CAMP and its sub-brand Cassin have offered a steady line of nice tools over the past decade (and beyond of course). While these tools didn’t get the same hype and adoption in North America that other large brands have, the designs were solid and innovative. One of these tools, the CAMP Awax, came out as a light alternative to the heavier clearance shaft tools that were becoming mainstream. Good clearance, light weight and a solid pick design made it a popular tool in Europe, but I failed to see many around our local crags. As tools started growing extra handles, huge clearance and lost leashes, it was time for some evolution.

Enter the new Cassin X-All Mountain, which aims to please across several categories of use. Here Cassin seems to have taken the requests of climbers and tried to put them all together into a single quiver tool for technical ice, dry tooling, alpine climbing and mountaineering.

How light is it? Five years ago I would have said that it was among the lightest on the market (as the Awax was). However, given the range of new tools on the market, it is technically middle of the road at 628g per tool. Compare this to the Grivel Quantum (510g), the 2010 Quark (550g), the Black Diamond Cobra (595g), the Black Diamond Viper (623g), the Petzl Nomic (663g with head weights, 605g without), and the Black Diamond Fusion (702g). Still, it feels light in your hand and lightweight in the swing. This is not your father’s black-rubber-shaft Black Prophet ice tool.

Let’s get back to the swing, because for me, that is the single most important feature in an ice tool. It appears that Cassin has taken great care to produce a smooth and natural swing with the X-All Mountain. You pick it up, swing it into ice, and it behaves exactly how you’d expect. No need to “learn” the tool, as it so often the case with new tools. It appears that Cassin has also deliberately designed this to be a light headed tool. The intent here is for the climber to be precise and use their own strength to drive the tool into the ice instead of relying on the head weight. This is beneficial as you can adapt to warmer or colder conditions. It can also be a real pain on brittle -20C days where a little extra weight can help drive the tool and avoid pick bounce.

Speaking of the pick, Cassin has evolved (via the Awax) a pick design that priorities ice performance and compliments the light head weight of their tools. The tip of the pick is extremely low profile vertically, which reduces shattering. This also helps to avoid the dreaded pick bounce on hard ice to a certain extent. Try it out side by side at a demo and see what you think. Cassin believes (and I agree) that the less hard you have to swing, the more swings you’ll have in ya. The main drawback of this design is that the pick will be significantly less durable for drytooling, especially on mixed alpine routes. The long and skinny tip will dull and wear faster than the more chisel-like tips of most other tools.

What I really want to talk about, however, is the shaft. The clearance on this is surprisingly huge. This tool has significantly more shaft clearance than the Nomic, especially on the lower half of the tool (but less than the 2010 Ergo). It makes designs like the Cobra or the Quark look darn near strait shafted. This is a great: no bulge interference on ice, relaxed hand angles while drytooling and dry gloves while alpine climbing. I’m impressed that the swing remains so natural with such a deep shaft bend.

Finally, a few mandatory features: pinky rest? Check. Upper match rest? Check. Hammer? You bet. Spike with carabiner hole? Comes standard. All of these features add versatility and allow it to play in many arenas.

This tool is a good choice for someone who is looking for a single tool quiver to climb across multiple disciplines. I think it is less suited for the climber who likes a heftier swinging tool or for those headed to the hills in search of thin ice, rock and a maybe a lucky clump of moss to swing at.

Ready to buy?  Check out the cascadeclimbers.com gear review system and find the best prices on the Cassin X-All Mountain Ice Axe.

The post Cassin X-All Mountain Ice Axe Review by Dave Burdick appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

The C14 is a technical climbing oriented crampon with a variety of configurations, similar to the Black Diamond Cyborg or the Petzl M12. If you haven’t already, read the Black Diamond Cyborg vs Petzl Dartwin Comparison for comparison.

Cassin C14 offers the ability to run with dual points, a centered monopoint and front and back antibot plates either on or off. This style of configurable crampon is great if you’re ice cragging one day and mixed climbing the next. Just pull out a couple of bolts, reconfigure, and you’re set to go—all in a single pair of crampons.

As I mentioned in the Cyborg/Dartwin review, all of these crampons feel nearly identical in terms of climbing performance. The C14 front points and general design are extremely similar to crampons like the Cyborg, and thus have many of the same climbing features: Aggressive secondary points, rake points, and plenty of long downward facing points for walking on snow. The chromoly front points are well made and are easily replaceable, permitting a long product life. The real differences are again in the subtle details.

The C14 is tad bit heavier at 579g per crampon than its cousins the Cyborg (560g fully loaded) and the M10 (558g with Antisnow plates). Not a large difference, but notable as you start stripping down features towards something like the Dartwin (420g).

The antibot plates are a little flimsy, and their attachment to the crampon is not nearly as snug or secure as the Cyborgs. The plates are curved to provide “active” snow clearing, which means that there is some space between the crampon bits and the top of the plate. I found that this allowed small debris to get pressed up in between the boot and the plate. Admittedly this is a minor annoyance, but is not an issue I’ve found with other antibot designs. Overall these antibot plates feel more like an after thought and I would probably ditch the weight and climb without them most of the time.

The crampons length adjustment is a familiar tool-free spring-loaded pin setup. This is nice as it’s easy to swap these crampons around between different footwear. One disadvantage of the C14 design is that you must remove the rear antibot plate to adjust the length.

Overall these crampons climb very well–on par with the Cyborg and Dartwin, and will be heaps better than your older style crampons. While some design tweaks would be welcome, these issues are mostly just in the annoyance category.

The post Cassin C14 Crampon Review by Dave Burdick appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

eClimb is a company that has been around for a few decades, but has not penetrated the US market as much as other European manufacturers. I remember seein their radical looking tools online and in Haffner a decade ago, and always wondered how well they climbed. As online retailing has matured, getting your hands on a pair of these tools while paying in US dollars has become easy.

First off, eClimb has an entire lineup of tools, built with similar technology, that span the range from lightweight alpine axes to full on steep technical tools. The Cryo Pro falls into the latter category and is most at home on overhanging drytooling routes and steep, featured ice.

When picking up these tools, I am struck by the attention to detail on the handle’s ergonomics (particularly the lower grip). Each finger is given a slight impression, while the index finger groove actually indents deeper than the rest. This really locks your hand into the handle and is a much better implementation of what other manufacturers are trying to achieve with so called “trigger finger” grips. The rubberized pinky rest on both handles is reasonably comfortable and allows for any size of glove to be used without adjustment. The only detractor to the handle is that its texture is a thin, grippy coating on top of the aluminum. On really cold days this lead to chilly hands as I could feel the temperature difference between these and the more traditional rubber coated handles.

The Cryo Pro is constructed out of a single piece of milled aluminum, instead of the more common aluminum-tube style. A distinctive look is not the only reason behind this design choice–the i-beam shaft design makes this an extremely rigid tool, especially given the clearance of the shaft. I found this rigidity to be a nice feature when drytooling on overhanging rock or when stein pulling as the lack of flex makes the placement more predictable and “quiet”. The tool has excellent clearance, but in a geometry that is different from the Nomic or Ergo. While the Cryo’s shaft doesn’t provide as deep of a bend, the gap between the tip of the pick and the upper shaft is about 25% wider than the Nomic. This is a great feature for hooking large ice features like cauliflowers or ledges. The shaft is also a good deal longer than other tools, allowing shorter climbers a little more of that critical reach (I often feel that one of the major grade-affecting variables in M-climbing is reach).

The Cryo’s stock head setup says just one thing: lets go mixed climbing! There are hooking and stein pulling teeth galore. The top has a removable “crest” and their “Com” T-type pick has a super aggressive serration of teeth on the top of the tool (the “Pro” B-type ice pick is smooth up top, as it should be). The “Com” pick has a nice deep hooking front tooth and is made of very durable steel. The finish of these picks is superb and they climb great right out of the box. However, if I were to do much ice climbing with these I would remove the crest and use the Pro pick as all those top teeth are a nightmare when trying to remove a deeply set placement.

Weighing in at 650g with the standard options, the Cryo Pro is just a touch lighter than the Petzl Nomic, and 30g lighter than the Black Diamond Fusion. The Cryo has a lighter feeling swing than the Nomic or Fusion as is its weight is distributed more evenly throughout the shaft. Thankfully, eClimb spent the time to make the Cryo’s swing a snappy one that rotates about the pinky. Overall I felt like the head weight fits a good middle ground between lightness for drytooling and enough heft for most ice climbing conditions. For very cold or brittle ice I would want to attach the hammer for a little extra heft in the swing.

Overall the Cryo Pro is a polished and adaptive tool that performs well on steep rock and featured, difficult ice. Manufacturer details are here. While you there, check out eClimb’s clever ice accessories like their aluminum ice screws with steel tips (save weight for alpine climbing) and stitchless screamers that are field reloadable.

Editor Note:  We want to say a huge thanks to Xarles at e-Climb.  We got these tools a bit late last year winter and he has been very patient with us for getting this review done.

The post eClimb Cryo Pro Ice Tool Review by Dave Burdick appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

The GriGri as a an all-around tool for the mountains

Scott Bennett belays a leader uses a GriGri while feeding a tag-line by hand.

Skinny sport climbers know and love the Petzl GriGri. Though they smoke cigarettes and warm up on 5.13. They’re not interested in glacier climbs or multipitch ridge scrambles. And the folks who do train for these routes often eschew the weight and singular purpose of such a heavy belay device. But that doesn’t mean that those of us who are interested in the mountains (and who don’t climb 5.13) shouldn’t embrace the GriGri as well. And with the new lighter version weighing the same as the Trango Cinch, climbers have a couple of excellent options for a belay device and all-around tool on long alpine routes.

Sure the GriGri is heavy, and I’ll be the first person to confirm the importance of a lightweight kit for long routes. So if it’s only ever used as a belay device on an alpine route of just a few easy pitches, the GriGri’s weight makes it an unworthy substitute for a traditional tube-style device. But for climbers able to use the GriGri as a versatile tool with a myriad of backcountry possibilities, the GriGri is en excellent addition to one’s rope, rack, and standard alpine setup.

Despite the Petzl GriGri 2 weighing 82 grams (or about 3 wiregates) more than a standard belay device, having one GriGri and one Reverso-style device is the ideal setup for a 2-person team on a long route. Both members can climb constantly belayed via mechanical-assist devices. Both climbers can suffer a lapse of attentiveness while their partners are always on secure belay, with the help of simple physics to lock off the rope should the belayer get injured. The leader climbs the pitch carrying the (lighter) Petzl Reverso, and is belayed on the GriGri. The follower is then belayed off the Reverso in “guide mode”, and can hang or fall with impunity, while the belayer changes clothes, eats, re-racks, and plans the next lead. This added belay safety is the first of several advantages to using a GriGri.

Blake Herrington freeing a pitch on the West Pillar of Cerro Pollone, belayed with a GriGri on the 4th day out from town.

If the team decides to simulclimb on a pitch, the follower can vary the distance between climbers by using the GriGri as their “tie-in” and taking in or letting out rope as the speeds of the two climbers vary. At stances, the follower can instantly change to giving the leader a traditional belay, since the rope is already running through the auto-locking belay device. If following on easier ground than the leader is at, it’s a cinch to move faster and pull any slack through the device, quickly throwing loops over your shoulder to prevent tangle. And if the follower reaches a crux spot and wants a better belay, the leader can quickly put in a high piece of good gear and clip the rope to it, knowing that the follower’s GriGri means they’ll be able to climb while the leader rests at this piece, without collecting slack in the rope.

A storm-swept pillar of granite in Patagonia created a nightmare of rope-snagging terrain for my friend and I during an ascent in early 2011, but the GriGri again proved worth its weight. When our tag line (or lead line) would get wound around flakes or cracks and stop the leader mid-pitch, we were able to have the leader build a belay and tie off the stuck ropes. The follower would then self-belay up the pitch using the GriGri on this impromptu fixed line, until eventually able to reach and free any snarl of wind-blown cords. A similar technique (though by choice rather than last resort) is used when the leader short-fixes a rope and continues to climb while the second climber follows, with a GriGri used to self-belay. And for those  routes where the follower is jugging on some terrain, using a single ascender (with etrier) and a GriGri (on the harness) makes for a simple jugging setup that doesn’t add much extra weight to the pack for a follower who switches to free climbing. And for glacier navigation and crevasse rescue, just maintaining a small bite of rope between your tie-in and the GriGri means that if the rope between climbers is weighted in the event of a crevasse plunge, you’ll already have some slack from which to begin ascending or hauling. And although rappels would seem to be the crux of this system, they actually present one of its greatest advantages.

Nate Farr jugging the crux pitch of Colchuck Balanced Rock's West Face during the first winter ascent, using one Jumar, and one GriGri.

With two climbers and two belay devices, but only one device capable of rappelling on both strands of rope, the GriGri user always rappels first. Simply thread the rope through the anchor like normal, but clip a keynose locking carabiner to the anchor as well, and clove hitch the rope to this. The first rappeler then descends on a fixed strand of the rope, and while rappelling on the GriGri, is able to let go of the brake hand at any point. This allows them to fix tangles, pull the rope out from flakes, manage skinny cords in the wind, find that next rap anchor in the dark, and complete all manner of dangerous tasks that are made safer without needing to keep your brake hand clamped down tight. Once you’ve straightened out the ropes and reached the next station, the second rappeler, using a two-slot device, simply unfixes the rope and rappels as normal on the cleaned-up rappel lines.

Disclaimers and clarifications:

I used the term Grigri to apply generally to devices that lock automatically on the rope and work as mechanical ascenders. The Petzl GriGri 2 (185 grams  – $95) and the Trango Cinch (182g – $85 ) are the two best for this use. I also used the term Reverso to apply to any of the guide-style devices that can be hung from the anchor to belay–and automatically arrest the fall–of a seconding climber. These are produced by nearly every climbing hardware company, with slight variations in price, weight and ideal rope width being the only differences. The official recommendation is to always keep a brake hand on the rope, even with a Cinch or GriGri. If you are leading a pitch with poor protection just off the anchor, tests have shown that the GriGri’s faster “catch” puts slightly more force on the protection, so in this case consider belaying the leader with the reverso. Obviously this system wont work for leading on twins or half ropes.

