if I want to climb a high mountains like Mt McKinley(with one partner), should I bring a long ice axe and two short ice axe or just only two short ones?

-- Kai Zhao (zhaok2@rpi.edu), August 09, 1999

Answers

Depends on what route you're thinking of on McKinley. For the West Buttress you'd only need a single long ice axe. On the West Rib or Cassin you'd probably want 2 short axes, or possibly once short and one longer. It is a real pain to do a lot of glacier travel without a long axe.

-- George Bell (gibell@geocities.com), August 12, 1999.

I have climbed the tallest mountains, and Glissaded down all with my favorite lunch tray! Here are my tips for Mr. Zhao: If you're short, you need a little tool. If you are tall, you need a tall tool. And, As A Self-proclaimed expert, you have to ask yourself, "Do I really belong on the tallest mountain in America???", if your asking that simple Question!!!! Love, Bored and Stuck in WI!

-- Dr. Michael Imfallen (mswproductions@hotmail.com), January 24, 2001.

If your going to be pulling your self up the face by your axe...yes take some technical tools. If you just need a 3rd point of contact and something you can self-arrest with, take a mountaineering axe. I wouldn't take both sets up McKinley if you can help it, that mountains a big enough bitch w/o a overloaded pack. I'd suggest taking trecking poles and technical tools over a mountaineering axe and technical tools. But maybe that's a no-no on Denalli, just offering my opinion.

-- jim davis (jmdavis384@aol.com), March 20, 2003.