sledding hill and practice... a lot. Backwards, upside down, with a big backpack on, with a running start, etc. You'll quickly discover what works and what doesn't.

There are some little tricks regarding leash management - don't make the leash too long (your hand should stay on the shaft if you slide it down), make sure you've got an easy-to-grab-with-mittens-on mechanism for releasing the leash so you can change hands,...

You can easily make your own leash with a bit of cord.

One last tip is to tightly wrap the head of the axe with a thin cord (while leaving the point and adze free). This will give you better grip and will also make an amazing difference in keeping you warm by insulating your hand from the cold metal.

I couldnt agree more, I think your overthinking this. You have a basic understanding of how to do it, just find a steep short hill and practice. Then hike on steep trails up north and practice. Its one of those skills many dont practice enough because the actually need for it is small. I have needed to self arrest only twice. Once I did an amazing skillfull job, I looked like a Pro. Once, I caught my crampons, flipped over the tool left my hand and I stopped using my hands and feet over about 100ft, not my best moment, but it all happens fast, at least I lived.