The post Alpine Belay by Blake Herrington appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

Six common pieces of gear and why you’re better off leaving them behind.

Blake Herrington rappels in the Mendenhall Towers, Alaska. He and partner constructed this rappel line and each rappelled it 3 times in the course of a week, using just 6mm cord and no rappel rings.

Backpackers cut the handles off their toothbrushes to save weight. Alpinist just don’t brush. But while we meticulously save grams for multi-day trips, many of us carry far too much gear around on our harnesses for a day at the crag, attempting a hard lead, or an afternoon of multi-pitching. Before leaving the car or tieing into the rope, analyze your gear and strip off the items that aren’t vital. You’ll climb harder and have more fun.

• Cordellettes – Your three-part anchor isn’t equalized, despite how many acronyms were utilized in its design. Cordelletes are easy, but they are also slow, bulky, and typically made from static material that isn’t as strong as the dynamic alternative (the rope) that you’re already attached to. Build an anchor with a 4’ runner and/or the rope, both of which are multipurpose items that will be with you anyway. If you are leading in blocks, just make sure you can easily extricate yourself from the belay gear to lead the next pitch. If you expect having to build multiple rappel stations, some 6mm or 7mm cord is a great choice, but as a must-have item for all multipitch climbing, the cordellette doesn’t fit the bill.
• Rap Rings – I used to carry some of these. I still have a few clanking around amid the clutter of my odds-and-ends box. When I’m looking for my missing offset wire or hibernating v-thread tool, I see them and wonder what I was thinking in buying them. Unless I am going climbing with the explicit purpose of creating a permanent and popular rappel station from atop a trade route, the rap ring stays in the garage. If you are making a new rappel station, just rap off cord and rotate the piece to spread out wear. If you are bailing off a cam or wire, you’ll want some cord or a carabiner to sling through the gear, not a rap ring. If you are backing up an existing station, just cut away everything except the one best sling, and add your new one without a ring, or else through an existing ring. If you’re a guide who wants to spruce up the anchors used every day in getting off the Beckey Route: Thanks! For you, rap rings make sense!
• Daisy Chain / PAS – Sometimes these make sense, but seldom for hard cragging days. They are weaker than the rope and provide a static connection to the anchor. Their best applications are as dedicated aid-climbing tools.
• Quicklinks – See “Rap Rings”. Except these are heavier. The exception is that at least these work to leave on a bolt if you can’t A0 your way up that sport climb to the chains. But your junkiest carabiner will work even better. And using a carbiner on hand means you wont have unnecessarily brought that specialty item up the last 100 pitches “just in case”.
• Bulk Webbing – Cord is lighter, faster to tie, easier to V-thread with, easier to tread through constrictions, and a lot less bulky. You might even use it to build your anchors on the way up the route. Take that 25’ of meticulously-daisy-chained 1” tubular and make a slackline.
• Lockers – Locking carabiners are good, and small keynose lockers are the best. But more than a few is simply overkill. Companies now produce 41-46gram lockers which weigh less than the typical carabiner of 2 decades ago. But that doesn’t mean we should throw 3 more on the rack and carry the same total weight as the hardmen of old. Folks at single-pitch sport crags climb up and down 100’ bolted routes lugging 5 locking ‘D’ ‘biners between the ground and the chains. This is either an unusual form of training, or a lot of unnecessary weight. Even for long alpine routes, more than 3 lockers is overkill. Just make one of them a larger round-stock ‘biner for smooth belaying.

Leaving the ground with enough gear, and the right gear, will make things faster, easier, and a lot more fun. Not only will you be lighter, but the lack of clutter will make finding the gear you do need a whole lot easier.

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WHAT SIZE or LENGTH or ICE AXE?

The proper length ice axe will primarily depend on the user’s height. When ascending it will be more effort to plunge the shaft of a longer axe above, than with a shorter axe. When descending, the longer length will allow you to reach below providing support and balance. The classic method for sizing strikes a nice balance for a wide variety of slope angles, as well as for both ascending and descending.

Holding the ice axe loosely in your hand, the ice axe should be 1’-2’ inches above the ground. This is a traditional classic formula, but by no means a rigid rule. Good arguments can be made for both shorter and longer lengths.

Longer length ice axes.

Because it is easier to loose your balance when descending, than when ascending, a good argument can easily be made for a slightly longer axe. A longer ice axe may also be the preference for gentle snow slopes, and for climbs with more glacier walking than steep climbing.

Shorter length ice axes. The shorter axe crowd will argue that for descending steep slopes, they will crouch low to plunge the axe below. They will also rely more on their feet and balance, keeping the axe at the ready to plunge or arrest. They can also choose to face into the slope, and back down for steep slopes, or when extra security is required.

A shorter ice axe will carry more out of the way on the pack, a real plus for alpine rock climbs. A short axe that carries well and out of the way is also popular with ski mountaineers who may require use of the ice axe only occasionally.

In summary, the traditional length or slightly longer makes good sense for basic glacier climbs and snow walks. For steeper climbing and a wider variety of climbing terrain, choosing an ice axe a bit shorter than the traditional classic length is usually my recommendation.

WHAT TYPE OF ICE AXE LEASH?

A leash can serve a couple of functions. 1) To keep from losing the axe on steep terrain, or around crevasses. 2) To improve your grip of the axe during self-arrest, or when chopping hard ice. 3) Providing a full strength connection to the climber.

1) To keep from losing the axe on steep terrain, or around crevasses, moats, etc. While this may seem like an obvious reason to have a wrist leash, there are good reasons some climbers choose not to use a leash. For most of us there will be times where we do want a leash, and other situations where a leash is not worth the bother. Changing directions: when making ascending traverses back a forth up or down a slope it’s necessary to move the axe from one hand to the other quickly and easily. A wrist leash can make this slow, and potentially interrupt rhythm and pace.

2) To improve your grip of the axe during self arrest, self-belay, or when chopping hard ice. Securing your grip to the head of the axe for self-arrest, the opposite end of the axe (near the spike) for chopping, or somewhere in between for self-belay still awaits a practical design. Combined with the need to move from one grip position to another in an instant; and it’s easy to see why no leash is considered a legitimate option. The ability to adapt to changing situations instantly, and maintain a sold grip on the axe is a desirable skill without a doubt. Keeping a solid grip on the axe is critical for terrain where self-arrest and self-belay are relied on for safety. Most leash systems are poor substitutes for a firm grip when performing self-arrest or self-belay.

3) Providing a full belay strength connection between axe and the climber. Many commercial leashes are intended only for not losing a dropped axe. While a leash can be built to be full strength, keep in mind there are many ways to make a solid connection to the axe other than the leash when using the axe for an anchor, including the climbing rope, slings, etc.

Different types of ice axe leashes.

a)     Wrist Leash connected to the head of the axe, and reaching the full length of the axe. Can be wrapped around the axe shaft for shortening the length. Good method for chopping. Must be moved from one hand to the other when changing direction. Can be wrapped around the shaft and head multiple times for improving self-arrest grip, but this must be done in advance of anticipated self-arrest, and would make it impractical for any self belay position other than the head of the axe (ie. anytime the axe shaft could not be plunged to full depth). Could be full strength or not, commercial or improvised.

b)     Spring Leash connected from harness to axe head. Because there is no wrist leash this is a good method for changing direction. Most are intended for preventing loss of a dropped axe only. Pictured BD Slinger Leash. Grivel Easy Slider Leash

c) Pro Mtn. Sports Wrist Leash. Easily adjustable for different sized hands, gloves, or grips with the simple and elegant overhand knot. Easy to release and change hands, and also quick to enhance self-arrest grip. Can be full belay strength. Include 2 pictures (pms wrist leash).

d) Pro Mtn. Sports Self-Belay Leash. Improvised leash connected to harness. Full belay strength, and slides along axe shaft to accommodate required position depending on depth of plunged axe which is dependent on snow conditions. Can be used when self-belay is required, and then removed. Include 2 pictures (pms self-belay leash)

Placing a snow picket with an ice axe. An axe with a steel head is best, an axe with a hammer instead of an adze is even better. For technical terrain where snow pickets are anticipated it may be best to have two axes for security on steep snow or ice, and ideally one would have a hammer opposite the pick. In a pinch, use your ice axe like this to place a snow picket – picture (placing picket).

Forged Steel – The most important component in a serious technical axe is the pick and the steel it’s made from. The alloy, process, and metallurgy all combine to make the difference at the business end of the best quality tools. Picks that can take repeated abuse without breaking are to die for, and products with a history of failures and cutting corners best avoided.

CLASSIC MOUNTAINEERING AXES

Black Diamond Raven Pro

Head : Head, Spike: stainless steel

Shaft : Aluminum. B Rated.
Weight Without Leash : 362 g, 15 oz. (65 cm)

The Raven Pro from Black Diamond is a simple, clean and elegant mountain axe. The friendly Ice Axe that looks good. Everybody’s favorite general purpose Ice Axe. The pick is rater thick at the business end, and for that reason doesn’t penetrate hard ice great.  Stainless steel head and spike with an aluminum B rated shaft.

Grivel Futura

Head: Carbon steel pick and Polyamide handle.
Shaft: B Rated. Aluminum
Spike: Carbon steel.
Lengths: 53, 58, 66, 74cm.
Weight: 16oz. for the 66cm. length.

Once again Grivel does something that others said couldn’t be done.  It got rid of the adze.  That means that this axe has one of the most comfortable and positive grips you will ever find.  The Futura still maintains the hot forged pick that Grivel is known for and a lightweight B rated aluminum shaft.

This has become my favored axe for Cascade snow and glacier climbs. I often choose an ultralight axe for climbs with limited snow travel, alpine rock climbs, scrambles, etc. However, for climbs where the axe is used more than occasionally, the Futura is my ice axe of choice. The insulated and comfortable plastic handle plunges like no other, and the security of the self-arrest grip is unmatched. If I need to chop an occasional step, I have found the pick (no adze) to be quite adequate and well worth giving up for the benefits of the plastic yellow handle. I love this axe.

Grivel Air Tech Carbon

Head: Hot forged in a single piece of chromolly steel.
Shaft: Carbon Composite. T Rated.
Lengths: 48, 53, 58, 66cm.
Weight: 18oz. for the 66cm length.

When you are looking for the strongest axe then look no further.  The Air Tech Carbon has carbon fiber wrapped over an aluminum shaft.  That carries the stronger T rating combined with a mild bend in the shaft and a pick with a bit more droop this axe will take you from walking to easy front pointing.

A serious ice axe for serious climbers. Maybe the highest performance in a classic mountaineering axe ever. Incorporating a number of Grivel innovations developed over 100 years of manufacturing and climbing knowledge. Including: Axe head flush with top of shaft allows extra width for holding and plunging comfort. The very best quality steel hot forged and polished allowing maximum performance, strength, durability, and dependability. Carbon fiber wrap over aluminum shaft provides dampening, insulation, and T Rated strength. Achieving the ideal balance between light weight, and technical performance. Crafted for the most abusive conditions, and for a lifetime of the most demanding climbs.

ULTRALIGHT ICE AXES – Steel head and spike, or aluminum?

An ultralight axe can be a solid choice anytime you know you will have snow and not ice. While aluminum is much softer and will not maintain a sharp edge like steel, aluminum can be very strong. For ice, a sharp edge and the extra “swing” weight will be desirable if not necessary. An ultralight axe with a steel pick may keep its sharp edge, but will not have the necessary weight to penetrate hard ice efficiently.

I spoke with one climber who duct tapes a rock under the adze to add weight for use on ice. Discarding the rock for approach and descent. An interesting and innovative idea to say the least!

Ultralight axes with aluminum heads and spikes CE rated “B” are rated for belay strength the same as steel axes with the CE “B” rating. I see them a ideal as a second axe for trips where you have snow and not ice, or situations where you are conformable being limited by an ultralight axe.

CAMP Corsa

Shaft: B Rated.
Pick: B Rated.
Weight: 205 g, 7.2 oz. for the 50cm length.
Sizes: 50, 60, 70 cm

• Ski Mountaineering, High Altitude Climbing, Adventure Racing
• Forged aluminum pick and adze
• Ideal for snow travel and self arrest
• Can be used as an anchor for glacier rescue and traversing cornices
• Nylon spike plug on 60 and 70cm lengths keeps ice out of the shaft

Maybe the lightest ice axe in the world! A clean design gives great performance considering how little it weighs. Perfect for low-angle glacier travel, ski mountaineering and adventure racing. The 7075-T6 aluminum alloy head and shaft meet all CE and UIAA requirements for strength and durability. However, the Corsa is not recommended for ice climbing, rugged mixed terrain, or for intense step chipping.

When every ounce counts the CAMP Corsa is what you want. Alloy head, fully B rated shaft and at less than 8oz. you won’t even feel it on your pack.

CAMP Corsa Nano Tech

Shaft: B Rated.
Pick: B Rated.
Spike: Sandvik Nanoflex Steel
Sizes: 50, 60, 70 cm
Weight: 250 g, 8.8 oz. for the 50cm length

Think of the Corsa with a steel tip for the pick, as well as a steel spike. The shaft has a slight bend. A true ultralight axe with some technical capability in the right hands.

TECHNICAL ICE AXES

An ice axe for difficult technical terrain gives the climber greater security on steep or hard ice. Good balance, exceptional steel, and the right weight and pick angle can make a significant difference in security and efficiency. Modern ice tools have evolved to a great deal, including improved grips that make it easier to swing and grip. Unfortunately, these modern leashless grips also reduce the effectiveness of a tools shaft to be plunged into hard snow. A good technical alpine axe should be able to handle the widest variety of terrain and conditions.

