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Self-arrests. The point of the ax has been shown tobe useful in controlling a voluntary glissade. It will alsoassist in controlling involuntary glissades if the snow issoft and the slope gradual. But fall face down and checkwith the toes. The heels are a better catapult than brake.To arrest falls on steep snow or ice: the ax is grasped withone hand around its head at the shaft, pick down and adzover the same shoulder; the other hand grasps the shaftabout 18 inches lower; the climber falls face down andsmoothly grinds the pick into the snow until he has securedenough braking action to stop himself, but not so far norso abruptly that he loses control on the ax. For soft snowthe adz may be down. Should the fall begin on the back,the climber rolls over onto his stomach toward the axhead and begins the arrest. Self-arrest is no contribution tosafety until the user has tried it out several times, withvarious snow conditions, on slopes with a safe outrun. |
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