does anyone place pegs on the north face of the ben in winter? I've got a peg hammer on the axe but have never place a peg. Most of the routes (of the few I have done) seem to have plenty of in-situ gear where screws and hexes placements aren't available.
Mountaineering Scotland's page on winter ethics says:
"Pegs are carried by many climbers but ideally only used if absolutely necessary. Knowing how to place them correctly is important and they should not be left in the rock."
If I need it, it's going in. I would count bulldogs, terriers, pegs, peckers and other assorted dodginess in the same category. Every other route would probably be a fair rate for me.
It's not cool to place pegs, hammers ruin the lines of your euro designer tools (note tools not axes). So cool you may earn a designer plaster boot or full body cast.
> I can't for the life of me figure out what that is actually meant to say...
I think it is saying that cool, trendy ice hammers these days don't actually have a hammer at all or only a tiny useless one, so, if you use one, you might not be able to place a peg which might have prevented serious injury in the event of a fall.
In reply to mutt: yes. Took a big lead fall on the Ben some years ago, 3xpeg belay, two became very loose following the fall, third was good,not sure either me or my partner would be here without them.
my pegs are to my rack what airbags are to my car ! I hope to never place them! I think I placed a peg on a very verglassed pitch of a vi which name escapes me. I was clove itching ice bosses to that point if memory serves me well. It was retrieved by my second.
I have a much reduced set these days - a knife blade (well-used on otherwise desolate belays), a thin angle and a pecker. The latter has been man of the match on several occasions, and has not often needed much of a tap with a hammer, if any, to set it. Plus a bulldog which is also versatile
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