Grivel Air Tech Carbon w/slider, Camp Alp Axe Special, Petzl Aztarex, Grivel Jorasses, Petzl SumTec, BD Venom

TECHNICAL ALPINE AXES

Petzl SUM’TEC (AXE)

CE / UIAA
Pick: B Rated (interchangeable ALPIX pick included)
Shaft: T Rated.
Two sizes:
- 52 cm weight: 485 grams (18oz.) with TRIGREST
- 59 cm, weight: 505 grams with TRIGREST
3-year guarantee

Like the Air Tech Carbon the Sum’Tec has a mild bend and some droop to the pick making this another great piolet between a mountain axe and technical tool.  It carries the T rating on the shaft and the B rating on the forged pick.  But what stands out most is the ability to move the hand rest up and down.  Move it up for walking, down for when you start swinging and want the support.

Petzl SUM’TEC (HAMMER)
CE / UIAA
Pick type: B
Shaft type: T
Interchangeable ALPIX pick included

Two sizes:
- 43 cm weight: 430 grams (15oz.) with TRIGREST
- 52 cm, weight: 450 grams (16oz.) with TRIGREST
3-year guarantee

The SUM’TEC HAMMER is a very lightweight and compact hammer / ice axe that can be carried in a pack for use when needed, for hammering a piton back in, tightening an anchor, or as a second tool in an unexpected ice gulley. Its forged banana-shaped ALPIX pick and the new TRIGREST handrest (adjustable without a tool) ensure the efficiency required on technical sections.

Petzl AZRAREX

Pick: B Rated. BLUEICE pick included. Interchangeable pick
Shaft: B Rated
Weight: 500 g (17.5 oz.)
Length: 50 cm
The hand rest can removed with a screwdriver or coin and stored in shaft
3-year guarantee
CE / UIAA

A very technical axe that can be configured for both snow and ice. Very lightweight for a technical axe at only 17oz. (xx grams) for either hammer or adze version. I have found this tool to have suburb performance on water ice. I’m not exactly sure why, but here are my theories. 1) Aggressive pick angle or droop. Very similar to the most advanced specialty water ice tools. In fact the pick angle is very close to the Petzl Quark, and Nomic. 2) Thin and strong pick made from the very best steel. Again very similar to both Quark and Nomic. 3) I love the balance. This axe swings with the power of a heavier tool. Possibly because the weight is so heavily concentrated in the head, with a very simple and lightweight handle (no steel or rubber in the handle). For steep water ice, I’ve come to appreciate holding and swinging this lighter weight tool over my head. I get less pumped, and have adapted my technique to rely less on a deeply placed pick, which also means less effort when removing the pick.

The Aztarex can be configured leashless, or traditional depending on the GripSwitch position chosen. With the GripSwitch in the leashless mode, I made a small modification to my tools to attach tether leashes. I drilled a ¼” hole near the very bottom of the shaft. For less technical climbs where I want a shaft that plunges well, I configure the GripSwitch in the traditional position. For some climbs I configure one tool leashless and one tool traditional.

In summary, for alpine climbs (especially those with a approach) I love the idea of saving a few ounces. Remember 4 or 5 ounces x two tools is 8-10 ounces saved. For me the Aztarex is a lightweight tool, that doesn’t compromise technical performance.

CAMP Alp Axe Special

Shaft: T Rated
Pick: T Rated
Spike: Chromoly Steel
Weight: Adze – 556 g, 19.6 oz – 50cm (20 oz.).
Weight: Hammer – 563 g, 19.9 oz – 50cm (20 oz.).
Lengths Adze: 50, 57, 65 cm.
Lengths Hammer: 50, 57 cm.

This is a high performance lightweight technical alpine tool. Available with either adze or hammer. The hammer model comes with a slightly more technical pick (steeper pick angle), and the adze model with a slightly more classic (less aggressive pick angle). The classic pick is maybe not ideal for the steepest water ice, but the trade off is a tool better equipped to chop steps, belay ledge, or god forbid a bivy site. An ideal combo for many classic alpine climbs. The AlpAxe is also available is several lengths.

The “Special” version is a real favorite of mine. CAMP has addressed the Leashless Grip vs Traditional (easy to plunge in hard snow) dilemma with the “Special” version. One of the smoothest transitions from Leashless to Traditional, and easily changed while climbing.

Black Diamond Venom

Adze – 50cm (17.5 oz.), 57cm, 64cm.
Hammer – 50cm (18oz.), 57cm.

A simple straight forward technical axe available with adze or hammer and in a variety of lengths. The hammer model comes with the more aggressive “Tech” pick, and the Adze model comes with the “Classic” pick. This would be a great choice for almost any moderate snow and ice alpine climb. A simple elegant design and moderate price make this tool a winner.

Jim Nelson is the owner of Pro Mountain Sports in Seattle, WA.  A rock and ice climber who pushed his boundaries in a quest for adventure in the alpine. Significant climbs include a winter ascent (1986) of Mt. Slesse’s NE Buttress with Kit Lewis, an early ascent (2nd) of the Infinite Spur on Mt. Foraker with Mark Bebie (1988), and the complete South Buttress of Mt. Tiedemann, a 40 pitch rock climb in British Columbia with Carl Diedrich and Jim Ruch (1988).

The post Ice Axe Review – How to buy an ice axe by Jim Nelson appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

There is no denying the convenience of dinner in a bag. The makers of pre-packaged “backpacker” meals know this, and make ease-of-use a primary selling point. But Snickers or meal-replacement bars are convenient as well, yet we don’t see those being labeled as “diner for two” despite often having nearly as many calories. An accepted rule of thumb for maximizing backcountry food efficiency is to stick with products that contain at least 100 calories per ounce, yet many of the expensive freeze-dried meals don’t come close. Rather than spend extra money on a fancy entree that barely qualifies as an appetizer, here are a few do-it-yourself instant meals, with vital stats listed against their prepackaged “equivalents”. All of the following dinners can be done by simply adding boiling water to your ingredients, making each of these Jetboil or Reactor-friendly, and preventing the next morning’s coffee from tasting like Thai curry.

       Meal #1

       Angel Hair Alfredo & Tuna VS Backpacker’s Pantry Fettucini Alfredo w/ Chicken

• 1 package Pasta Roni Angel Hair Pasta With Herbs (leave packaging at home)
•  3oz pouch Starkist Tuna in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Add olive oil or milk powder to taste (additional weight and nutrition not listed below)

Meal #2

       Spicy Beans & Rice W/Cheese VS Backpacker’s Pantry Black Bean Tamale Pie

• 5oz dehydrated refried black beans (in bulk)
•  4oz chunk of your favorite cheese
• 1.5oz of instant long-grain or brown rice
• Pre-mix beans and rice with taco seasoning powder, cayenne, garlic, to taste

Meal #3

       Chicken Peanut Pad Thai VS Backpacker’s Pantry Pad See You w/Chicken

• 4oz dried Thai rice noodles (pre-soak in cold water at camp for 10 mins)
•  3oz pouch Sweet Sue premium white chicken breast
• 1 single-serve package of Justin’s Natural Peanut Butter
• 1.75oz Grace powdered coconut milk (sprinkle in curry powder and favorite spices)

It’s clear that your wallet and stomach will be feeling a little empty if you opt for the freeze dried options, but one or two of these packages can be worthwhile. You’ll need an eating bowl in which to cook the do-it-yourself meals, so one great compromise is to take a high-calorie prepackaged meal (or two) for the first night on a multi-night trip. This makes the first night’s dinner less filling, but very convenient, a decent trade for when you aren’t yet running on consecutive days of calorie deficits. Consider upgrading the basic recipe with some additional olive oil, powdered coconut milk, or parmesan. After that first night, save the waterproof pouch and use it for eating everything from morning oatmeal to angel hair pasta (cooked in-pouch by adding boiling water, insulated from cold by stuffing down your coat or sleeping bag). With this plan, the dishes, stove system, and utensils for a team of 2 can easily be refined down to one Jetboil or Reactor, one spork, and a single prepackaged meal.

The post Jetboil Alpine Cuisine by Blake Herrington appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

When I first saw these screws I remember thinking that their design intuitively made sense. Where other screws use a heavy steel tube in the shaft of the ice screw, eClimb has used light weight aluminum. As all screws tend to wear out on the points of the teeth, they have made the Klaus’s teeth steel and replaceable. They also have an extra long coffee-grinder style handle on the hanger for quick placement and come in lengths and colors similar to Black Diamond’s ice screw lineup.

The moment you pick these screws up you notice how much lighter they are compared to their all-steel counterparts. For a typical multi pitch ice cragging setup I usually carry 10-12 screws, mostly 13 and 16cm sizes with a couple 19-22cm sized screws for belays and v-threading. Assuming a rack of 12, you end up saving 402 grams (14 oz, or about 14 carabiners) with the eClimb screws over Black Diamond Turbo Express screws.

Klau4 – 22cm – 135g
Klau3 – 18cm – 110g
Klau2 – 14cm – 105g
Klau1 – 10cm – 100g

BD Turbo Express – 22cm – 168g
BD Turbo Express – 19cm – 159g
BD Turbo Express – 16cm – 145g
BD Turbo Express – 13cm – 134g
BD Turbo Express – 10cm – 118g

This all sounded great thus far, so I took them out into the hills for two distinctly different types of ice climbing: waterfall ice in Wyoming and spring alpine climbing in Alaska.

When climbing hard waterfall ice, placing protection is often one of the most difficult parts. Getting an ice screw started into the ice usually requires you to push in on the screw while you pull down and out on your tool. Inherently, you don’t have much leverage in this scenario. Sharp and long teeth help here as they allow the screw to bite into the ice and begin drilling a hole with less force. The teeth on the Klau screws are sharp but relatively flat (~60° tooth angle) in comparison to a Turbo Express (~45° tooth angle). The tooth/screw-wall thickness on the Klau is also significantly thicker (~25% more) than the Turbo Express, meaning that more ice is displaced during placement. With these “less pointy” and thicker teeth, I felt like my placements with the Klau screws didn’t start as easily as with my other screws.

The Klau screws have a long, fold out coffee-grinder style handle on the hanger that makes for quick placement even in hard ice. While this length does provide better leverage than other screws, the folded over handle with spindle at the tip tended to tangle with the other slings on my harness, making for some annoying clusters while leading.

The post eClimb Klau Ice Screws Review appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

The typical question:

“I will climb Rainer this summer…next Orizaba, Kili, then Aconcagua! What do I need for clothes?”

Here are some thoughts on a well proven “systems approach” that you may have not had. It is a multilayer and multi use cold weather system based at least two garments. One garment with 60g insulation (part of your “action suit”) and the another with 100g insulation. (your “belay jacket”) The bench mark Patagonia DAS belay jacket is 170g insulation by comparison.

For really cold temps I have used up to 4 lighter layers or 280g of insulation, plus the resulting eight layers of nylon shell material that comes with it. 3 layers @ 60g and one at 100g. Surprised actually, at just how easy/well the system works. And how easily regulated for mid winter technical climbing at altitude, a cold bivy, a quick ascent of Rainier in summer or Fall/Spring alpine climbing. One garment at a time makes the buy in easier and the mutilayers should give you a lot of use/durability over the long haul.

I have a good many choices in the closet and find myself actually using variations of this system almost full time these days. Simply because of what is available for a “system”. It is the lightest, breathes the best and is the easiest to pack cold weather system I have used. Generally 2 layers of 60g. When it is really cold I’ll add the 100g as a third layer. May be even a fourth for an open bivy.

Sure a single thick down jacket will be the warmest and breath very well. Might even be the lightest. But down is fragile. Get down wet from sweat and you loose much of the insulation. Add a water proof shell and you limit the breathability. One big warm layer and you don’t have a lot of options for temperature control. There is defiantly a place for down garments and even multiple layers of down I think. But for technical climbing in marginal weatehr I suspect multiple layers of synthetics offer a better choice for most of us.

No where was Alaska mentioned in the opening quote. Nor was it addressed by me originally.

I’ve done multiple trips to the Alaska range. For time spent (45+ weeks) almost a full year on the glaciers there. Half of those trips included the summit on Denali. All but one were originally to more technical objectives first, just not very successful. Trivial record compared to many climbing there now. I’ve taken down jackets to Alaska twice. A synthetic bag once.

Below you are looking at an open bivy on Mt Deborah, Alaska using both, 4000′ off the deck. We did three that trip. Not the first or the last with that or other combos. But not once did I “sleep like a baby”.

I’ve not taken a down jacket or a synthetic bag to Alaska since ’80. Dated technology in many ways now for what I was trying to do. None of my partners or myself have had a cold injury…on any mountain while using synthetics. Would I take Down again now? Sure, depending on the objective..

There are some pretty amazing synthetic stand alone jackets available these days, the Patagonia DAS, The Arcteryx Dually, The MEC Tango among many. “Stand alone” meaning the biggest and most insulation in a “belay jacket”. All offer more than 100g insulation. They are sized to go over all your clothing. Some nice down choices in that category as well, Eddie Bauer XV, the RAB Nuetrino, Mtn Hardware Nilas and the Naronna Lyngen. Specific combos of lighter weight insulation offer even more choices.

Back to the question?

“At some point I’d love to get up Orizaba, Kili, Aconcagua, and wondering if jackets for something like Aconcagua is going to be overkill for a Rainier jacket?”

Polish route on Colfax n Feb ’10.

Mid weight down jackets like the Narrona Lyngen pictured right can be a good choice for climbs like Aconcagua and slightly warmer (but still chilly) environments.

The experience of using a 60g and 100g weight garment seems imo to be a better *combo* for the mountains listed, having summited on 3 of the 4.

The coldest I have ever been in the mountains was in the Alps in the winter of 2010/11. Great technical climbing just a 20 minute tram ride above Chamonix and only minutes from a latte and a nice salad.

May be I should have actually zipped up that last 100g layer. In Alaska I probably would. Well may be I would.

In the picture left, my base layer is a R1 Hoody. From the R1 out I am using a Atom Lt @ 60g, A Patagonia Nano Puff Pullover another 60g layer (which are all a part of my “action suit”) and finally a Atom SV @ 100g. The SV is my “belay jacket” for a total of 220g. I had stared the climb in a single 60g layer and as the day got colder I added layers.

