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So I don't really know anything about pitons, and have a question that maybe someone can answer

So if you are in a situation were you need to place a piton on an alpine climb, do you pring a wall hammer, or can you pound them in with the side of your ice axe? Or do you need an ice tool with a hammer on it?

-CS

You'll destroy your axe if you try hammering a piton with the side of it. If you only have adze tools, the best way is to use the flat area between the adze and the pick (i.e. with the shaft oriented in the same direction than the pin). But really, if you plan on needing pins, bring a tool with a hammer.

ok thanks, i was just wondering how its usually done

-CS

Placing pitons is kind of a black art. You really need a hammer and enough experience to know that.

Sorry, I don't mean to be a d*ck.

But really, a solid pin placement makes a nice "ping," or "ring," as you drive it in with the pitch rising each time you strike it. If you don't get this nice sound, best not to fall or hang from it unless you have A3 and up chops. A common beginner mistake is to overdrive a pin. As soon as the pitch stops rising that's it. And if you are not planning to leave the pin as a permanent fixture (such as on an aid pitch,) then place them with removal in mind.

Where's HandJam when we need him? Craig?

Pin pounding ......

Better to wip out the Bosch, and place a real solid piece.

gk

If you are on an alpine climb where you may be placing pins, I'm thinking you probably are on something steep enough that you are going to be carrying two tools and one of them could have a hammer on it, at least that is how I usually do it. I also justify the second tool as another possible snow anchor. There could be a route where you would only have a short possible rock section and you don't want a second tool but yes, I think you need to take some sort of hammer instead of tearing up an axe.

I found this article somewhat helpful a couple of years ago. A lot of the info is super basic (like saying "pitons are not the only way to protect climbing routes, there are things called "stoppers" and "cams"). But it DOES have a nice section on placement and how to assess placements and what not.

http://vertical20.com/uploads/Pitoncraft.pdf

Use an ice tool with a hammer head .

builttospill wrote:I found this article somewhat helpful a couple of years ago. A lot of the info is super basic (like saying "pitons are not the only way to protect climbing routes, there are things called "stoppers" and "cams"). But it DOES have a nice section on placement and how to assess placements and what not.

http://vertical20.com/uploads/Pitoncraft.pdf

Great article. Thanks.