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dhorgan
Aug 6, 2007, 8:32 PM
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Hi
I'm going to be doing a few alpine routes in the sierras in september. Sill, Whitney, Temple Crag, Bear Creek Spire, etc. I'll be focusing on routes that are mainly rock climbs.
I wondered about using a pair of strap-on crampons on a pair of low-top approach shoes, in case I run into a tiny stretch of snow or ice. I've never tried that, and I was wondering what people thought of that versus getting into something heavier, either a high-top approach shoe or a full-on lightweight mountaineering boot like the sportiva trango s evo gtx. I hate to spend money on something like that (and lug it up a long rock climb) if I don't need to. Any particular boots people like for this type of climbing?
Cheers,
David
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hiyapokey
Aug 6, 2007, 8:59 PM
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I was in yosemite last october and they were expecting snow soon I think, but the day was very warm still and not conducive to snow on the ground. Of course you may be going higher, so other folks more knowledgable about the area may tell you differant. Anyway, to answer your question there are these square steel plates with the corners turned down the strap over the ball of you shoe that I haven't personally used. My mom used them to give herself a little piece of mind when climbing down the ice trails of the grand canyon in the winter. She loved them. Real men use crampax brand crampons.
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shimanilami
Aug 6, 2007, 9:09 PM
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I haven't been up any of those routes this year, but I'd be surprised if there's snow any of them right now. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong.)
And if there is, I think you'd be better off with an axe.
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snowey
Aug 6, 2007, 9:24 PM
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we climbed mt. russell yesterday and didn't have to cross or come in contact with any snow. Mt. Whitney looked totally dry too.
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trebork2
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Aug 6, 2007, 9:54 PM
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Black Diamond Sabertooths are a good all around crampon for any route.
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dingus
Aug 7, 2007, 1:36 AM
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Chances are very very good you will not even need an ax, let alone crampons. I didn't take crampons for any of those mountains you listed.
Keep in mind that snow flies at some point between mid Sept and the end of Dec.... and when it does, you're pretty mkuch done. Keep your eye on the sky that time of year.
Cheers
DMT
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dynoho
Aug 7, 2007, 2:21 AM
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I just got back from Whitney yesterday. While there is a lot of ice, as low as 12K, all of it was avoidable. The first gully after the notch had a large field which was easily by-passed. Mt. Russel appeared to have none.
Daytime temps were pretty high, so I doubt anything would be accumulating in the next month. Good luck.
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crotch
Aug 7, 2007, 3:03 AM
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Lightweight aluminum strap-on crampons on tennis shoes work fine. I'd be glad to have them if I was headed up Glacier Notch to the Swiss Arete for instance. More is overkill unless you're setting out to climb some couloirs. Most of the trade routes in the Sierra you'd be fine without.
If you don't want to carry as much weight you can get away with having only 1 partner bring a pair of 'pons and then belay the 2nd guy up. Another alternative is to chop or stomp steps the afternoon before your climb when the snow is soft.
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tavs
Aug 7, 2007, 3:24 PM
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I did the lightweight crampons over low approach shoes for the last two weeks in the Bugaboos. Everything from hard icy snow/glacier in the early AM to 12 inches of melty, mushy snow by the PM. Worked like a charm throughout. If you did think you'd be encountering much snow, low-top gaiters over the shoes are also a nice (and light) touch.
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timm
Aug 7, 2007, 3:28 PM
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Sill is the only climb you will need crampons for of the ones that you listed. The rest are all snow free. The glacier up thru Glacier Notch is very icy with crevasses (some hidden). Make sure that whatever crampons you have are sharp for the Glacier Notch approach.
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superbum
Sep 2, 2007, 2:25 AM
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crotch wrote: Lightweight aluminum strap-on crampons on tennis shoes work fine. I'd be glad to have them if I was headed up Glacier Notch to the Swiss Arete for instance. More is overkill unless you're setting out to climb some couloirs. Most of the trade routes in the Sierra you'd be fine without. If you don't want to carry as much weight you can get away with having only 1 partner bring a pair of 'pons and then belay the 2nd guy up. Another alternative is to chop or stomp steps the afternoon before your climb when the snow is soft.
Yep! I've used Trango's cheapest strap on crampons many times w/ only my approach shoes...from the Bugaboos to the Sierra. If you can get a super lightweight pair of alum. ones, even better...But if you were to only have ONE pair of crampons, I would want them to be steel.
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