The anatomy of an ice axe can be broken down into four main parts: the head, the shaft, the grip, and the spike. These “hybrid” or “alpine” axes are excellent for long jaunts into the high backcountry where one may encounter anything from snowfields to steep ice. To that end they will usually take on the qualities of both mountaineering axes and ice tools in incremental degrees. The spectrum of options that exists between mountaineering axes and ice tools is difficult to define, but they are invariably designed for utility and efficiency. For steep ice from Crawford Notch to Stony Clove, a pair of technical ice tools is the way to go. The most common set-ups you’ll see in a pair of ice tools are adze/hammer or just picks. The head of an ice tool is asymmetrical, and may or may not have an adze or a hammer opposite the pick. Aside from being used in pairs, the principal difference between ice tools and other types of ice axes is the aggressive pick and a curved shaft-both designed with steep terrain in mind and more overhead swinging into hard ice than plunging the staff into snow. Ice tools main function is climbing steep, technical ice. If you’re looking to tackle Mount Washington’s Lion Head Winter Route, a mountaineering axe is what you’re after. These days, the shafts have gotten shorter and some deploy a bit of a curve, but the intent of their design is the same: During non-technical travel on glaciers and high alpine snowfields, they are incredibly useful as a third point-of-contact, for building anchors, and for self-arresting after a fall. When most folks think of an ice axe, what they picture is a traditional mountaineering axe: an asymmetric head, with a curved pick on one end and an adze on the other, mounted atop a long, straight shaft that ends with a sharp point. While the options out there may seem overwhelming, a little bit of background on the anatomy of an ice axe is all you need to find the right one for your objectives.īroadly speaking, there are three types of ice axes: mountaineering axes, technical ice tools, and a spectrum of semi-technical axes covering everything in-between. They are a critical tool for safety and stability in steep winter terrain and open the floodgates to bigger mountain objectives. Whether you’re a rock climber thinking about giving ice a try, a winter hiker looking to greater heights, or a skier with eyes on deeper backcountry, you’re going to need an ice axe to take it to that next level.
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