Boots and Crampons

[onin2]

So I am trying to figure out what boots and crampons would be necessary for hiking on ice. Rickets Glen State Park in Pennsylvania has a loop with 22 waterfalls. Beautiful in the fall but I really want to be able to get out there in the winter. I have been researching boots and crampons and I am trying to figure out what I need for this kind of hiking:

http://www.adventure-inspired.com/2011/ ... 11-at.html

I don't have any desire or plans for actual ice climbing. Although I have heard that the ice can be as steep as 45 degrees.

Do I need really stiff boots and stiff mountaineering crampons. Or can I get a light weight winter hiker with strap on crampons.

Thanks for the help.

Wes

[beean]

I'm sure more experienced members will chime in, but I'd say just get something like the CAMP Stalker. It can be worn with a flexible boot, so you can stick to your hikers.

Make sure you practise walking like a cowboy before wearing the 'pons so you don't spike yourself.

[Chris Simpson]

Good suggestion Beean. If you're not doing anything other than walking on semi flat or very moderate and hilly terrain then the camp stalker would be a great choice. You can also check out Kahtoola microspikes - http://www.rei.com/product/856702/kahto ... ion-system. They're a rubber boot frame and the spikes are much smaller than a crampon fang and are very effective.

As for boots. It depends how cold it gets. I'd go with an insulated hiking boot. Google insulated hiking boots and read some reviews.

[reboyles]

I use the Yaktrak for relatively flat, icy walks and hikes but my preference for anything more serious is a 6 point in-step crampon. I used them a very icy section of the Mt Whitney trail and on much steeper terrain (45 degrees) on a climb in Nevada and they were perfect. The spikes are shorter than a regular crampon and they leave the toe of your boot free for short steps on rock. Petzl makes a Crab 6 and Salewa has the Comfort 2.0. Both are steel which will take a beating unlike some of the aluminum crampons that I've seen. They are also great for hard, frozen ground and steep, slick side hills.


Bob

[Buz Groshong]

So I am trying to figure out what boots and crampons would be necessary for hiking on ice. Rickets Glen State Park in Pennsylvania has a loop with 22 waterfalls. Beautiful in the fall but I really want to be able to get out there in the winter. I have been researching boots and crampons and I am trying to figure out what I need for this kind of hiking:

http://www.adventure-inspired.com/2011/ ... 11-at.html

I don't have any desire or plans for actual ice climbing. Do I need really stiff boots and stiff mountaineering crampons. Or can I get a light weight winter hiker with strap on crampons.

Thanks for the help.Although I have heard that the ice can be as steep as 45 degrees.



Wes

If you are going to stay on the trail and not the frozen streams, there shouldn't be any 45 degree ice to deal with and strap-ons or micro-spikes should do fine. I hike a waterfall trail in Virginia (Whiteoak Canyon - check out the photos I've posted) in the winter; sometimes you don't need anything special and sometimes crampons are a good idea. Be sure to take poles. 45 degree water ice could be a problem with strap ons and you would also want an ice axe for that.

[nartreb]

Whether you need full crampons, as opposed to MicroSpikes, depends how deep, dark and damp the gulleys are, how close to the water the trail travels, and how steep the trail is. If the trail is damp and rocky in summer, it will be very icy in winter. MicroSpikes will keep you from slipping on flat ice and are great on packed-down snow trails, but can't handle hard sloping ice.

Yeah, look at the second photo in the article you linked: that's hard water ice, and though it's hard to judge slope face-on, I'd guess around 45 degrees. I'd recommend full crampons for that section and any others like it. The other photos look like they'd be OK in just MicroSpikes, which are also more comfortable and less likely to trip you up, but I don't know if it'd be worth your time to switch back and forth.

You don't need a full mountaineering boot or any special crampon; something like the Camp Stalker is a fine choice. If the steep sections are all short like the one in the photo, you won't get a lot of use out of an ice axe either, though it can be comforting. Poles with metal tips should suffice.

I haven't played with instep crampons, but they might be a compromise worth considering.

[reboyles]

The 45 degree slope I was on was firm snow and I definitely had an ice axe. I had to use a modified French technique since I didn't have front points. 45 degree water ice of much length requires stiff boots, crampons with front points and most people prefer two tools. I wouldn't use my in-steps for that kind of terrain.

The nice thing about spikes or in-steps is that they'll fit on almost any kind of boot or shoe.

Bob