When ascending and descending perilous mountain routes with sharp crags and frozen conditions, mountaineers need excellent tools to help them get the job done. One of the most important tools a mountaineer needs is an ice axe. Ice axes are ice and snow tools that can be used by mountaineers for a variety of purposes.
The ice axe can be used mostly simply as a walking stick, aiding the mountaineer in balance through rough terrain. When buried with the sharper pick side down, ice axes can be used in tandem with ropes to raise climbers up from one point to another. Mountaineering ice axes can be used to scoop out footsteps or handholds, and can even be swung quickly to provide an anchor for a climber in the event of a slip.
There are two standard kinds of mountaineering ice axes, a basic axe and a technical axe. Basic axes are used for the general snow conditions of most mountaineering. Technical axes are used on snow and ice when a mountaineer encounters steep or vertical climbing conditions. Ice axes are usually comprised of around five main parts the spike, used for balance and safety the shaft the adze, used for chopping the pick and the head. Ice axes can be purchased with a variety of attachments aiding in many different tasks.
Several important factors should be considered by anyone purchasing an ice axe for mountaineering. For optimal comfort and safety, the spike of the axe when held should not reach down past the ankle. An axe too long can be a detriment to climbing. The shape of the curve should be chosen carefully, depending on the type of climbing being done. The choice of material the axe is constructed out of is also very important.
Steel is heavy but durable, titanium is lighter but stronger, and aluminum is lightest and most brittle of all. Variations in length, curve, and material can make great differences to a climber. The careful choice of a mountaineering ice axe is very important to climbing comfort and safety.