[pct-l] Light-weight full-length crampons and cheap sledge

[doodad.pct at hotmail.com (Doodad PCT)]

Thanks for Mtnned's thoughts.

The Grivel AirTech light crampons are 12-pointers with the front points 
modified. See:
<http://www.grivel.com/>, then navigate to "crampons", "synoptic table" and 
then "Air Tech light" for a nice image.

The Grivels are NOT the instep type. I agree that insteps do not do an 
adequate job.

I've never had any experience with crampons which have nothing pointing 
ahead of the boot or shoe.  I guess after years of using them, I've just 
learned to keep my feet separated enough to avoid injury.  Does anybody 
manufacture a light-weight version of the old-style 10-point crampons which 
have nothing pointing forward?  My first crampons were 10-point Grivel 
chrome-moly steel type with modified chisel front points.

The point of my experimenting with an improvised sledge which is tied onto 
the back of the pack is that it can be carried as a normal backpack in any 
situation where sledge hauling gets tricky.  By the way, I use a lower-body 
climbing harness for hauling it.  Sure, a purpose-built sledge with control 
rods is wonderful for a trip which only uses it as a sledge, but I would 
assume that most sledges would be too heavy to be carried on the back as 
part of a normal backpacking load.  By the way, I found that a short haul 
line works best -- just long enough to allow for clearance from my snowshoe 
strides.  I suppose it might be possible to rig trekking poles as improvised 
sledge control rods.  All life is one big experiment!

Trail Name: Doodad
Pacific Crest Trail Northbound 2006
Amateur Radio N7RR Tracking:
<http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?call=N7RR&radar=***&topo=2&terra=4>

>From: Mtnned@aol.com
>To: doodad.pct@hotmail.com
>CC: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
>Subject: Re: [pct-l] Light-weight full-length crampons and cheap sledge
>Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 15:25:13 EST
>
>Hey, Doodad and future thrus!
>
>Our thoughts from Mountain Education on this subject:
>
>1.  Instep crampons - great on ice as long as you're balanced on your
>instep.  Limited control on traverses and when you are on the ball or heel  
>of your
>foot.  We do not recommend the use of these for the Crest or Muir  when
>carrying a pack of significant weight up high. Crampons mounted on the ball 
>  of the
>foot without heel straps may slip off on ascents.  This style does  not 
>have
>heel points, so is insufficiently safe on changeable descents. Our
>recommendation is to carry 10-point crampons.  12-point versions can cause  
>severe injury
>if you're not closely focused on your foot placement (front points  can
>damage tendons of the opposite foot).
>
>2.  Sledge idea -- once again, great on the flat, but impractical on
>traverses, in the trees, and forget the downhill, unless you want to lower 
>it as  we
>do with our rigid 4' and 7' sleds.
>
>3.  Sleds - If you're sick of head plant falls in the snow from  top-heavy
>packs, consider a sled.  With a rudder and a brake, we have  successfully 
>skied
>the Crest from New Army to Yosemite and the Red Line from  Paiute Pass to
>Trail Crest.  See them at _www.kifaru.net_ (http://www.kifaru.net)  .
>
>Mtnned
>Mountain Education

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