I. Ice Axes and Crampons
Axes and hiking boots are just as important to ice travel as ropes and safety belt
s. Hiking boots can help you stay on your feet when the snow is icy and the ice is steep. An ice axe keeps you balanced, self-protection and self-braking. Plus, with an ice axe, you can drop into a self-braking position, preventing rappers from tumbling down into the ice.
To keep the ice axe on you when you roll, wear an accessory strap or thick strap over the hole in the top of the ice axe. You can attach the other end of the strap to your wrist or use a carabiner to attach it to a seat belt around your waist. The short strap on your wrist is somewhat inconvenient because you have to put the ice axe when you change hands. Swap the strap to the other wrist. But a long strap, whether attached to the wrist or the waist belt, may allow you to switch hands freely. The belt clips tightly to the seat belt so that the ice axe allows you to balance itself quickly (see Chapter 12 for more information on ice axe belts).
Second, Prussian slings and ascenders
The most important supplies that can help climbers get out of ice cracks are slings and mechanical ascenders, slings with Prussian knots or other friction Knot.
Prussian slings
can be as simple as a 5 to 7 mm knot attached to the rope, one of the slings is tied to the climbing rope in a prussian knot, it can be Slide it up and down to stay firmly on the climbing rope when taut. Bachmann knots can also do this, but they must be tied to a lock and climbing rope at the same time. If the sling is made of thick webbing rather than rope, a Klemheist knot works best (see Chapter 6 for a description of the various types of knots). ). The simplest Prussian slings are used to fast knot snow cones and ropes on falling climbers, and more complex slings, with foot loops and safety loops, are described later in this chapter in the section on self-rescue in ice crevices.
Mechanical ascenders
(e.g. Jumars, Clogs) attached to slings and clips can be used instead of friction knots such as Prussian knots for self-rescue. In addition, in the event of an accident, the rope riser can be fixed, which is easier to fix on the rope than knotted, and it is also very convenient on the frozen rope, and it can also be operated with gloves. But, on the other hand, ascenders are heavy and expensive, and as mechanical devices, they are more prone to knots and, in special cases, tend to snap from the rope. On some tours, the ropes are fixed in place, and most climbers bring an ascender or two for self-protection. This ascender is also used for walking on glaciers.
Other Rescue Gear
Each climber should bring at least one one-inch tubular strap single-section slider and one 22-section slider to attach to the mounted snow cone. Also come with enough carabiner to loosen the rope (or two carlocks plus a guard), a rescue pulley (a carabiner is useful in an emergency, but it will increase friction, and each rope team should bring at least one snow piles or ice screws) depending on the snow (for solid support).
Three. Clothing
The clothing required in the cracks of the ice is different from the clothing on the glaciers. Even in the windless and sunny weather, the cracks in the ice are still cold. And you have to be prepared for the unexpected. On hot days, you’ll also want to wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt (wool or a blend), preferably a ventilated jacket, such as trousers with side zippers, or a parka with zippers under the arms . You can close the zipper if you fall into a crevice of ice. To further protect against hypothermia, bring another jacket and keep it within easy reach. Keep a hat and gloves in your pockets and wear a light-colored jacket to reflect sunlight on glaciers and keep you warm in crevices.
Four, skis and snow boots
Sleds or snow boots are a must for winter and mountaineering. Because they can prevent you from sinking deep into snow by distributing your weight over a larger area, a feature that makes them also very useful in glacier walks, when you step on crevices, covered snow, it reduces You are in danger of falling.
5. Sticks
Bamboo sticks are a good helper for identifying ice crevices, turns and return routes, even when climbing, when you plan to descend from another route. Use these flag-topped sticks to mark the route you’ve climbed so you can go back the same way. If visibility is poor, set the safest stick distance to be the total length of your climbing group (rope in columns, travel), and on the way down, if necessary, make the group feel their way, the last in the group A person has to stop at each stick, and unless it is confirmed that the next stick is found, it will not move forward. If the visibility is good, the distance of the stick can be inserted wider. A couple of other tips for sticks, if you stick the stick diagonally, point it to the next stick
it’s easier to find, remember on the way back you’re looking for the stick from the top down, so Don’t stick sticks in pits or under ridges, because that’s harder to find, and key points should be marked in a special way, such as with two sticks pointing in a new direction around a turn, or two sticks crossing each other. There are snow bridges or hidden crevices in the ice.
Six, snow shovel
Wide snow shovel is a very practical tool. It’s the only thing that comes in handy in an avalanche. Usually, it can dig protective walls, help build tents, and clear snow to build roads.
A good snow shovel should be wide enough to shovel more and more snow quickly, and the handle should not be too short or too long. It is necessary to use force well, but also to apply Yuru in a small space. In the event of an emergency, the shovel should be easily folded and ready to be packed away immediately. Some snow shovel handles are movable, and some shovel blades are movable, and can be bent in some cases, which is very convenient. In larger “projects” (such as snow digging), climbers often use a snow bucket with a wide shovel to shovel more and more easily.