Synthetic garments layer well. They will dry from body heat alone from the inside out. I have not found adding down layers to a pile garment of any sort as effective @ transporting moisture. Where a layer of Priamloft 1 does that very effectively.

One of the reasons the Patagonia DAS @ 170g is likely the most widely used synthetic belay jacket made. It simply works in a codl environment. Helps of course that Patagonia was the first to market a belay jacket based specifically on Mark Twight’s ideas and writings in EXTREME ALPINISM.

I think anything over 100g weight insulation as your last layer is generally over dressing for technical climbing in the US and Canada, short of the typical Alaskan climbing season and over nights in Canada or the Alps mid winter.

Lucky for us there are a lot of choices in my preferred combinations of 60g and 100g insulation.

Patagonia:  Offers a number of garments in these weights. The Nano Puff Series @ 60g and the 100g weight in the Micro Puff Series.

Arcteryx:  Has the Atom series..Atom LT in the 60g and the Atom SV in 100g weight.

MontBell:  Has the Therma Wrap BC which is unique with insulation 80g Body and 50g sleeves.  The Therma Wrap Pro is 80g though out.

RAB:  The jackets from RAB that I looked at are the Xenon @ 60g through out and the Alpine Generator with 100g in the body and 60g in the arms and hood.

But as much as these 8 jackets look the same..they clearly are not.

Patagonia uses a Primaloft 1 and Priamloft Sport for insulation. There is a significant difference in insulation value between the two Primaloft offerings. RAB is using Primaloft 1, the gold standard for synthetic insulation by most accounts.

Acrteryx offers the garments listed here in Coreloft. By Arcteryx’s admission its Clo rating is 5% less than Prmaloft 1.

MontBell is using their own Exceloft synthetic insulation. “Exceloft a combination of 8-denier compacted polyester tubing with extra-thin, 0.7-denier polyester thread makes the insulation remarkably compressible. In addition, Exceloft absorbs very little water, making it highly resistant to saturation and extremely quick to dry.”

My take from all that is either a combo of the Exceloft and their shell materials or just Exceloft makes a warmer garment for fill weight than Primaloft. But I have not seen Clo numbers to prove me right or wrong. Just a educated guess from using all these garments as they were intended and in a controlled environment simply for this comparison.

Which brings me to the real part of the story when you make comparisons. The outer shell materials are obviously really important for the intended use. As is the detailing and construction of the garments.

The combos I have used and like are a combo of pull over and and zip front. Generally I want a hood on the 100g layer but a hood on both is welcome as well. Although I think at times the 60g garments can be really versatile in both versions, with or without a hood.

Weights in a Men’s Large on my digital postal scale:

Patagonia:

Patagonia Nano Puff Pullover 10.5oz (no hood)

Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody 13oz

Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody 18oz

Arc’teryx:

Atom LT Hoody (vented) 14.6oz

Atom SV Hoody 18.6oz

MontBell:

MontBell Thermawrap BC (no hood and vented) 13.1oz

MontBell Thermawrap Pro Hoody 16.8oz

RAB:

Rab Xenon Hoody 11oz

Rab Alpine Generator Hoody 20.7

How about a direct comparison of the 60 g garments no vents?

Patagonia Nano Puff Pullover 10.5 (no hood)

Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody 13oz

Rab Xenon Hoody 11oz
And 60g garments with vents.

Arc’teryxAtom LT Hoody (vented) 14.6

MontBell Thermawrap BC (no hood and vented) 13.1oz

Again as close as the weights are you will want to decide on a hood or a simple collar.  Be sure to look for a stretch fleece vent under the arms. Both will add weigh to a garment. And depending on your requirements may have some use.
The side venting on a shelled and lightly insulated garment is most easily identified in my mind with the Atom LT. I started using the Atom series several seasons ago and have written about it many times in the last 4 years. Mountain Hardware offers a version as does Mont Bell among others. For an active layer (your action suit main upper layer in cold weatehr) where you also need some extra warmth I think the idea is brilliant. Enough so that I have stopped using soft shell jackets. Changing out instead for a 60g layer of synthetic insulation with venting and a good hood.

It is lighter, warmed and breaths better than any soft shell I haev seen. The only down side is durability on rock.

Arc’teryx Atom LT in use @ -25C

When you you start thinking about using that 2nd layer for additional warmth you’ll want to notice a couple of things prior to purchase. Because it will be noticeable later from what I have experienced with these jackets. How well does the hood fit a climbing helmet? What kind of protection will the shell material offer in addition to the 80 or 100g of added insulation?

Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody 18oz

“Lightweight, 1.7oz 30-denier 100% recycled polyester ripstop, windproof shell made of recycled polyester and treated with a Deluge® DWR”

Arc’teryx Atom SV Hoody 18.6oz

Gossamera™—100% Nylon ripstop fabric with water repellent coating DWR

MontBell Thermawrap Pro Hoody 16.8oz

“Ballistic” nylon is one and a half times more abrasion resistant than other similar weight fabrics and boasts three times the tear strength of nylons that are almost 20% heavier. 100-wash rated POLKATEX DWR treatment.”
Alpine Generator Hoody 20.7

30D triple rip stop Pertex® Endurance outer and a Pertex® Quantum 20D rip stop lining
Fit? Fit is obviously such a personal thing. I am 6’1″ and 190#.

Here is how I have used these garments and my comment on the fit in that use.

Patagonia Nano Puff Pullover: I generally use this as an over shell for the Atom light. It is a big and boxy cut on me. Nothing flattering but I love the weight and warmth of this jacket/ sweater. Cuts the wind perfectly and protects the side vents on the Atom LT. My “perfect” combo weatehr combo.

Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody: This one is again big and boxy for the size on me. It is a little heavy and I don’t like the hood size. But for the weight and versatility of a full zip and a usable hood others might love this one.
Micro Puff Hoody: With Primaloft Sportinsulation this one holds little interest for me. Thankfully the price point reflects the use of a lesser Primaloft insulation. Same issues with Patagonia for fit and pattern on me for this one.

Atom LT Hoody & Atom SV Hoody:  I’ll admit these are go/to pieces for me. They fit like they were designed to layer together and every detail is almost perfect on both jackets. Almost. I don’t liek the zipper or not being able to adjust the hood. Both are trivial however as the over all designs are so good. Awesome hoods by themselves or in combo and over my Petzl helmets, which generally impresses me. I have zero complaints on these two after several years of use in some really cold conditions. They have a tailored athletic fit which I really like and never bind while climbing. I simply love the combo.

Monthbell Thermawrap BC (no hood and it is vented): I like the option of not having a hood on occasion. And I really like the vented style garments. AKA Atom LT. The 50/80g insulation combo adds a garment to this collection that is significantly different in warmth to others. I have to look for places to use the BC. And then decide why I should instead of an Atom Lt. But the BC is differnet enough and good enough to make the effort.

Montbell Thermawrap Pro Hoody: This is a jacket that made me realise I really am a gear snob. For it’s 80g weight it seems warmer to me than the Atom SV @ 100g by comparison. I really like the pattern and detailing of the Pro Hoody. The hood (which will take my helmets) and slick knit cuffs stand out. No adjusting required on the cuffs. As does the pattern’s cut. The Pro is an athletic cut and very fitted. This has become one of my very favorite 100g jackets…even though it is only 80g weight insulation. Go figure! Big surprise to me all round and a very pleasant surprise at that.

Rab Xenon Hoody: This is a sneaky little guy. It is not sewn through like the Patagonia 60g Primaloft. And it is two ounces lighter. It has a Pertex QuantumGL® 10 Denier shell fabric inside and out. There is more to this one than easily meets the eye. The only down side for me is the hood is good only under my helmet. The shell alone and the way RAB has done the insulation makes this one sort of “out of category” in a very good way. The Xenon is very warm for its weight. Better than the Nano Puff Series for warmth imo.

Rab Alpine Generator Hoody: If the Xenon is “out of category” the the AG is THE ringer here. It is punching way above its weight class. No one else using a Pertex® Endurance outer and a Pertex® Quantum liner. The hood is the best of the bunch with a hood imo. Given the fact the Acteryx hoods are VERY good. The sizing is spot on for layering and a ereal “belay jacket”. This jacket seem to me to be a specific built belay jacket here with no compromises. There are no bad 100g jackets listed here but the AG is a step above all the ones I looked at in this revirew. It is as obvious and as simple as that.

The others will do well around town. The Alpine Generator will obviously do well in the mountains.

The point to the conversation here is that as singles or as combos synthetic garments for climbing even in the harsh conditions can easily be justified. With the right combination of garments you could easily use a lighter one listed here for a chilly day cragging or a combination of several for a speed ascent of the Cassin.

The post Synthetic Insulated Jacket Layering Review by Dane Burns appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

The La Sportiva Spantik is one of the very best cold weather technical climbing boots currently made. It is built with a combination of the latest technology and innovation in design features. In this review I tested its performance and took a close look at the details of the boot and how it compares to the main competitor in its category.

Double boots are often the best choice for high altitude and super cold weather climbing for two reasons: first, they are often warmer than single layer boots because more insulation can be put into the two layers, and second, it is generally easier to remove and dry an inner liner on a multi-day climb than it is to dry an entire boot. The problem with double boots is that added insulation can mean a loss of sensitivity on technical ground. The Spantik is a boot that makes very little compromise in either direction.

For a boot as rigid, warm and burly as the Spantik, they feel surprisingly light on your feet (1150g per boot), and the Spantik bears little resemblance to the clunky, heavy feel of traditional double plastic-shelled boots. This is an asset because lighter footwear generally translates into more precise boot placements, and thus better climbing. The warmth and technical climbing comfort of the Spantiks are key reasons why they dominate in their category. WI6 ice, M8 mixed, 5.10 rock? These boots can handle it.

La Sportiva did a good job engineering the lacing system on the Spantik. The Spantiks are the only technical boot I have ever used that has a performance fit lacing system that can be operated with a single, gloved hand. The laces of the inner boot cross back and forth to a velcro attachment, and the outer boot has a single lace that locks at the ankle and again at the top of the boot. No knot tying! Ingenious. On a committing trip (especially one including rock) it would be wise to carry an extra pair of laces just in case you break one, because the provided laces are thin and potentially exposed to abrasion in spots (alternately: replace the laces with a Spectra-based cord before you go). The early versions of the Spantik had some issues with the eyelets breaking, but the current models seem to be holding up well.

Getting in and out of the Spantiks is also particularly easy. Unlike boots that have exposed closed cell foam in their liners, the Spantik inner boot incorporates mesh over a thin open cell foam. This makes it possible to slide your foot into and out of the boot without removing the liner separately. At high altitude or in extreme cold, one less thing to futz with is especially welcome.

Most expeditions or multi-day climbs include lengthy approaches, which can be disastrous on your feet when wearing rigid soled boots. To facilitate greater walking comfort, the Spantiks have a massive toe rocker that allows you to roll your foot forward without flexing against the sole of the boot. The presence of the dramatic rocker is a significant difference between the Spantik and the Spantik’s main competitor, the Scarpa Phantom 6000 (see photo). I recently walked 22 miles out from a climb over frozen snow, dry glacier, rock and trail in a boot with a rocker identical to the Phantom 6000. I rarely get blisters, but my heels were blistered on the trail section where I was fighting the rigidity of my boots. Rocker, like that on the Spantik, would have made a big difference in my hiking comfort. A disadvantage of the rocker is that it can be tricky to fit with certain models of crampons. Another difference between the soles of the Spantik and the Phantom 6000 is the thickness of the lug: the Spantik have a wide and relatively thick lug, which is great for longevity, but adds weight. The Phantom 6000s have a thinner sole, which makes them lighter, but they tend to wear more quickly, especially at the toe.

A key differentiator between the Phantom 6000 and the Spantik is the the stiffness of the upper boot. On the Spantik, the achilles area is reinforced with a hardy plastic that makes for a solid connection with crampons and Silveretta or Fritchi ski bindings. The lateral and forward flex is fairly stiff as well. This stiffness can be especially helpful with two dimensions of mountaineering: the (often humbling) experience of skiing in your climbing boots, and climbing sustained sections of hard 60 degree ice. The closer your boot is to completely rigid, the easier that 60 degree ice tends to be. The drawbacks to a stiff upper boot are that it adds weight, makes it more difficult to use French technique on steep snow, and makes it difficult to achieve an extreme range of motion. While the Spantik upper is soft enough to French technique, it is not nearly as soft as the upper of the Phantom 6000s, which can easily be folded over with one hand. Depending on the type of climbing you’re going to be doing, the softness could be either a benefit or a drawback.

The Spantik is unique among many double boots in that the outer shell is also insulated. The outer boot is definitely high tech, incorporating 5 layers, two of which are high density polyethylene (aka closed cell foam). Heat reflecting aluminum is also used throughout the outer and inner boots.

In a comparison, the Spantiks and the Phantom 6000s are nearly identical in warmth, with a slight edge to the Spantiks which is the bulkier of the two (see photo). These two boots rate significantly warmer than the Dynafit TLT5 Performance (a plastic shelled double boot) and the Scarpa Phantom Guide (an insulated single boot). On a relative scale, here’s how they compare in warmth:

At what point should you switch from using single boots to a double boot like the Spantik? Expeditions to the Himalaya and other high altitude trips are obvious uses. But these boots climb so well, I would bring mine on cold weather trips (5F and below) and even on moderately cold routes where long ski approaches are required. The benefits of the Spantik, including increased warmth, increased comfort and the ability to easily dry, are important features that help in performing your best in the mountains.

