Hello to all of you waterfall ice climbers. I am just getting started in the sport of waterfall Ice climbing. The question I have is what is the difference between a ice screw and one you hammer in. Also, how do you get one out after you have hammered it in. Thanks for you time. -Rob

-- Robert Hecker (Heckerr@post.uwstout.edu), November 26, 1998

Answers

Well, Robert, you pretty much answered your own question. An ice screw is screwed into the ice using the very coarse threads on the outside of the screw to send it home. An ice piton [or Snarg (brand name)] is hammered in like a nail. The threads on the outside of the Snarg's barrel have a much shorter pitch that, while it does allow the piece to be screwed out, it takes quite a while to do so. Since Snargs are usually placed in a panic (beating them in takes a lot less time than placing a screw), your second is left with two choices. One is to take an eternity to screw it out, the other is to chop it out with his tool. Neither choice is preferable if he is tired, gripped, or your belay up top sucks.

Snargs are easy to clean because of the nearly full length slot down the barrel, while screws need to be cleaned immediately upon extraction on cold days. If you don't clean them, the ice core will freeze and the piece is useless until it warms up enough to remove the ice core. Hope this helps. Good luck and climb smart.

-- Paul Soboleski (sobo@nwinfo.net), November 27, 1998.

I differ a little bit with Paul. I find the modern twist-in pro, especially the Black Diamond Express screws, every bit as fast to place as the old pound-ins. I still carry a couple Snargs, but little by little I'm replacing them with the newer ultra-sharp twist-ins. The big advantage is that the second will find them much easier to remove. Paul is right on about the problems of ice cores frezing inside screws. I spray WD-40 up the bores a couple times a season to make the screws as non-stick as possible. One of my friends carries an old "warthog" specifically for clearing the screws if they freeze.

I have a couple Salewa Hi-Drives, a pound-in with a much slower twist pattern. These can be turned out pretty quickly, though I still have to use a tool hooked through the eye as a lever (another reason I like the twist-ins). Don't know if these are still available or not.

-- Dennis Roscetti (roscetti@execpc.com), December 15, 1998.