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Re: [onrockandice] Taking a Beginner...:
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dan2see
Feb 9, 2010, 2:41 PM
Views: 4264
Registered: Mar 29, 2006
Posts: 1497
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Hey you guys, I don't like the way you say that a beginner doesn't need a "real tool". Well I'm a beginner, and I'd like to tell you what the quality of the gear means to me.
Last winter was my first time ever on ice.
I wore my hiking boots that flexed too much. When the ice got vertical, my toe points would just slip right out, although I was able to struggle from mini-ledge to mini-ledge. Somebody loaned me his old BD Ravens Vipers, but they needed sharpening badly. The sun was shining on the ice, so it was soft enough for the blunt picks, but when I climbed onto a section of icicles, I just hooked the pick between lumps, rather than work so hard.
The important lesson I learned that day was, my points can pop off, but I could usually recover.
When I got back down, my friends commented "Hey Dan were you ice climbing or rock climbing?" I answered "No I was desperate!"
Really the ice was fun, but the gear sucked and I couldn't play anymore.
This winter, I'm renting gear from MEC in town. Excellent double mountaineers boots, super crampons, and for tools I have a choice of BD Cobra or Petzl Charlet -- all sharp!
What a difference!
We've been on a few routes, all WI-3, all two-pitch, all successful. I can walk up plain vertical ice -- all I have to do is kick my toes at it.
As for the tools: OK my technique is terrible, my style sucks, but I smack the pick at the ice and it stays there. Actually I'm never sure how well it'll stick, but it's always good enough for my next swing -- and I keep moving up.
Man it's wonderful.
So I'm saying to you guys: On ice you climb on your picks and points. Your beginner has a lot to learn, so make it possible, make it practical -- give him the advantage he needs to succeed. Then when he's experienced to choose his own gear, he'll be ready for challenge.
(This post was edited by dan2see on Feb 9, 2010, 3:57 PM)
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Edit Log:
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Post edited by dan2see
() on Feb 9, 2010, 3:57 PM
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