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On steep ice, a belay over the pick, the latter having been driven as far as possible into the ice with shaft flush against the slope, will give some support as an upper belay. In such cases, a boot-crampon spike belay is probably better. A fair sized step is cut and the crampon is stamped into the flat part of the step as deeply as possible and heavily weighted. The spike of the ax is forced into the step behind the boot (with pick also driven into the slope) and provides some additional holding power. The rope leads through the belay as with the boot-ax belay. The belay is at best still not suitable as a lower belay and an ice piton should be placed. |
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