The post La Sportiva Spantik Review by Dave Burdick appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

The moment I picked up the Arc’teryx Nuclei hoody, I realized that Arcteryx had made my other belay jackets obsolete. And I have a lot of belay jackets. For my uses, which are mainly alpine climbing and backcountry skiing, the value of a belay jacket primarily comes down to the numbers: how warm it is, and how much it weighs. To cut to the chase, what is special about this jacket is that Arcteryx put an 80g/m2 insulated body and 60g/m2 insulated arms/hood belay jacket into a 285g package. Some comparable products are:

• 351g/390g – Rab Xenon/Xenon X – 60g/m2 Primaloft One
• 357g – Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody – 60g/m2 Primaloft One
• 375g – Arcteryx Atom Lt Hoody – 60g/m2 Coreloft
• 428g – Mont-Bell Thermawrap Pro – 80g/m2 Exceloft
• 431g – Patagonia Down Sweater – 800 fill down
• 482g – Mountain Hardwear Hooded Compressor – 100g/m2 & 80g/m2
• 500g – Black Diamond Stance Belay Hoody – 80g/m2 & 60g/m2

And just to toss in another comparison, the Patagonia R1 Hoody weighs in at 362g. From the above products, it’s clear that in dropping 66g and adding a significantly warmer body compared to the Rab Xenon, the Nuclei has a big leg up on the competition.

Fit & Features

Beyond the numbers there are some other tangible aspects of a belay parka that impact performance. The fit of the Nuclei Hoody is no frills but still slightly athletic in the way most Arcteryx pieces are. I fit a Medium in the Atom Lt, and a Medium Nuclei fits about the same, albeit slightly looser around the torso.

The Nuclei is a fairly minimalist piece overall, but does include a few nice-to-have features. Foremost is a hood that fits over a helmet. This is great when throwing the jacket on for a cold belay as the hood will not restrict your field of vision while belaying. There are no view-adjustment cords in the hood, which means you can also choose to put the hood under your helmet if you’re actually climbing with the jacket on in cold temperatures. The cuffs on the Nuclei are simple elastic which makes them a little poofy around the wrists. While the cuffs are not quite the design masterpiece of the Atom Lt’s, they are light and simple. The Nuclei also has a full length, non-locking, large-toothed YKK zipper that won’t snag in the fabric as easily as tighter-toothed zippers.

The jacket has two zippered hand pockets that allow your hands to slide behind the insulation, and a little pocket for the micro stuff sack that comes with the jacket. The hand warmer pockets are nice for around town and at ski transitions, and I think most users will appreciate them. However, for serious alpine climbing they are superfluous and the weight of the jacket could be reduced if they were removed. Another issue is that the internal pocket that holds the micro stuff sack is a bit slippery and doesn’t have a secure closure to keep the stuff sack from falling out. However, the stuff sack is a useful addition because it compresses the Nuclei down to an extremely small size.

Warmth & Wind Protection

The 80g/m2 insulation in the core of the jacket is noticeably warmer than my 60g/m2 jackets in cold temperatures. Unlike the Atom Lt Hoody, which uses Polartec Power Stretch under the arms for ventilation, the Nuclei hoody’s outer fabric is made entirely out of un-baffled 20×10 denier Airetica (ripstop nylon). This construction makes the jacket quite windproof and warm. The fact that the Nuclei does not have sewn-through baffles/quilting, like those on the Nano puff hoody, means that it will be warmer than that jacket for the given fill weight. Sewn-through baffles compress the insulation and allow air to more easily permeate the piece. This is a major reason why nearly all down sleeping bags are constructed with box baffles instead of sewn-through baffles.

Value

Given the Nuclei hoody’s warmth, weight, versatility and relative price, it has good value. Price wise, it falls towards the upper end of the above listed jackets, but not by much.

Overall the Nuclei is a great insulation piece that is exceptionally warm for the weight. In very cold conditions, some may opt to layer two Nuclei hoodies instead of a single warmer belay jacket (like the Dually or the DAS parka which are ~100-180g/m2) because it could make for a more versatile and lighter system. I expect that we will see other manufactures trying to match the design and weight of the Nuclei in the not too distant future.

The post Arcteryx Nuclei Hoody Review by Dave Burdick appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

When the Jetboil Personal Cooking System first came onto the market in 2004, it was truly a “game changer” for climbers. The system (originally around 15oz before fuel) wasn’t any lighter than a small cannister stove and cookpot, but its genius was the integration of stove, lighter, burner, and 1liter cookpot that would al click together into a single unit. For climbers rapidly breaking out the stove on a snowy belay ledge, or squeezing it into a cramped Firstlight or portaledge, this simplicity and convenience more than made up for a slight weight penalty versus traditional canister stoves. The original Jetboil did have several nagging problems and was inferior to the soon-after-released MSR Reactor for winter trips when melting snow. But the new Jetboil Sol (and Sol Ti, which has a titanium cookpot) fixes all of the system’s old problems, and has emerged as another true game changer.

The first and biggest difference between the original Jetboil and its newest iterations is the the weight savings. While the original system was 15-16oz, the new Jetboil Sol Ti is just over half that weight. The weight savings was produced by shrinking the cookpot from 1 liter to .8 liters, and by lightening every component from the cookpot’s lid to the stove and heat-exchanger fins. I still find the .8 liter capacity to be sufficient for the water required for a team’s hot drinks, water bottle filling, and preparing a freeze-dried meal, but the mere 20% reduction in boiling capacity does make the formerly top-heavy Jetboil feel much more stable in the slightly smaller size. If you bring the stove, cookpot-with-neoprene-cozy, lid, and bowl/measuring cup, the system weighs 9.8oz (the titanium model) or 11oz (the $30 cheaper aluminum cookpot model.) If you simply bring the stove and titanium cookpot, the weight is a scant 7.5oz, less than 1/4^th the weight of a full Nalgene.

A major problem with the first model was the fuel knob, which was small, hard to grip, and recessed underneath the cookpot. When the stove would inevitably boil over, 212-degree water coursed down over the knob, making it a painful exercise in self-inducing burning to turn off the stove. The Sol model features a much larger and easier-to-grab (even with gloves) wire tab, which thankfully projects out far enough from the stove to turn off an over-boiling system sans scalding. The original ignitor on my old Jetboil (and on those of several others I know) stopped working reliably after a year or two. A good friend actually grew so fed up with his gummed-up sparker that he manually removed it from his stove, since he would never trust it enough to leave the lighter at home anyhow. The included Piezo ignitor on the new model has been lightened and improved to be less-susceptible to destruction via grit, sand, and jostles in the pack. After a few months of use in the alpine, while car camping, and after throwing it haphazardly into my cluttered box of camp cookware, mine is still working perfectly but I do bring a backup Bic mini-lighter just in case. The Sol’s fuel/pressure regulation system has been improved as well, making the new Jetboil a better performer in the cold and near the end of your fuel canister’s supply than the original model.

I still prefer an MSR Reactor if you are doing a multi-day winter trip where you’ll be bringing along multiple canisters and melting snow for all your water, as the heavier stove (even the new smaller 1 liter Reactor weighs 14.7oz) is eventually offset by needing less fuel (due to increased efficiency) and having a faster boil time, especially when your water all starts as snow. But for shorter routes, even in the winter, having a single unit snapped together is a definite advantage in favor of the Jetboil. There’s nothing better than following a long, taxing winter pitch with the knowledge that your partner (belay you on a guide-style autoblock) has popped out the pre-assembled Jetboil and is brewing up a hot drink with whatever snow or ice was nearby. And rigging the Jetboil into a hangable system is also much easier and more stable than with any competing stove. A 5-minute DIY system that costs almost nothing is to simply put a hose clamp around the cookpot, and tie strings of 3mm cord onto the hose clamp at 3 evenly-spaced points, connecting the other ends of the strings together into a loop a foot above the lid. This creates a “tripod” from which you can clip the system to an anchor on a wall, the peak of a tent, etc.

The Jetboil Sol Ti (titanium) system retails for $150 and the normal Sol model, with an aluminum cookpot is $120. Aluminum is a better conductor than titanium, transferring heat into (and then back out of) the cookpot’s contents faster and more evenly than titanium. But every youtube test and ultralight backpacker study I could find showed little real-world difference between boil times using cookpots of these two materials, so I think the difference comes down to an extra $30 for a reduction of 1.2oz. And as any alpinist or backpacker knows, the amount you’re willing to pay for pounds saved is a never-ending question which not even this game changer can answer.

The post Jetboil Sol – A Major Upgrade Gets it Right by Blake Herrington appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

While climbing do you often feel irritable, moody, or wracked with pain and uncomfortable pressure in your crotch and lower abdomen? Do you catch yourself upset and shouting at your friends and partners, but for no good reason? You may be suffering from something climbers have long known about but seldom discuss openly: Rope Drag Derangement Syndrome. Luckily, help is just around the corner.

Kidding aside, rope drag is a literal pain, a frustrating inconvenience, and a potential hazard. Nobody likes to find themselves run out, and out of view

Graham Zimmerman on Freedom Rider’s crux pitch. Back-cleaning gear and planning ahead resulted in a relatively straight rope line despite a complex, wandering pitch.

from a belayer, forced to pull up armloads of slack and hold it in their teeth to execute a delicate highstep or slabby smear. Overcoming rope drag is primarily a function of proper planning, and learning to prevent drag can make your climbing faster, safer, and easier. Climbing a 10 pitch route in 5 rope-stretchers is fast and fun, but only possible if you effectively manage friction on your leads.

The causes of rope drag are friction of the rope against ice, snow, trees, rock, carabiners, etc, as well as bends in the rope’s course. Some of these friction adding elements (grippy, textured rock vs smooth slabs) are beyond the control of climbers. But others, such as the rope’s course, are largely a function of how the pitch is lead. Which means that these factors can be dealt with by climbers.

The first step in preventing rope drag, and climbing longer and smoother pitches, is to visualize the line you’re about to take. Draw an imaginary straight line from the starting belay to the finishing belay. If there are no physical barriers in the way, such as roofs or pillars, then the least amount of rope drag will be generated if your rope runs a course identical to this line. If you don’t know where the pitch ends, try to guess based on the topo and common sense. Use a variety of slings and draws, including lightweight 4′ “rabbit runners”, to allow your rope to approximate this course. There’s no doubt that stringing together long 70 or 80m pitches is easier when you are placing less pro, but these pitches should also be possible when placing adequate gear to fall safely. One technique is to place, and subsequently remove, a piece of gear which is clipped short (or directly to the rope) if a particular short crux breaks up otherwise easy climbing you would happily run out. Place a piece high, do the moves, and remove it so as not to cause unyielding rope drag higher up. Extending placements on easier terrain when a fall is unlikely will give you some greater margin for clipping short on crux pieces later on, but obviously every such decision is situational.

Secondly, figure out how you will deal with large roofs, flakes, and corners. Contrary to popular perception, it is often desirable to run the rope behind or through these features, rather than simply clipping long slings to every piece and keeping the rope to the outside. Index’s famous Sagittarius pitch is a perfect example of where the wide flake/roof, which is underclinged and then chimneyed behind, doesn’t actually require the use of any long slings. Because the gap between the flake/roof feature and the wall never gets thin enough to pinch a rope, it is possible to simply run your rope straight behind/through the flake and only have a few short draws on your pieces of gear.

Slinging gear short, when practical, will minimize fall distance, speed up climbing, and save slings for when they are truly needed Climbing long pitches and minimizing drag is not simply a function of throwing long runners on all your gear. Often there will be section on very long and circuitious pitches where the rope is running within inches of the crack. In these cases, runners are a waste. Just as you should begin the pitch by imagining the overall rope line you hope to draw, you can determine the necessity of slinging each piece of protection based on drawing a line from the previous bend/turn in the rope (or simply the last piece of pro) and trying to imagining where the next piece will be. Sling the piece you are currently placing to keep the rope line straight for this individual segment, and you will simply connect the dots on a straight rope line for the whole pitch. Just make sure that your gear itself is not directly in the rope’s path. Climbers can occasionally create their own rope-pinch points with the lobes of cams that they place. The caveat to this idea, which also applies to turning any roof with a crack in it (Squamish’s Blazing Saddles, Indian Creek’s Layaway Plan) is that your rope running behind the feature may actually push your cams into the crack, making them irretrievable. Place gear that can’t walk (due to constrictions) or keep your rope outside these cracks which your weighted rope will move into. Pinch points are common any time a vertical corner system is interrupted by a roof, climbed horizontally. If an obvious narrowing crack exists, fill the gap with a piece of gear to prevent the rope from wedging into it, which is worth stopping to place even if the piece wouldn’t hold a fall. A second strategy to prevent these pinches is to find a point of protection to clip the rope to on a short enough runner to mitigate the cord getting trapped.

As long ropes become more common and gear continues to grow lighter and easier to place, it makes sense to climb fewer pitches and stretch out the rope between belays. Doing so successfully and safely is one of many skills to keep refining, and something that will benefit climbers across all mediums and skill levels.

The post Rope Drag: The Silent Menace appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

Mike Pond on a late-season ascent of the Ellen Pea route – Supercave Wall.

November is, without a doubt, the worst month to be a climber, skier, or hiker in the northwest. But November is still a few weeks away. The one silver lining to what is generally a rainy, cold, and not-yet snowy season: it provides a great opportunity to rest and recover from one of the best times of the year to go hard, late September and October. Although October is traditionally associated with hard lowland rock climbs, pushing grades, and good redpoint conditions, September and even October can provide opportunities for late-season alpine rock climbing as well. You’ve just got to narrow your list of climbs, and focus on strategy and timing.

 Multi-day trips into the Pasayten, or Picket Ranges will be tough to manage during increasingly short days and unsettled early-fall weather. Instead, look to more difficult, steeper, faster-drying, and faster-approached alpine rock climbs which might have been too hard to tackle earlier in the season, but are in reach after a summer on the rock.

There are a few general rules to bear in mind, including some changes in how to approach routes as the season wanes. North ridges (of anything) are out. Cross those off the list. West faces of bigger peaks will also generally be too cold, staying hidden and shady too late in the day to allow for climbable conditions. Bring an extra layer of insulation, but leave behind the rain jacket you kept handy during spring. Consider toting a jetboil or reactor up to the base of the climb for hot soup or drinks before you start climbing. Focus on late-day ascents of shorter west-facing aspects or, with an early start, try east and southern-facing walls and peaks which can be climbed quickly. A route such as Rebel Yell, on Chianti Spire, might be best done as a day trip in July, when warmer temperatures and fierce bugs work against the desirability of a bivi under the peak. But this time of year, adapt your plans to soak in the scenery with a high camp, and reach the climb just as the morning sunlight does.

