Self Arrest Ice Axe

An ice axe has many uses but it is primarily a safety tool for helping you stop an unexpected fall down a slope which is called making a self arrest.

Self arrest ice axe.

Learning how to properly self arrest is a life saving skill that will take lots of practice to master but learning the basics is easy. I don t see any good reason for not using a leash. Self arrest is a technique employed in mountaineering in which a climber who has fallen and is sliding down a snow or ice covered slope arrests the slide by themselves without recourse to a rope or other belay system. Ice axe self arrest starting in a seated position.

The self arrest involves planting your axe into the snow to stop a fall if you slip on a steep snow covered slope. Personaly i wouldn t feel well without the leash. Even with good skills there is always a possibility of taking a slip or a trip and if you do then having the appropriate techniques to self arrest is paramount. But we always wrap wrist leash around the head of the ice axe.

The ice axe for many is a mountaineering symbol that evokes images of rugged glaciated peaks and above the cloud summits it s an essential safety tool for mountaineering adventures whether you use it to maintain balance or to self arrest and stop yourself from a fall. A classic hiking ice axe approx. A short ice axe can also be used well for self arrest which actually holds better and can be better handled when braking a fall. The freedom of the hills is all yours with the proper ice axe to stabilize your footing if you slip balance you on the descent and to stop your fall in the event you find yourself needing to self arrest.

In firn snow the head of the ice axe should be used for self arrest. Self arrest can be performed by using ice axe and a combination of a climber s boots hands feet knees and elbows. In soft snow the adze. 70 cm long with a head and adze is sufficient for self arrest.

But it has to be wrapped around the head of the ice axe so it s really short. To avoid these potential problems carry an ice axe with you and know how to use it to stop yourself by using a technique called the self arrest. Watch my video demonstration of the self arrest technique and here s a step by. In slovenia we always teach self arrest with wrist leash.

To be able to self arrest effectively it s important to practise. In this video we review the self arrest technique a way of stopping a. Subscribe to our channel for the latest training videos climbing tutorials and more. It holds the ice axe tightly in my hand.

Use of an ice axe greatly increases the probability of.