shanja
02-08-2010, 04:20 PM
Let's begin with this image.
A cartwheeling 3lb (3/4 kilo) swastika of shapened steel racing along at 9.8m/s/s. Your body a soft pink lump of target clad in all the protection of down feathers and nylon.
Not a pretty combo, eh? But alas and unfortunately it's a reality. An ice axe is more than capable of puncturing your clothes, your flesh and even your helmet and skull.
Now, although I'm a fan of leashless ice-climbing myself, and thus maybe seen here as a slight hypocrite, I would like to bring fair warning to the dangers of this style. It's not for everyone, and not for everywhere.
Recentl;y at Yeong-dong ice park, an axe was dropped. It ricocheted off the wall, off the ground and like a steroid stuffed 'roo jumped up and out a good 12 feet smack into the face of an unlucky climber/ belayer. He was incredibly lucky to be able to walk away (to the ambulance) with just a huge ugly gash and lot's of spilt claret.
The same weekend, at anothet ice park, a KOTRer was similarly hit by a dropped axe, that by some miracle collided more with his legs and chest, and somewhow without the pick itself getting embedded in his body.
Though I find leashes a hassle, I will admit it's probably true that at a crowded crag/ ice-park or fall, that by not using SOME KIND OF TETHER, you are putting others in real danger. It may well be just a matter of time before someone is killed....though I hope it never happens.
How would you feel if the dropped axe was yours?
It's not always the climbers fault that an axe is dropped. Falling ice from above (happens a LOT!) can dislodge the axe from your hand or from a secure placement, as can a sudden broken pick, a collision with a rappelling/ lowering climber, a smashed knuckle when swinging etc
A less hassly option to leashes is to run 4mm accessory cord/ bungee cord from the axes spike end to your harness. You can still get hands free and swap tools, though the long tethers can snag and so on. Quick detachable leashes are also available for most tools, though again, shafts may need specialized retro-fits to take them.
I guess the thing is to look at where you are, and how many folk are about. If it's crowded, maybe you ought give in and leash/ tether up. Also the belayers in ice climbing generally tend to be further out from the wall, for comfort and safety from the continuous showering of small shards of falling ice etc, BUT this puts them in a more risky fall-line for heavy bouncing blocks and falling tools etc....and because of the oblique angle of belay (instead of being right in under the climber as in rock-climbing), falls can jerk a belayer right of their feet, especially when belaying on a slippery ice covered stance. So belayers should tie in right? Well...yes and no.
Being tied in means you won't lose control if you get jerked off your stance by a falling climber, but it makes you a sitting duck for falling stuff too. So what's the solution? I dunno. I think (seriously) cricketing leg pads would be good, or at least shin-guards, and always always belayers should have a helmet on and be watching the climber and wall carefully. Early warning of anything falling is also crucial. Yelling out in a panicked scream "NAK BING!!!! 낙빙!!!!!) ASAP is a sure way to get peoples attention and may give them time to dodge the missile. You're climbing in Korea, so learn that phrase IN KOREAN. It literally means falling ice, but will do for tools or other gear too. Rock climbers use "NAK SEOK!!!낙석!!!" for falling rock etc.
A cartwheeling 3lb (3/4 kilo) swastika of shapened steel racing along at 9.8m/s/s. Your body a soft pink lump of target clad in all the protection of down feathers and nylon.
Not a pretty combo, eh? But alas and unfortunately it's a reality. An ice axe is more than capable of puncturing your clothes, your flesh and even your helmet and skull.
Now, although I'm a fan of leashless ice-climbing myself, and thus maybe seen here as a slight hypocrite, I would like to bring fair warning to the dangers of this style. It's not for everyone, and not for everywhere.
Recentl;y at Yeong-dong ice park, an axe was dropped. It ricocheted off the wall, off the ground and like a steroid stuffed 'roo jumped up and out a good 12 feet smack into the face of an unlucky climber/ belayer. He was incredibly lucky to be able to walk away (to the ambulance) with just a huge ugly gash and lot's of spilt claret.
The same weekend, at anothet ice park, a KOTRer was similarly hit by a dropped axe, that by some miracle collided more with his legs and chest, and somewhow without the pick itself getting embedded in his body.
Though I find leashes a hassle, I will admit it's probably true that at a crowded crag/ ice-park or fall, that by not using SOME KIND OF TETHER, you are putting others in real danger. It may well be just a matter of time before someone is killed....though I hope it never happens.
How would you feel if the dropped axe was yours?
It's not always the climbers fault that an axe is dropped. Falling ice from above (happens a LOT!) can dislodge the axe from your hand or from a secure placement, as can a sudden broken pick, a collision with a rappelling/ lowering climber, a smashed knuckle when swinging etc
A less hassly option to leashes is to run 4mm accessory cord/ bungee cord from the axes spike end to your harness. You can still get hands free and swap tools, though the long tethers can snag and so on. Quick detachable leashes are also available for most tools, though again, shafts may need specialized retro-fits to take them.
I guess the thing is to look at where you are, and how many folk are about. If it's crowded, maybe you ought give in and leash/ tether up. Also the belayers in ice climbing generally tend to be further out from the wall, for comfort and safety from the continuous showering of small shards of falling ice etc, BUT this puts them in a more risky fall-line for heavy bouncing blocks and falling tools etc....and because of the oblique angle of belay (instead of being right in under the climber as in rock-climbing), falls can jerk a belayer right of their feet, especially when belaying on a slippery ice covered stance. So belayers should tie in right? Well...yes and no.
Being tied in means you won't lose control if you get jerked off your stance by a falling climber, but it makes you a sitting duck for falling stuff too. So what's the solution? I dunno. I think (seriously) cricketing leg pads would be good, or at least shin-guards, and always always belayers should have a helmet on and be watching the climber and wall carefully. Early warning of anything falling is also crucial. Yelling out in a panicked scream "NAK BING!!!! 낙빙!!!!!) ASAP is a sure way to get peoples attention and may give them time to dodge the missile. You're climbing in Korea, so learn that phrase IN KOREAN. It literally means falling ice, but will do for tools or other gear too. Rock climbers use "NAK SEOK!!!낙석!!!" for falling rock etc.