Did you carry an Ice Axe?

[Magnet_]

Did you carry an Ice Axe? If so, which one? Where? Did you also carry crampons?

[Magnet_]

I carried a Black Diamond Raven Pro from Kennedy Meadows to Tuolumne. I used it to self belay and glissade but never had to arrest. Was glad I had it & would take it again. Started off from KM with crampons but never used them and sent them home asap.

[chai guy]

No ice axe, no crampons.

Would I want an ice axe? Maybe if I was one of the first hikers of the season, but I found the steps to already be well carved and I never thought to myself "This would be so much easier if I had an ice axe".

crampons? definitely not. I rarely saw anyone use them at all.

What I would bring next time:
gaiters and trekking poles.

[Ender]

I bought an ice axe (Grivel Nepal Light?) and had it in my bounce box, but I missed the maildrop right before the High Sierras and had to forward my maildrop ahead, so I didn't end up carrying it at all. I kinda wished I'd had it, but never really needed it.

[George]

Carried an ice axe from Kennedy Meadows for the High Sierra section. (28" about 1.75lbs)
Used it once when I tripped coming off a pass, once for cutting steps and several times for digging holes or support. I'd definitely take one again. Might not be needed, but if it is....
Also took crampons. Didn't really need them, though used them once just because I had them. Sent them off asap. Wouldn't take them again.
George

[footslogger]

I'm really perplexed on the whole ice axe issue. I have already bought the Black Diamond Whippet, believing that it would be sufficient in the event I lose footing.

I see so many pictures of hikers with ice axes proudly attached to their backpacks and I kinda thought it would be better to have a "tool in hand" if the need arises, even if it is not a true ice axe.

Am I nuts ...is my thinking misguided ??

[Magnet_]

I'm really perplexed on the whole ice axe issue. I have already bought the Black Diamond Whippet, believing that it would be sufficient in the event I lose footing.

I see so many pictures of hikers with ice axes proudly attached to their backpacks and I kinda thought it would be better to have a "tool in hand" if the need arises, even if it is not a true ice axe.

Am I nuts ...is my thinking misguided ??

I've never actually seen the whippet first hand but I do know two people who thought the same as you and were happy with their decision.

[Token Civilian]

Carried one and used it - heck, it quite possibly saved me from injury on Glen Pass on June 20,2006. I also had instep crampons - wouldn't bring 'em again - useless. I carried from Kennedy Meadows to Tahoe, although I could have sent the axe home at Sonora Pass / Bridgeport as the 'Elephant Back' wasn't all that bad.

I used a Camp XLA210. I fell while heading up Glen, traversing up above one of the melted out switchbacks. I bridged up on the axe and was able to arrest the slide quite quickly.

With respect to the comments about ice axes being proudly displayed on packs - that's where mine spent most of its time, since it's not needed in hand on flat to gently sloping ground. I had my trekking poles in had at those points in time.

It was when the terrain got steep that I stopped and swapped a pole for the axe on the pack. The axe went into the up hill hand with a pole in the down hill hand, so I could maintain 3 points of contact on the trickiest terrain. It was kick step advance foot, kick step advance foot, advance axe, advance pole, repeat endlessly on the steep passes - Glen and Mather especially.