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beyond_gravity
Dec 9, 2002, 11:44 PM
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Registered: Jan 2, 2002
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Chop away all the weathered ice, and get down to some solid, blue-gray ice. Chop room so you will have room for the hanger of the screw to spin. Once you have that done get a 22cm screw (17 will work, but is not recommended) and screw it in at about a 45º angle to the (sideways, up or down) Once the screw is all the way in, take it out.
Now, on the other side you want to drill another hole at the same level, and obviously have it intersect with the other hole at the back. Do it!
Now you have two holds that form a V shape, thus V-thread, also knowen as an Abalakov
Use 1 inch tubular webbing or 7mm cord, and thread it threw one of the holes. Now, get your Abalakov Hooker (a sharpened coat hanger also works) and stick it into the other hole, this will snag the webbing and complete the thread.
For webbing tie the ends with a water knot, for 7mm cord use a fishermen’s knot.
Looks pretty good, eh? Ready to roll?
HELL NO!
You’re Ice Climbing
People die using V-threads every year! Do you want to die?
This applies for if you find a v-thread already set up and want to use it.
Sink in your 22cm screw at least a foot away from your V-thread. Now, clip into your V-thread with a Static piece of webbing so you hang comfortably out. Clip your rope into the ice screw. Now, bounce the f*ck outta it! None of this wossie aid climbing bounce testing! Jump up and come down as hand as you can on it, bring your feet up a foot below the thread, pull your body in on the webbing, let go and push yourself out as hard as you can! Be aggressive! Do this as many times as you want, make yourself feel good about it!
A guy died last year because he didn’t do this. He was using an old was that was frozen in soild, only a tiny loop was sticking out, that’s what he clipped into. Safe right? Wrong.
The little loop was just the tail end of the knot that he clipped into, he rapped off it, it pulled and he died. If he tested it, it would have pulled, he would have pissed himself when it blew, but the ice screw would have caught him and he wouldn’t have died.
If it’s your first time, find a partner that knows what their doing. If after all of that you still don’t feel comfortable coming down on it, set up another one and equalize them.
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bradhill
Dec 9, 2002, 11:52 PM
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Registered: Mar 22, 2002
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Your "V" should be in the horizontal plane.
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bigbouda
Dec 10, 2002, 11:27 PM
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Registered: Apr 10, 2002
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good post B_G!
by the way, hows the ice around Canmore lately? I'm dropping by in the rockies for 10 days around new years and will hit some alpine routes. Recommend anything? Cheers!
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beyond_gravity
Dec 10, 2002, 11:48 PM
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Registered: Jan 2, 2002
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I dont do much alpine climbing.
Pretty much all the Ice climbs are in. you may have to drytool a little bit, but that just adds more fun, eh!
If your just doing single pitch make sure you bring a file as their is barley any snow on the ground! the rocks really dull up the crampons good!
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