Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Crampons

I know there has been a lot of talk on this but I plan on renting these and a couple of ice axes in Phoenix before we head up. It sounds like we are definitely going to need them but everyone talks about knowing how to use them first. Unfortunately we have no snow in Arizona except for the San Fran peaks, do you think just studying up on the use and practicing a little above Trail Camp will work? We will be up at TC on the 4th of July, anybody else going to be there on that date that could give us a crash course? Leading up to our climb I will prepare us much as possible, I am assuming we will be OK but I will admit I will be nervous putting crampons on my son and handing him an ice axe.

Kevin,

There is a lot of information on the internet on how to use crampons and ice axes. I would suggest you study their uses and when you get up to trail camp, practice self arresting on the lower slope of the chute till you are comfortable and are confident that you can stop yourself in an emergency. Remember, never gissade with crampons on.

Cheers,

PHil

Thanks Phil, kind of what I was thinking. We will try to get to TC early.

ice axe technique:

http://www.climbingcrampons.com/ice-axe/

self arrest technique:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x-8Hv2DJ0w

We just got off the mountain. Several in our party had never used crampons and ice axes before. The trail has enough little sections of snow that you have to cross over before you get up to the chute (where you are really going to need them) that you can get plenty of practice. Watch some youtube videos on self arrest, and practice before you really need it and you should be fine. The techniques are not difficult and can be easily learned and perfected. Hit the chute early, and get down it before 5 or 6. Good luck. The mountain is a blast, and the summit makes it all worth it.

Hey Kevin. I am from PHX also and heading up the main trail on the 27th. I couldn't find ice axe rentals locally... You have ideas?

Hi Adam did you leave anything on the mountain? If so call the store . 760 937 2257 Thanks Doug

REI, and its better if you have their membership.

Only certain REI locations rent out ice axes.
In LA area only Rancho Cucamonga does!
At least this is what they told me so i bought instead.

I was just at our local REI. I purchased a REI brand 65cm on sale for $39.00.

great deal...i dont see it on the website...do u have a link?
I bought a 74cm grivel-cost me 75$ .

I didn't see them on the website. I just went into the store. It was a last minute decission. I was looking at the Grivels also when I saw the REI brand next to them.

Hi, I was at the Manhattan Beach REI the other day and they told me that they did not rent crampons and ice axes.

The REI I mentioned was the Tempe location outside of Phoenix, half the price if you have a membership. Also, the other day my wife went and picked up a map for me that they were holding, they gave her the wrong map and she did not keep the receipt. I tried to just get them to exchange it and they said no because I was not a member. I guess my lessen learned is always keep your receipt. I thought they might show a little compassion for such a small item that was unused. But I suppose policy is policy.

Thats odd that they would not exchange a simple map; becasue they usually have a really good exchnge policy member or not. I had a trekking pole for a year which broke up on Whitney and I received a full refund.

Yup. It's in his trail report from last night.

Ice axes are for life - I bought mine in 1987 and it will only fall victim to an uncoming attack of ultralight kool aid hangover. My old axe is almost two pounds, but you could probably belay a truck with it.

First use in 1987 - happy hiker:
http://didnt.doit.wisc.edu/outdoor/galle...se_1987_271.jpg

Most recent use was in April on Whitney. I keep reading about the new (expensive) ultra light stuff - Camp Corsa especially. I have a hard time retiring something that works, but after 24 years I guess the days of the Stubai are counted when the modern gear does the same thing and is 1/4 the weight of my vintage axe. Will it hold a snow cat over an abyss? Probably not, but I'm not the weight of a snow cat quite yet.

My old axe was modified by a friend in a machine shop to take a 1/4 screw through the back of the shovel to all me to clamp down a camera body - an ultra light monopod idea from the 80s.

Crampons is a different story: I still have the old Cassin Italian made IRON crampons, strap-on metal lumps that never felt right, wandered around on the boots no matter how hard you tried to cut the circulation off on your feet. With cold fingers they were almost impossible to strap on. My modern step-in Petzl crampons are fantastic - a true safety investment and make you want to go out on the icy stuff over and over again.

REI has been fantastic about returns and refunds for me. I went through 3 sets of poles (2 suffered breaks and 1 wouldn't lock securely) and not only got full credit each time on the replacement but actually got a bit of a refund because the poles I ended up with cost less than the original ones!

I didn't have receipts but as a member every purchase I make is in the computer. If a person isn't a member, though, and doesn't have a receipt, how can they know that you bought the item from REI?

We rented ours from REI for this last weekend. They worked great. Plus they only charged us for three days, even though we had them from Friday-Wednesday. I am a member, which helps a lot. (Lifetime membership is only $20. The benefits pay for themselves many times over.) You can see which stores rent crampons on their website. http://www.rei.com/stores/rentals.html It appears that the only Arizona store that rents mountaineering gear is in Tempe http://www.rei.com/stores/rentals.html#arizona