In the Stuart Range, the best choices would be Acid Baby or The Valkyrie, both excellent 5.10 routes on the 1,000’ tall Aasgard Sentinel. (These both get afternoon and evening sun, so don’t bother with a pre-dawn approach.) And if you’ve never been up onto the Enchantments Plateau amid golden Larches (and 0 mosquitos!) the South Face of Prusik is warm enough to climb in late season as long as clear skies keep the sun shining.

For Washington Pass and the northern Cascades, consider the lower-elevation south and west facing routes of the Twin Sisters Range, the South faces of Big Kangaroo, South Early Winter Spire, and Cutthroat Peak. Fast parties will be able to chase the sun all day, with a linkup of an east-facing morning route, and a west-facing afternoon climb in the Liberty Bell group. The Supercave Wall, which faces south opposite the Wine Spires, is perhaps the most sheltered and sunny wall in the area, and sunny-yet-cool conditions would be ideal for its techy and intricate climbs. The difference between a 90-degree mosquito-swarmed day in July and a brisk, cool, and tacky “Sendtember” morning can be hugely beneficial to completing a new personal best onsight or finishing a long-standing alpine project. The shorter days and colder nights make it easy to want to throw in the towel, but give that dream route another go. Your lazy and bored November self will thank you.

The post Late Season Last Chance Alpine Rock appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

The northwest climbing community experienced a string of tragic accidents in September of 2014, when three veteran climbers were killed in accidents taking place at a bolted sport crag, a huge, scruffy alpine wall, and the steppy approach terrain below a climb. The common thread linking all three deaths was a simple yet fatal accident while rappeling. The idea of rappels being statistically the most dangerous part of a climb is drilled into new climbers from day one, and the pages of each year’s “Accidents in North American Mountaineering” are filled with examples of rappel errors leading to deaths. Unlike when going up, climbers tend to rely 100% on their gear being used and functioning correctly for safety on descents. Climbers are also more likely to be going back down while fatigued, hungry, impatient, or in darkness, relative to their situation on the ascent. Some of these variables can be controlled and others must be accepted, but there are several basic improvements, both in terms of gear used and strategies employed, which can contribute to safer rappels. To make safer rappels, we need to analyze the most common accidents causes: mistaken device rigging, miscommunication, and rappelling off the end of the rope.

Rappel/descent accidents often occur when first starting the rappel or leaning back from an anchor. This failure is caused by erroneously setting up one’s rappel, or else by believing that one is going to be lowered by a belayer, but with a belayer who thinks the climber will rappel. The simple act of having both partners clearly and repeatedly confirming a plan for how a climber is to get down a given pitch (either at a single pitch crag or coming off an alpine wall) should prevent the scenario of a climber being mistakenly taken off belay while he or she thinks that they will remain on belay and be lowered. Yet this kind of accident occurs frequently, especially at popular and crowded crags where communication is difficult and a plan wasn’t mutually agreed upon before starting. When I lead single pitch routes, I typically say “You will lower me, ok?” or “I will rappel, ok?” and then wait for a confirmation before going through the more standard string of “on belay”, “belay is on” commands. This kind of question and answer communication is just as important as the traditional belay commands, but the lack concern about a leader getting off a pitch is common. The second major way in which accidents occur while starting a rappel is via incorrectly setting up a rappel device. At rappel stations, I prefer to nearly always be hanging or partially weighting the tether which I use to clip in to an anchor, even if there is a ledge. Keeping weight on this life-line prevents another climber (or myself) from mistakenly unclipping my locker from the anchor when things are being shuffled around. For me, this tether is typically a single sling girth-hitched to my belay loop and clipped in with a small, keynose locker, which is much easier to disconnect form small chain links or taut webbing than a notched locker. The typical accident in this scenario will occur when a climber thinks that he or she has correctly set up their rappel

No Twist Belay Loop – on all CAMP and Cassin Harnesses

system, but does not fully lean back and forcefully weight/bounce their rappel device before disconnecting from the anchor. This lack of pre-testing is likely due to both a mix of assuming that one has set things correctly, and a reluctance to bounce/hang at a belay station until forced to lean back while descending. Regardless of the reason, climbers should always aggressively weight their rappel setup while their anchor tether is clearly slack, before they consider disconnecting for a rappel. The more clutter one has on their harness and belay loop, the more difficult it will be to ensure a correct setup, so strip extra gear from this area of the

harness before descending. A excellent safety measure for multi-rappel descents is to use a no-twist locking carabiner (Metolius Gatekeeper, Black Diamond Rock Lock, etc) and leave it in place locked on the belay loop for the entire descent. Another excellent option is to place your locker in the dogbone-style inner loop found on CAMP and CASSIN harnesses, which allow any carabiner to remain securely locked in what amounts to a belay loop within your belay loop. Either of these mitigation strategies will reduce the number of variables that can go wrong with a rappel’s rigging.

The second major way in which rappel accidents occur is via rappeling off of one (or both) ends of the rope. The rope may be mis-threaded through the anchor, and although actually sufficiently long, it is hanging off-center for the rappel, making one end too short. The best way to prevent this is by having one (and only one, some ropes come with additional marks a few meters from each end)middle mark or pattern change, which is confirmed by both climbers to be at the anchor before rappelling. If your rope has no middle mark, use a sharpie to put one in place. If you are on a climb and find no middle mark, or a faded mark, use a small piece of climbing tape, a band-aid, or some chalk to mark the middle. And if you are rappelling in the dark, know ahead of time how many of your arm-length pulls will constitute half of your rope. For reference, expect 18-25 full wingspan pulls will be half of a 60m or 70m cord. The other means of rappel failure is by simply sliding off the ends of a rope after centering it correctly and rigging your rappel correctly, but when the rope doesn’t reach the next anchor (or a climber looses grip on the rope). Knotted ends (individually, rather than together which induces twists) are a 100% effective method of preventing this. Yet knots bring their own set of potential problems, so many climbers don’t use them. There are a few strategies and pieces of

Hands-Free automatically locked off rappel with Edelrid Mega Jul

gear which make a climber less likely to slide past their ends, and don’t carry the potential downsides which knots do. Rigging a quick prusik or friction-hitch backupis a fast way to be able to go hands-free and stay on rappel. This method will work in conjunction with any rappel device, but works especially well if you are extending your rappel device up off your belay loop, because it put more space between your harness and your device. Another strategy, and one which I see

becoming increasingly common, is to rappel on a GriGri or one of the new locking (yet non-mechanized) devices such as a Mammut Smart or the Edelrid Mega Jul. All of these devices have the built-in feature of locking up on a rappel when the climber isn’t actually releasing them to initiate the descent. Of the three models, I prefer the Mega Jul by Edelrid, as it is the lightest, has two slots, and can be rigged (by rotating it 180 degrees) to function as a normal ATC-style rappel device, with no additional capabilities. Any of these three devices (or a friction hitch backup) can still allow the ends of a rope to pass through them if a climber isn’t careful. Yet they will allow one to stay on the rope despite getting knocked unconscious, slipping on wet rock and loosing your grip, gettingstung by a swarm of hornets, or letting go to remove a stubborn piece of gear. Using these self-locking devices, I will often slowly approach the final few meters of a rope-stretching rappel, and then pull up the tails and tie knots in the ropes, especially if the end of the rappel requires a pendulum. As the first climber down such a rappel, I’ll thread one end of the rope through the next anchor (or clove it to myself) and clove off the other end of the rope to myself as well. By doing so, I would have prevented my partner from rappelling off the rope ends, but haven’t left knots in the rope which would need to be untied.

The post Local Deaths Can Inspire Safer Rappels appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

Unlike ropes, shoes, and harnesses, our climbing protection will last through years of use and abuse. I still regularly climb on a purple Metolius TCU which is older than I am, but which I have replaced the webbing on. And other than the webbing/slings on cams, which can be replaced by the company of manufacture, with a bulky hand-tied version, or a via third party such as Yates, the only other frequent mechanism of failure is the trigger wire. Fortunately for those who are loath to spend money, or like a little DIY challenge (you’re a climber, aren’t you?) it is easy to make a durable and free repair to the trigger wires of cams.

Trigger wires are not part of the cam’s actual holding function, and don’t bear any weight apart from the force of your fingers as you pull back on the lobes. If a trigger wire breaks, a placement will not fail but will (almost certainly) become permanently stuck. For this reason, at-home tinkerers don’t need to worry about their efforts jeopardizing anyone’s safety. Each cam model and size can be fixed in a different way, but there is a simple and standard method to fix most medium and large cams, involving a quick stop at your local bike store.

Fortunately for climbers, the three most popular styles of medium and larger cams (#.75 camalot and up) all have nearly identical trigger wire designs, and repairing them is a breeze. These are the BD Camalot, the DMM Dragon Cam, and Wild Country Helium Friend. Each of these models uses cable connecting the 4 lobes to a plastic trigger bar. If and when the cables on these cams become frayed, grab a 1′-2′ piece of bike brake cable (when I walked into my local shop, the employee happily handed me an extra long piece out of the garbage can) and 2 small end/crimp caps, such as are put onto shifting and brake cables of a bicycle. These should also be free, or cost just a few cents. If the bike shop has a piece of cable with a built-in larger “stop” or “cap” already attached, that will save you a quick step. You’ll also need just a single pair of needle-nose pliers which also have a sharp section for cutting wire.

• Cut away and remove the old cable. You may have to bend the more solid bits of wire into straight lines, and push them through the lobes.

  Any wire cutters should work, but sharper ones help make clean cuts.

• Apply one of the small crimp caps to the end of your way and smash it solidly onto the cable. This is now too large to pass through the cam lobe.

  This scrap of cable already had a “stop” on the end

• Thread the (thin and sharply-cut) other end of the cable through the cam’s lobe, through the trigger bar, and back out the trigger bar in the direction it came from, and then through the remaining cam lobe.

• While holding the lobes “closed” to produce some slack in your connection, cut off the cable just a few centimeters beyond where it has passed through the cam lobe. If you don’t have a second set of hands to hold the lobes down while you do this, you can wrap some athletic or electrical tape around the cable as a temporary “stop” while you figure out where to cut the cable.

Hold lobes retracted while cutting the cable

• Apply the second crimp cap to this new cut, and bend it down along the cam’s lobe as much as possible. Go climb.

  Fixed Cam

   

  Disclaimer: Cascadeclimbers.com and all its associated entities does not assume responsibility for the repairs you make to your climbing gear. Use these instructions at your own risk. If you doubt your own repair job, please seek advisement from the gear manufacturer.

The post Fix Large Cams for Free appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

Last summer my good friend Kieran embarked on his first ever alpine climbing adventure. His objective? The classic Northeast Buttress of Slesse Mountain. Upon his return I excitedly asked him about his adventure and his first remarks made me laugh. ‘Man we made it to the summit and I was so stoked, but then I looked down the other side and realized, oh shit, now we have to get down’!

These are thoughts that have been thunk by many an alpinist, from the newbies to the veterans. In fact, while reading through the summit register of Serra V in the Waddington Range, I came across the entry from the 1964 first ascent of the peak. The entry read, ‘15hrs from Radiant in blizzard, how the hell do we get down?

Luckily for Kieran, the descent off of Slesse Mountain is a relatively straightforward affair, with a few hundred feet of technical descent followed by a long pleasant ridge traverse and well defined trail back to the car. But although straightforward it is long and circuitous, and when planning a link up of three routes on Slesse I knew that having an alternate option from this standard descent would be critical in moving quickly enough between routes.

With some studying of photos and taking notes from guidebooks I hashed out a plan with Brette Harrington to climb the Navigator Wall and explore descent options from the col between the South summit and Third Peaks of Slesse. The adventure that followed was a highlight of the summer. Descending through the mist we found not only the impact zone of Flight 810, but an alternate descent from Slesse that brought us directly back to the base of the wall in only 2 hours.

This descent is far more technical than the standard descent off the summit tower, however it loses elevation quickly and brings you right back to the propeller cairn where the access trail to the routes ends. This descent involves extensive 5^th class downclimbing to 5.7, or multiple rappels on steep terrain and should only be attempted by experienced, highly competent parties with excellent routefinding skills.  This descent also leaves one feeling ‘on the mountain’ for its entirety in contrast to the standard descent and there is some degree of objective hazard to be considered in the Southeast Gully itself.  Although the technicalities and hazards involved are far from extreme, this descent should be avoided in poor weather as it follows a major watercourse.

That being said, this route brings one through highly alluring and exquisite terrain on an amazing peak. This is also by far the best descent from the South Summit after an ascent of Navigator Wall, and for any route if regaining stashed bivy gear at the propeller cairn is the objective.

For fast parties allow from up to four hours in descent from the main summit, and perhaps two to three hours from the South Summit.

For slower to average parties allow up to eight hours to descend from the main summit, and five to six from the South summit. This descent is not recommended for slower parties.

Route Description –

From the main summit of Slesse follow the standard descent route to the top of the gully dropping west below the spectacular and prominent gendarme. From this point, head due south towards the South Summit climbing down a loose 4^th class couloir to reach scree terraces below the Main and South summit Col. From the col ascend the Northwest face of the South Summit, making a short rightwards traverse and low 5^th class downclimb to reach more 4^th class corners leading to the summit ridge of the tower.

From the summit ridge of the South Summit descend the scree basin leading south towards the Third Peak of Slesse and the Flight 810 impact zone. The scree basin gives way to 4^th and 5^th class ramps on the Southeast aspect of the South Ridge and two possible rappels before traversing back Southwest to the col between the South Summit and the Third Peak of Slesse. You are now at the top of the Southeast Gully.

Scramble East down the gully on 3^rd and 4^th class terrain until possible to break out towards the Southeast Buttress of the South Summit on 3^rd class grassy terraces. Downclimb grassy terraces near but not on the Southeast Buttress, mostly 4^th with short 5^th class steps and possible rappels.

