Crampon Classes

[tinaballina]

Does anyone know of a class(es) that teach you how to put on and use crampons?
I am thinking about buying some: http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/ ... fm/CMP3100
and thinking about aluminum vs steel in order to hike Baldy and San Jacinto thru our winter months.
Any advice will be apreciated.

[Perry]

Aluminum will wear out faster on rocks. You can practice on the steep hill just to the east of the cross-country ski center in Long Valley. If you can't stop yourself with an ice axe, not a big deal because the hill is short.

[tinaballina]

Aluminum will wear out faster on rocks. You can practice on the steep hill just to the east of the cross-country ski center in Long Valley. If you can't stop yourself with an ice axe, not a big deal because the hill is short.

Thanx again Perry, good to know.

[asabat]

Aluminimum versus steel: IMO it depends on what you're going to do and how much you're going to do it. Now I don't use crampons a lot, but often want to have them just in case, so I have aluminum. I recognize they will need more sharpening, and will wear out quicker, but I'll probably carry them more than use them so the weight savings is worth it to me. If you're going to be on ice a lot, steel will last much longer. Half the time I wear them I'm also wearing trail runners rather than boots, so I got crampons with a universal wrap-around binding. YMMV.

[dhstein313]

In SoCal I'd recommend NOT using alum. YES they are lighter but our conditions here are unique. We have LESS snow so you'll run into more rocks and therefore damaging your points real quick (like first rock). Also unique to these mountains is the mild temp - so the thaw/freeze/thaw/freeze affect makes the soft ice turn REALLY HARD often and those alum just do not bite.

BTW - in my training when the CRAMPONS are on an ICE AXE is also in position. And that might save your life - so to do it right do a real bonifide winter mountaineering class - that would teach everything.

BTW Volunteer with SAR and the county provides training and it is free but time consuming.

D

[tinaballina]

In SoCal I'd recommend NOT using alum. YES they are lighter but our conditions here are unique. We have LESS snow so you'll run into more rocks and therefore damaging your points real quick (like first rock). Also unique to these mountains is the mild temp - so the thaw/freeze/thaw/freeze affect makes the soft ice turn REALLY HARD often and those alum just do not bite.

BTW - in my training when the CRAMPONS are on an ICE AXE is also in position. And that might save your life - so to do it right do a real bonifide winter mountaineering class - that would teach everything.

BTW Volunteer with SAR and the county provides training and it is free but time consuming.

D

Very good to know....I am perplexed as to what to do because i really want to hike locally on the weekends when the rain/snow stops. I cant really justify getting snowshoes because we only have the fluffy snow for a few days before it then starts turning into ice, in which case crampons would be needed.
i did baldy about two weeks ago after our big storm of the year, didn't need either, although if i would have hiked anytime after the day i did i would have needed crampons i am sure as to the ice was forming quickly. i did slip on the summit, it was so windy and it blew me towards a big patch of ice and i went down, hard. Don't want to experience that again any time soon.

[cynthia23]

DHSTein had many good points. Myself, I have Black Diamonds and have found them very good. You don't really need lessons on the crampons, it's kind of like walking on high heels--after a few minutes you get the hang of it. The trick is more in knowing how to climb up hills in them--front-pointing, french steps, etc. The people at the place you buy the crampons should instruct you on how to get them off and on. But I agree, strongly, with the others that if you are in situations requiring crampons then you also need an ice axe, and you definitely need to practice self-arresting with it. An alpine mountaineering class would be good, but as far as I know there are none offered locally. Look online, perhaps something is offered in the sierras? Your best bet though is to try and find a friendly person who will simply show you the basics in an afternoon. My advice, if you can't find a class, is to buy the book Freedom of the Hills (the standard Mountaineering text) and read all they say on self-arrest and front-pointing, etc. Then go to one of the smaller mountaineering stores like the one in Idyllwild (i forget it's name) to buy your crampons and ice axe, then get them to show you how to put on the crampons. Then just take the tram up to Mt. San Jacinto and simply practice trekking around with the crampons, different types of steps, etc. and self-arrest on one of the small hills in Long Valley. With any luck you might find someone more experienced riding up on the tram and get him or her to give you a quick tutorial. The crampons per se are not difficult, it's the self-arrest that's crucial to know.

[AlanK]

You don't really need lessons on the crampons, it's kind of like walking on high heels--after a few minutes you get the hang of it.

What? Do you really mean that all these years I could have been using high heels? (I've got an old dog thing going, so I am not tempted to start now. Sorry. )

On a more serious note, the one thing I'd add ot what Cynthia said is that common sense is one's best friend. Or, as Harry Callahan said, "a man's got to know his limitations" (woman too... sorry Cynthia ) Crampons can come in mighty handy even before one is expert with an ice axe, but one has to stay off of terrain that is beyond those limitations.

[tinaballina]

these are all great tips and i appreciate all the advice.......

[dhstein313]

MSR Lightning Ascent 25 Snowshoes

These snow shoes work wonders in soft ice and deep snow. Like was said earlier you need to know when to turn around and know your limits....... Snow shoes are mere SLEDS on ice. I'd trust these on non steep conditions like Long Valley, Dry Lake, John's Meadow, Baldy Ski Hut, Ice House etc. BUT I would only use them to summit if the conditions were right - soft snow, little ice, and no avy danger. Then honestly the conditions change so quickly that I also take crampons and ice axe.

D