[pct-l] Pct-l Digest, Vol 3, Issue 79

[Arno Holschuh]

Mark,
I'm kind of having the same dilemma. I bought a Black Diamond Whippet self-arrest trekking pole for the Sierras, based on my last trek through there. But last time was a light snow year, and now I'm wondering about getting crampons and a real ax. Not that this answers your question, but just know that I too am pretty conflicted about this stuff.    
Message: 13
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:32:11 -0700 (PDT)
From: mark v <allemande6 at yahoo.com>
Subject: [pct-l] What would you do?  Ice axe and crampons, still
	befuddled.
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Message-ID: <420106.35063.qm at web53908.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
 
 
So with the Sierra snowpack looking average at this 
point, i'm wondering who would be planning on bringing
ice axe, crampons, or both.
 
It sounds like axe but no spikes is standard.  I have
crampons and was looking forward to using them, since
i've always felt sure with them and they make it so 
you can steamroll up slopes early before the sun makes
things slow or posthole-y.  But, they're heavy, and
they aren't exactly optimal for use with trail
runners, since the shoe platform is just curved enough
that the spikes aren't going to hit with all 10 points
at once.  I tried it out and it's far from useless,
but it's not as solid as using the spikes on real
boots.  I am reluctant to bring the heavy leather
boots i would normally use, either in addition or
instead of my trail runners.  They always feel great. 
I can do big miles in them.  But they are HEAVY.
 
My axe is heavy too...a mountaineering one...but i'm
not inclined to buy a new lightweight one for what
will amount to 2 weeks of use.  It seems like if the
terrain is serious enough to use an axe, you'd want a
one that's bombproof.
 
So i'm stuck not knowing what to do. 
 
 
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