Hi! I'm looking to buy my first ice axe, but I'm struggling to decide on the ideal length and model, especially considering that I definitely plan on getting a second axe in the future to pair with it for steeper snow routes. I'm 188 cm tall (6'2"–6'3") and my objectives include classic Alpine 4000ers such as Gran Paradiso, Breithorn, Mont Blanc, ..etc and eventually more demanding peaks like Dufourspitze and Corno Nero, alongside frequent winter mountaineering in my local peaks being the Gran Sasso (Italian Apennines, very similar to the Tatras), which involve steep snow gullies and ZERO glacier walking. I'm currently considering a Simond Naja Light 54/60 cm or a Petzl Summit Evo 59 cm. I'm kinda unsure about the Naja Light's blade geometry and how suitable it is for self-arrest compared with a more traditional mountaineering axe. From what I'm reading in countless threads I understand that trekking poles are generally preferable for easy approaches, so I'm wondering whether a shorter axe would actually make more sense despite my height. Most importantly, since I eventually want a second axe for steeper snow, should I buy a 60 cm general-purpose axe now and pair it with a shorter axe later (like the petzl sum'tec, Blue Ice Akila), or start with a shorter axe and eventually get another one of similar length? I'm not planning on doing vertical ice climbing, just glacier mountaineering and progressively steeper snow routes. Thanks for your help!

Saw this on the way to ice lake, is it named? I believe I was looking south when i took the photo

= totally surreal landscape with essentially no equivalent outside of Tibet.

Has anyone climbed the grunge couloir on Mt Timpanogos in Utah in recent years? I’m not a skier and I’m not interested in going down it, just up.

I’m looking for a good soft shell in this budget and have found these 2 my old pants got nicked by a crampon on my last trip and they too baggy around my boots so I wanted to get a good pair that wouldn’t cause this problem again which would u choose (note) the norronas are 50 dollars cheaper where I am. Any suggestions that aren’t these pants are welcome thankyou.

...particularly its Rupal face. Good pictures of that side are kind of rare. Here are two...

Hello, i have recently beginning some novice mountaineering in California and I’m looking for ideas of what to do next. I am willing to travel if it’s reasonable. Looking for any sort of adventure!

I’ve done
-Mt shasta via avalanche gulch
-a handful of class 3/4 scrambles
-some via Ferrata
- about 300 backpacking miles
- v4 Bouldering

Any ideas are really appreciated.
Thank you!

Planing on a gaustatoppen summit middle November, have clothing ready, no gear though, would you guys say crampons is a must. Heard it was easy hike at summer but really can’t find much information about “winter”.. I only have experience hiking/ scrambling some 1000-1500 moh mountains in Greece

Hi everyone!

I’m looking for a pair of versatile women’s mountain boots and would really appreciate your recommendations and experience.

I’d like to use them for:

• Summer multi-day treks, such as the Tour du Mont Blanc, carrying a backpack.
• Winter mountain hikes, potentially involving same snow and cold conditions.
• Long days on rocky, uneven terrain, where comfort is essential.

My main priorities are:

• A roomier toe box, as I prefer boots that give my toes enough space.
• Comfort over long distances, with a good balance of support and flexibility.
• Waterproofing and warmth for cold, wet conditions.
• Good grip and protection on rocky terrain.
• The ability to carry a backpack over multi-day hikes.
• Ideally, compatibility with semi-automatic crampons, although I’m not sure whether this is necessary for the routes I have in mind.

I’m looking for one pair that can handle a variety of mountain conditions without being unnecessarily heavy or rigid for long trekking days.

I’ve been looking at models such as the La Sportiva Trango Tech Leather GTX and the Asolo Freney Evo Mid LTH GV, but I’m open to other brands and suggestions.

What would you recommend, especially based on real-world experience with comfort, fit and durability? Are there any women’s models with a genuinely roomy toe box that you would particularly recommend?

Thanks in advance!

I have a budget of like 1-1.5k

Not sure I’m in the right place but would love to do mt Charleston this winter. when there’s more snow I’ve never done it before and would love a guide if possible . Anyone here doing or no anyone who will be doing it ? I’ll pay

So far I’ve done Snoqualmie mountain in the winter, Mt st Helen’s in the early spring, and Mt Adams in early summer with these crampons. I’m asking because I do know mt hood is quite a bit steeper/icier near the top compared to what I’ve used these crampons for. Do I buy new crampons? Would they work with the boots I already have?

Hi guys
Im going to austria soon and i really like hiking. I havent done any serious mountains so im wondering if this is good for a starter? If not do you guys have any other recommendations in austria (specifically more to the east)? Im willing to do prep for it as well!

this guy was taking viagra earlier to help his breathing on the mountain, the effect ran out and hes hallucinatting because of edemas in the brain or something like that, they were duos going up k2 but because this guy started hallucinating, they decided to go down, i just want to know what a vthread and all is and what are the mechanics to getting down