As height is lost a ledge sporting multiple trees near the crest of the Southeast Buttress will become visible. One option is to make three or four (single rope) rappels, beginning from one of these trees, directly to the hidden couloir leading to grassy terraces below the Navigator Wall. The rappels are steep and wild, but solid anchors are available in the way of slung horns, or leaving nuts or pitons.

The other option is to continue downclimbing grassy ledges back to the base of the Southeast Gully to its terminus at a triple fork. Cross the couloir, then downclimb into its Northeast fork on wet and slimy low 5^th class terrain. The Northeast fork is the well-hidden couloir that leads towards the base of Navigator Wall and is clearly the best option at this point.

Once the hidden couloir has been gained, wet 3^rd and 4^th class downclimbing leads back to the grassy terraces below the intimidating Navigator Wall. Traverse these terraces into the middle of the face, then downclimb three pitches of 5^th class rock to 5.7 or make rappels on fixed anchors to reach the slabs at the top of Slesse Glacier cirque. Welcome and congratulations! You have successfully descended the Southeast gully route! Make your way down the amazing slabs to your packs and hopefully your stashed beer and smokes at the propeller cairn.

The post Mt. Slesse Descent Update by Marc-Andre Leclerc appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

Extended periods of climbing or long alpine adventures have a way of simultaneously being both beneficial for the body and hard on it. Consecutive days of cramming feet into rock shoes, cramming the already crammed feet into cracks and standing on the toes for long periods of time can turn ones feet into an unsightly mess. This damage adds up over years of climbing and can lead to huge callouses, bunions and disfigured toenails. Long periods of hiking in mountain boots followed by extended periods kicking forcefully into snow and ice can also have damaging effects.

Brette Harington uses flexibility and endurance in her legs to send ‘The Shadow’, Squamish B.C.

Hiking uphill, carrying a pack, hiking downhill, falling from boulder problems, hard rock overs, heel hooks and various other climbing maneuvers all take their toll on the lower body. Soreness in the feet, ankles, knees, hips and lower back are common complaints amongst climbers from boulderers to alpinists and are often correlated with one another.  For example, stiff muscles in the arches of the feet can cause tightness in the ankles which can lead to improper posture while walking which in turn causes knee pain during long approaches. Climbers, especially rock climbers and pebble wrestlers, often spend their training time strengthening and working to prevent injuries in the upper body, but the lower body and legs need an equal amount of attention from an active climber. The legs and feet take much of the weight on all but the steepest climbs, and are your means of getting to and from your climb, boulder, or mountain!

Will Stanhope carrying a heavy load of equipment to advance base camp in the Turbio Valley in Northern Patagonia.

When I was 18 I began to feel a twinge of pain in my right knee, followed shortly by a deeper pain that slowly grew in my left knee cap. Soon I could no longer push the pedals around on my bicycle and walking even one block to the physiotherapist became a chore. The doctor misdiagnosed the issue and as the pain in my lower body increased I felt that I would no longer be able to alpine climb. But over the following years I began to cultivate a body awareness that have helped me self-address the muscular issues that cause this pain. Learning to address these issues has allowed me to undertake ultra-marathon distance days in the mountains again and complete long link ups without being held back by sore knees and tight muscles.

While I am not a physiotherapist or doctor I would like to share a few of my tips for keeping your lower body healthy and well maintained for rock and alpine climbing. These tips are applicable for all climbers from boulderers to alpinists and can help address and prevent some pain in the lower body. This is a short and simple list, a kind of ‘quick guide’ on the topic.

-Your feet are the base of your entire body and must not be ignored!

It is easy and common to ignore the feet but they are your body’s base and used to support every movement of the legs, issues in the feet can affect the entire body. It is important that your feet can splay out inside your shoe and not be squeezed too tightly in order for your muscles to function naturally as you walk.  With climbing shoes and stiff boots this is often not the case as your feet are forced into unnatural positions for extended periods of high physical output which can lead to stiffness or even degeneration of the tissues in the feet and ankles. When you must wear tight fitting rock shoes loosen the shoe and pop out your heels in between attempts on that problem, climbs at the crag, or pitches on the wall. For longer days try to find a more comfortable shoe that allows your foot to splay out rather than curl, Mythos, TC Pros and 5.10 Moccasins are all good options for this. Even then, take off the shoe between pitches when you can, it will save your feet in the long run. After long days of climbing, or days spent in mountains boots, releasing the muscles and fascia of the feet will help in preventing injuries. The easiest way to do this is too acquire a Lacrosse ball (or any other VERY hard sports ball smaller than the size of a fist) and roll out the muscles in the foot very slowly. Quick rolling motions are not nearly as effective as spending at least 30 seconds applying pressure to each tight section of the foot. Try to do this exercise daily, even on road trips as lacrosse balls are small and very portable.

Using a lacrosse ball to roll out the muscles in the foot. This is easy, effective and feels great after a day of climbing or hiking.

-Try to stretch your legs on a daily basis.

Thoroughly stretching all the muscles in the legs every day is much easier said than done. While proper stretching is relaxing, it does require a good deal of focus and time and setting aside enough time for this every single day may not be possible for many. A good rule of thumb is to stretch at least 4 days a week, but aim for more. 

-Prime your muscles for stretching by rolling out knots and releasing trigger points.

Imagine an elastic band with a knot in it. Pulling on the elastic will cause it to elongate similar to stretching your muscles, the knot however is not released by this action. An effective way to help release knots in your muscles prior to stretching is by using a foam roller in conjunction with the lacrosse ball mentioned earlier in the article. Foam rollers are available at most physiotherapy shops and many sports stores. I personally use a small ‘Travel Roller’ that I can bring on road trips and international expeditions. Foam rolling techniques can be found with google but here are a few key points to get you started.

-          Don’t roll too fast. Find the tightest and most painful location on each muscle and spend 30 seconds to a minute creating pressure on that point. Breathe deeply and try to help the muscle relax with your breath. Quickly passing over the tight muscle with the roller is essentially pointless.

Using a foam roller to release tension in the quadriceps. Remember to roll the front, inside, and outside of the quadriceps both close to the knee and at the hip flexors. 

-          Breathe deeply and meditate on the discomfort. Rolling out tight muscles can be extremely uncomfortable at first. This discomfort likely means that your muscles are in desperate need of release. Much like in life, working through some level of discomfort will often lead to the most positive gain.

-          Use the lacrosse ball for the feet. For the calf muscles and hamstrings I find that a combination of foam rolling and using the lacrosse ball works best. It is sometimes difficult to generate sufficient pressure on some muscles with the roller as it disperses the weight over too large of an area, use the ball for these areas.

Sit down on the lacrosse ball sandwiching it between your calf and hamstring. Try placing the ball in different locations along the muscles. This may be uncomfortable, remember to breathe deeply.

-          Work upwards from your feet to your hips and try to spend at least one minute on each muscle on each side, two or three minutes on each side is better. Make sure to roll the muscles on both the front and back sides of your legs.

Okay, so your feet, legs and hips are all rolled out! You have loosened up those pesky knots and your muscles might feel a bit sore, in a good way of course. You are now ready to stretch them out. Stretching is best done somewhere comfortable, on carpet or on a yoga mat. Rolling and stretching in front of the TV, or in a social living room chatting with friends will be much less effective due to the many distractions. Really effective stretching requires one to focus the mind on each individual muscle and breathe deeply to supply oxygen rich blood to the area. This is often not as easy as it sounds, especially after a rough day at work, or when your mind is distracted by any number of things that may be occurring in your life. Clearing your mind in order to stretch and relax the muscles can have an equally soothing effect on the mind as mental stress can be released along with muscle tension.

A very relaxing and useful stretch that targets the outside of the hip. It is very useful after a climb involving strenuous stemming. This stretch is commonly referred to as ‘Pigeon’.

While it may not appeal to some, attending a couple yoga classes can have great benefits in learning how to stretch and maintain a healthy body and mind as well. I personally find that there are many parallels to the headspace of deep focused stretching or yoga in climbing. These parallels often present themselves when I have to mentally  myself before a dangerous runout, a committing free solo on loose rock or onsighting an exposed pitch right at my limit. Even stepping up (or sitting down!) to the first holds on a very difficult boulder problem has similarities to focusing on that tight, clenched muscle and helping it release.

Here I have included a handful of my favorite lower body stretches that I personally try to use on a daily basis. Find the stretches that work on your tight areas and try to enjoy the process of taking care of your feet and legs.

An easy way to stretch the calf muscle is by using any kind of step. This is made easier by wearing a shoe. Focus your weight into your heel and lean slightly forward using your other foot for balance. Make sure to stretch both sides.

A variation of the calf stretch using a bent knee and the other foot placed further back for balance. This targets the tissues of the lower calf, nearer the Achilles tendon. Again remember to stretch both sides.

An excellent stretch that targets the hamstrings. Once you find the stretch relax your body and stay in this position for 30 seconds to a minute. Repeat twice with each leg.

This excellent stretch targets all the muscles in the back of the legs as well as the inner thigh muscles. Find the right distance between your feet that makes this stretch possible for you, then relax your body and hold the position for 30 seconds to a minute. Repeat twice. Over time you will be able to bring your feet further apart from each other. 

This advanced stretch targets the quadriceps and hip flexors. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds to a minute and repeat twice with each leg. If this is too difficult an easier standing version may be preferred.

-Learn about the muscles in your legs, pinpoint your weaknesses and work on them!

Educating yourself about your own anatomy is the most important step you can take towards preventing and treating injury in your future. Learning how each muscle interacts while you climb, hike, run or do anything will help you pinpoint where you are weak. Strengthening these muscles so that other (and often smaller) muscles do not have to overcompensate for this weakness will help your body function naturally and efficiently.

Information can easily be found online or in books. While the exercises listed in this guide will be a good starting point, further research will be the key to preventing and treating any injuries that may arise in the future.

The author climbing in more comfortable approach shoes during a link up of three routes on the East side of Slesse Mountain involving around 10,000 feet of climbing on technical terrain.

The post Lower Body Maintenance for Active Climbers by Marc-Andre Leclerc appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

As climbers and climbing-gear buyers, we are accustomed to wading through marketing claims, weeding out hearsay, and determining  the facts on our own before we act.  Is that carabiner really just 29g? We’ll simply put it on the scale and know the answer. Do these ski bindings collect ice and snow like I’ve heard? I’ll demo a pair and find out before I buy them. This tendency toward skepticism is healthy, and helps keeps us safe while climbing and skiing. It also means that when I have an initial impression, or glean what is thought to be “conventional wisdom” I often try and test such beliefs, rather than assume accuracy.

Guides and multi-pitch climbers have dealt with elbow and shoulder issues for years as a result of bringing up second and third climbers and fighting to get ropes through the anchor. Could the options for solving this problem be tested once and for all? I hoped to put the conjecture to rest and actually quantify the difficulty of belaying from above. I recently heard several climbers complaining about their problems with pulling rope through the Edelrid Mega Jul device while hanging it in guide mode to belay up a second climber.  These climbers expressed appreciation for the device’s locking-assistance, but said that it was too much work to pull rope through the device as it hung from the anchor. Others chimed in to say that their upgraded belay device model was better than prior iterations, or their belay carabiner was smoother than the one used by someone else, and saved their elbow regardless of the device. In this article, part 1 of a 2-part series, I look at hanging belay devices, in combination with different ropes and carabiners. But as I was testing these devices, I realized that the claims made about ropes (length, weight) also seemed far from iron clad, yet would be easy to assess with the right tools. I’ll be looking at those measurements in the second article.  As my dad always liked to say, we are each entitled to our own opinions, but not to our own facts. And the forces needed to of pull rope through different belay devices? Those are facts.

The Ropes

• I began my test by borrowing a few ropes, devices, and a hanging scale from other friends and climbers who live nearby. I was fascinated to note differences in lengths of up to 5 meters between between ropes theoretically of the same length, and in measuring out 2 different 80m ropes, 4 different 60m ropes, and 4 different 70m ropes, the closest I came to a match was with 2 different 60m ropes which were only 30cm different in length. I saw no other 2 ropes which were thin 1 meter of each other, and I also saw no consistency within brands, for having all relatively longer or shorter ropes. I am going to follow up with these differences in weight and length in a subsequent posting. For my tests, I ended up with more than a half-dozen different rope brands and diameters, but settled on three different models for the test: a Tendon Master 8.9mm, a Petzl Arial 9.5mm, and a Bluewater Pulse 9.9mm.

The Carabiners

• For the all-important belay carabiner, the one which the rope runs around and makes contact with while the device is hanging, I settled on the original Petzl Attache. This is a classic “round-stock” carabiner. In some initial tests I substituted other carabiners with a less rounded cross-section, and found that there was a measurable increase in force required to pull in rope. This difference was noticed regardless of the device chosen.

The Belay Devices

• For the belay devices, I had a Trango Cinch, Petzl Gri Gri II, Petzl Reverso, Petzl Reverso 4, Edelrid Mega Jul, CAMP Ovo (belay plate), and the Cassin PIU 2. I also later tested a Mammut Smart Alpine (not shown in the graph) and the values were similar to the Edelrid Mega Jul.

The Setup

• I hung a scale from the top of my freezer, and would “zero” out the weight after clipping on the device, the carbiner, and feeding the rope through so that there was a loose pile of cord at my feet, the rope ran up and through the device, as if belaying a second climber, and then ran back down to the ground. I would then steadily pull rope through the device on the brake strand, and note what was the maximum force exerted on the scale. In other words, how hard did I have to pull?

I tried to make each pull of rope uniform and smooth, bending my arm at the elbow and not violently yarding downward on the scale. I would pull armloads of slack through each device, with each rope, and note an average maximum value for the various hardware combinations. At the end of the day, the absolute values (expressed here in kilograms) are not as meaningful as the relative differences among devices and rope sizes. Pitch length, rope drag on a pitch, rope stiffness, and belay carabiners all play major roles in determining hard hard you are working to get slack in through each device in a real scenario, but the fundamental takeaway is that even controlling for each of these variables (as I was in my kitchen) there is a wide range of difference in effort required to belay. Some surprises, such as the difficulty of the newer models of Reverso relative to the original, and the overall ease of the Mega Jul, made me glad I hadn’t just trusted the gut reactions of others. It was also interesting to see that some devices had definite “sweet spots” where a thin-diameter rope would pull through with ease, while a rope just slightly thicker would be a major pain to belay with. I am going to investigate the claims of weight, diameter, and rope length in an upcoming post, but at the very least it is worth noting that simply because a rope is labelled as having an equal (or thinner) diameter than a different model, there might be little difference in terms of how the tool ropes actually feed through a device or handle on a pitch.

