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Does anyone actually use them? Or are you better off deadmaning a picket?

In soft spring snow in the PNW, nothing holds as well as a fluke. Pickets are, however, more versatile and I typically only carry pickets now and will bury them in a T-slot in soft snow.

Ok, makes sense. I just remember Kathy Cosley saying in "Alpine Climbing" that they don't bother to carry them anymore and was wondering if other climbers felt the same way. I was planning on practicing techniques on some steep snow when I get back to WA in preparation for some 45-55 degree slopes this summer. Oh, and I had some steak and BBQ here in Iowa. The meat here is for real.