UKC

Could go in Hillwalking this one.
I stuff mine down the between my back and sack, ready to use at a moments notice, and put away again, but I see loads of people with them strapped to their sacks, whats that all about, they have to stop, take off sack, get axe off, put sack on again, your hardly going to do that for 10m`s of slippy path, but thats just the place you need it.
How do you carry your ice axe when not using it.
Cheers sjc

In reply to sjc:

Strapped to the back of my rucksac until I reach the snow line, then stuffed down between my back and rucksac.

Ewan

In reply to sjc: Alternatively they are sure they won't need their axe on 10m of slippy path.

In reply to sjc: lolololol!!! between your back and sack hey?

In reply to sjc: after the snowline, its in my hand the whole time.
not because i think I'll need it,
its just more comfortable, quicker, and easier than having it between my back and my sack.

In reply to nickinscottishmountains: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=444249 hmmmm.

In reply to sjc:

If there's no real snow underfoot, then it will be in the side straps of my sac. If I need it, then it'll be in my hand. For patchy areas, I wwill often put it down the back of my sack as you describe, but not for long stretches - I find I forget it is there and drop it when I take my sack off.

In reply to sjc: just start the sodding ice axe police. you can go round making sure everybodu has theirs out at thne the correct time. you clearly do.

In reply to sjc:

Strapped to my sack until I think I may need it, then I carry it.

I will then sometimes shove it down between the sack and me if I think I won't need it for a while, but generally I can't get it comfortable so prefer to carry it.

In reply to sjc: Either on my back or carry it, it only weights ~250g so is exceptionally light so carry it in my hand isn't an issue.

In reply to sjc:
your hardly going to do that for 10m`s of slippy path, but thats just the place you need it.

How would it help on a slippy path?

In reply to sjc: I like to have mine handy next to my armchair.

In reply to MJ: exactly, visions of stooped over cutting tiny little steps
In reply to zzz: lol

In reply to sjc: down the side of my rucksack (none of the dangerous sticking up spike stuff by inverting the axe on the back of the bag), with a little bit of a squirm and stretch I can reach and slide it out, without taking my bag off. That or kind of holstered in the rucksack straps by my hip. I see no reason why I want to get into the habit of taking my bag off between the car park and where I gear up, it's lost time.

In reply to sjc: My point is that a slippy path is not helped by an axe. Steady footwork (and/or crampons if exceptionally icy, bullet hard ice that goes on for hundreds of metres, as opposed to a 10 metre stretch) is what is required on a slippy path.

As for the story you quote, he wasn't exactly on a "slippy path", was he?

In reply to nickinscottishmountains:
A slightly provocative thing I know, however listening to him being interviewed last night, and the giy said they had decided to put crampons on and were heading for a good spot to do it, and the last thing he remembers before shooting down the slope was scrabbbling around to stop himself going over the edge, just if you can whip the axe out at a mo`s notice, it can be useful.

In reply to thommi:

LOL, you do always were a helmet don`t you, I do feel at busy crags the BMC should police this.

In reply to sjc: Im not sure about you fella. sounding to me like there was a tongue in your cheek then?

In reply to sjc: Nothing provocative, my friend!

I think we were talking at crossed purposes. The guy was clearly on an open exposed slope where a slip could be a serious, precisely the terrain where axe needs to be to hand. I interpreted your OP differently, talking about a 10m stretch of slippy path, an entirely different thing. Perhaps I misinterpreted your post, apologies.