Even without a fancy scale or half-dozen devices to test, there is a great in-the-field version of this experiment which would allow you and your partner to choose the best device for your team’s multipitch leader to use that day. Hang one of your devices from a tree limb in guide mode, thread the rope through the device, and then clip an empty backpack onto the “brake” strand of the rope, which you would be pulling on to belay the follower. Start filling the pack with cams, draws, and small pieces of climbing gear, until its weight begins to pull down on rope. Now leave the pack’s weight the same, but trade out the belay devices and re-hang the pack. If you can remove some gear from the pack and it will still pull down on the brake strand, you’ve just found a reason to use this second belay device for the leader, and you can re-use this test to find the smoothest carabiner as well. Folks may think you look strange hanging your pack and belay devices from a tree to start your day, but that’s just another’s opinion. And they’d be entitled to it.

The post Elbow-Saving Belay Setup – Streamline Your Multipitch Performance appeared first on Cascade Climbers.

Jason Kruk and our minimalist bivouac setup in the Torres of Argentine Patagonia. Cerro Fitz Roy in the background.

I’d like to start this article by just mentioning a thing or two about my intention in writing it. I am stoked to share some of my personal thoughts and strategies in regards to going as fast and light as possible in the mountains. Climbing however, is different for everyone, and each individual is responsible for making their own decisions regarding what they are comfortable with and how far they want to push their limits.

As a climber I am always trying to raise the bar in some way or another, at least on a personal level. Whether it is going as fast as possible, as far as possible or just climbing right at my mental or physical limits, these goals demand a minimalist approach. This approach involves leaving behind what many would consider to be critical items and does not necessarily suit every climber out there. Some of the tactics I like to use for moving fast might seem unnecessarily dangerous, but these tactics do not always require taking more risks when the bigger picture is considered. Hopefully this article explains this in a way that is easy to understand.

The degree to which you take this advice to heart should depend on what you are personally looking for in climbing. If you are looking to push your limits and climb significantly faster, and in more committing situations, this may be just the article for you.  Regardless of whether you plan to use the tactics and strategies brought forth in this article or not, the information provided could very well be of interest.

A very important concept that I’d like to begin my article with is that faster almost always means lighter. However, lighter doesn’t always mean faster.

Think of a party speed climbing the Nose; they likely have a light rack, one rope, one set of jugs, a light pack with a couple litres of water and not much else. They can race up the wall at lightning speed because they are comfortable running it out and belaying very little. They don’t need puffy jackets or tonnes of water as they will stay warm through exertion and be able to rehydrate at the car in a matter of hours.

However, if a team of less experienced climbers replaced every single carabiner on the rack with a lighter equivalent, ditched the second rope and left the portaledge in the car, they are not going to race up the Nose in a matter of hours. This is obvious, and an extreme example of course, but the concept is the same for most climbing situations.

The alpinist must learn to move faster before he/she can begin to travel significantly lighter. Not the other way around.

Once the climber has the ability to move faster over more complex terrain, he/she can be certain that it will be safe to leave behind heavy items such as bivy gear or extra insulating layers. This will in turn make it much easier for the climber to move as fast as possible, but that skill must already be present.

This concept essentially dictates that the key to travelling lighter on alpine routes is by raising ones overall competency on alpine terrain. Building confidence on moderate terrain is by far the most essential ingredient in gaining the ability to move quickly in the mountains.  The ability to confidently move un-roped on mid-5^th class rock, steep snow and moderate ice can open up a whole new realm of possibility for the alpinist wishing to move fast and light. I believe that the ability to solo 5.8 or 5.9 is a more valuable skill for the alpinist than the ability to onsight 5.12 trad. Building the confidence and technical skills to move more easily and freely in the mountains in turns allows one to reduce the time spent vulnerable to objective dangers or weather changes in committing situations.

Tony Mclane climbing un-roped on the East Pillar of Slesse Mountain. By simul soloing most of the route, only belaying two pitches of stiff 5.10, we climbed the 28 pitch route in 4 hours. We climbed very carefully, never racing and testing our holds methodically.

I’m not trying to encourage people to start taking great risks in their climbing. If stopping to place gear frequently, in a ‘just in case’ manner even though a fall does not seem likely, is how you need to climb to feel safe there is nothing wrong with that. But that method of climbing will never be exceptionally fast, and you will always need to carry more equipment to compensate for the amount of time spent on the route. Shaving grams by taking lighter bivy gear and lightweight carabiners will make your pack a tiny bit lighter, but the bottom line is that you are still carrying bivy gear, placing a lot of protection, and going slow. While constantly protecting against a fall may seem like the safer option in the moment, you are increasing your exposure to danger from other, less predictable sources.

Building total confidence on more moderate terrain requires mileage and experience. Most of all it requires building up a broad base level in your technical skills rather than always trying to achieve a ‘peak’ level of performance. We have all seen the climber at the gym or crag working the moves of a very difficult route, but struggles to onsight climbs a grade, or even several grades easier. This is a certain path to becoming a climber with a resume of 5.11 trad sends that places way to much gear on an alpine 5.8. If this is you, consider spending more time at the crag climbing routes that feel challenging to some degree, but not so challenging that you are likely to fall off. Climb some easier routes that you are very confident on and practice running it out but only when you feel in control. Once you have accumulated some mileage for the day go throw yourself at the project that requires working all the moves. Or divide days at the crag into mileage days and project days. This is a good way to solidify your base level while still working to raise your peak level.

This approach takes time and commitment; it is not an overnight process. However it is supremely satisfying when you and your partner approach that grade V alpine you’ve dreamed about for ages, then simul solo it before lunch and are home in time for dinner. A key point that must be taken into consideration is that running it out and climbing unroped should always be done in a controlled and comfortable manner. Building up a large base of experience on terrain below your limit is the road to feeling calm and in control on various types of terrain whether protection is available or not. Feeling shaky and uncertain while trying to push yourself to run it out or solo is a recipe for disaster. The point I a trying to drive home is that by accumulating a huge amount of mileage on this kind of terrain, will eventually allow you to calmly climb such terrain unprotected and feel safe while doing so.

Brette Harrington scrambling mid 5th class terrain on the South Ridge of Serra 2, Waddington Range B.C. The ability to simul solo moderate terrain allowed us to climb the 1,500 meter ridge, and establish a hard  variation in a day. We slept in and started late, and were still back at base camp before dark.

Being extremely proficient on moderate terrain is the basis for moving fast, and in turn light, in the mountains. Having a solid base will also provide the platform to raise your peak performance level as well, and is what you will rely upon when trying to send that cruxy pitch right near your limit.  Most big alpine routes with a very difficult free climbing grade are not sustained at that grade, and if they are a party moving fast and light on that route will likely be able to climb significantly harder than the given grade.

For example – A climb rated 5.11d might have many pitches of 5.10a or easier which will be soloed by a highly proficient party. This might be followed by a series of 5.10 slabs or cracks that are simul climbed or pitched out quickly with the leader placing very little gear. The 5.11d crux pitches will be pitched out and the party will carry on soloing or simul climbing easier terrain above

A big route in the mountains that has many sustained pitches of 5.11d climbing will not be climbed in a fast and light style by a party who struggles on 5.11d. A party moving fast on a route like this will likely be solid 5.12+ or 5.13 climbers who can consistently onsight 5.11d with little effort and place little gear.

Alpinists must be realistic about their abilities when choosing an objective to approach in a fast and light style.

Free soloing sustained technical terrain during the first solo ascent of Serra V, Waddington Range, B.C. The confidence to solo this steep previously unclimbed terrain allowed the author to avoid a rockfall strewn approach couloir, reducing objective hazards.

In addition to moving quickly while un-roped on moderate alpine terrain, there are various other strategies to reducing the time spent on a route even further. Like building up a base of competency on moderate terrain, these strategies may require training to be able to employ effectively.

An extremely effective way to move faster in the mountains is to reduce the need to take breaks; this is obvious but often seems to be overlooked! Improving general physical endurance is another key to improving overall performance on big alpine routes. The ability to sustain a pace all day, without the need to take breathers is an absolutely essential tool in the alpinist’s belt.  The speed at which one can hike without hyperventilating dictates how much ground one can cover over a long duration of time.

Attempting to increase the pace, by running or moving at a rate which causes one to become short of breath is highly counter effective during long days. Time will be wasted recovering from such stints, and more often than not muscles in the legs will require a day or two to recover from this sudden increase in workload. The best way to moderate your pace into something sustainable during long days is by limiting yourself to breathing in through the nose. If you must breathe through the mouth and ‘gasp’ for air then you are trying to move too fast.

A highly trained endurance athlete will be able to sustain a relatively fast pace without the need for breaks. The highly trained athlete’s moderate, nose breathing, pace may cause an untrained individual to wheeze and pant for air. Slow and steady is good, fast and steady is better. Regardless of the pace, steady is absolutely key

Fit rests in to natural breaks during the day. This means that when the base of the route is reached and you and your partner remove your packs to rack up, this is your time to rest! Try to avoid ever stopping to rest unless there is something else that needs to happen that requires you to stop moving. This might be as simple as stopping to remove a layer, which will require you to remove your pack and stop moving for a minute; this is a productive rest, make the most of these seconds spent standing still! Once the layer is in the pack keep moving and get on with it.

Other examples of natural and productive times to rest include:

-changing into rock shoes or boots.

-Removing or adding gear to the pack.

-Belaying your partner.

-Navigating/reading complex terrain.

Essentially, one should try to never just sit down and turn the brain off in order to rest; resting should always be timed with completing some other productive task. Turning your brain off and sitting on the ground is to be done when you get home, or return to base camp after your climb.

When possible try to get as many birds stoned at once as you can while resting. This looks like: approaching the climb at a sustainable and moderate pace, perhaps sneaking in a break as you put crampons on your boots and rope up for a glacier, continuing at your sustainable pace, then resting and sneaking in an energy bar and sip of water as you rack up for the climb.

Always carry an energy gel or something similar in your pocket while hiking so that you can quickly fuel up without stopping. The next time you have to stop to complete another task, such as racking up or changing shoes, reload your pocket with another gel. This allows you to stay sufficiently fueled so that you don’t crash, without the need to stop frequently for the sole purpose of having a snack. Try to only stop moving when several things need to happen at once that require you to stop!

An example of these practices put into action can be found in my one day solo link up of Serra V and Asperity Mountain in the Waddington range last summer. During that ascent I likely never stopped moving for more than 5-7 minutes at a time. I also never moved so fast as to hyperventilate which would have required me to rest and recover. All my stops included completing some crucial task such as changing into rock shoes, building a rappel anchor, or leaving my food, water and extra equipment at the col between peaks; the launch point for each summit bid.

The author running it out on 5.10 terrain during the first ascent of ‘Cerro Mariposa’ in Argentine Patagonia. The first ascent party established 18 new pitches of new climbing to 5.11d A2 in a day. A cold open bivy on the summit followed regardless. 

Another place where time is often lost is at belay changeovers. Learning to manage belay changeovers in a fast and efficient manner is another essential tool for the alpinist who wishes to move faster in the mountains.

First, leading in blocks is more efficient than swinging leads. This allows the leader to recover from the efforts of the pitch as the second climbs so that he/she is refreshed when the second arrives at the belay.

Swapping leads requires the second to catch their breath after reaching the belay and rack all the gear onto their harness before beginning the next pitch. However if the leader’s block is over, there is an efficient way to change over the lead.

If switching lead blocks, upon reaching the belay the leader should:

-Once secure, pull up all the extra slack and put the second on belay with an auto-locking belay device.

-Remove all additional gear from the harness and clip it to the belay in an organized manner. Once this task is done then secondary tasks such as eating, drinking or taking photos can be done while belaying the second.

-When the second arrives he can just sit on the rope as he is already secure, hanging from the auto-locking belay device.

-The leader grabs the belay device from the second’s harness while the second grabs all the gear hanging from the belay and racks up for their block.

-The leader put the second on belay on the second belay device, while they are still suspended from the anchor from the first belay device.

-The second removes their attachment point to the anchor by taking the first belay device and clipping it to their harness.

-The second is already on belay and ready to begin his block.

Practice these fast changeovers with your partner on multi-pitch rock climbs so that you are both highly proficient at it when you are on a long alpine climb.

A proficient team should spend no more than 2-3 minutes changing over the lead.

During a leader’s block, the exchange of gear at the belay is relatively simple. As the second secures himself to the belay, the leader can grab the gear from the seconds harness and re-rack it on his own.  Once secure, the second can grab the rope from the leader, stack it over his attachment point and put the leader back on belay. The leader is ready to grab their belay device, detach from the anchor lead the next pitch. This can easily be done in less than 2 minutes by a proficient party.

Some parties are not interested in setting personal speed records and would prefer to spend more time relaxing, placing extra gear, taking in the scenery and chit chatting with their partner(s). There is nothing wrong with this approach and for some people focusing all mental energy on time and efficiency would be stressful and not enjoyable. However attempting very long and committing routes in this slower style exposes one to additional hazards from the environment as well as additional fatigue from spending more time in the elements. These tips are not meant to dictate how alpinists must climb in the mountains. They are just tips and strategies to help those who are interested in moving faster, lighter and more efficiently on big alpine routes. For me, completing a long and serious climb in a short amount of time with little gear is very satisfying, and it is from these types of pursuits that these strategies have developed. Take these strategies and integrate them into your climbing alongside training and body maintenance to take your alpine climbing to the next level, if you so wish.

The post Faster is Lighter – Tips for Increasing Your Speed in the Alpine appeared first on Cascade Climbers.