Verifying an anchor in ice

[Mountaineer]

This is a pic from Monday. You can see the webbing just coming out on the other side. The ice at this location was about 6" thick, and solid through. I was concerned with the potential of the ice cutting the webbing.

Anchor type? Deadman? Dig it up and inspect?

63036

[Brian in SLC]

How would you dig it up?

I rappel from v-threads in ice all the time, both constructed from webbing and cord. I've never had an issue with ice cutting either. Not saying it couldn't happen, but, those types of anchors are pretty common for ice climbers.

Carrying an ice screw and a piece of wire with a hook on the end (a "v-threader" like a bent piece of coat hanger) might be prudent for winter canyoning venues...

[Mountaineer]

Rightly so, very hard to inspect in this case but doable with time and energy.

I appreciate your perspective and experience with webbing and ice. This was my first time judging an anchor frozen out of reach. Ice screws? An option. However, a frozen piece of webbing being held by a large piece of ice may very well be defined as "bomber". Even if there was nothing else attached below it.

[Brian in SLC]

As long as its held in place...a friend clipped a loop of webbing at the top of an ice route which wasn't attached to anything but ice and the darn thing blew out on him part way down his rappel. Thankfully not hurt.

So, kinda depends on how the webbing is anchored into the ice, which, may not be in view past the ice surface.

Watched a guy blow an ice screw placement out of dubious ice a couple weeks ago...took quite a tumble. There's good ice and bad ice to anchor into...

That white-ish, opaque colored stuff probably not near as bomber as that ice cube tray gray colored ice.

Be fun to do a canyon anchoring from pothole ice. V-threads are kinda fun. I always load them up with body weight to make sure they're bomber (maybe a little bounce on them too) before I completely launch onto one.

Cheers!

[DOSS]

Rightly so, very hard to inspect in this case but doable with time and energy.

I appreciate your perspective and experience with webbing and ice. This was my first time judging an anchor frozen out of reach. Ice screws? An option. However, a frozen piece of webbing being held by a large piece of ice may very well be defined as "bomber". Even if there was nothing else attached below it.

The Ice screw is to drill out the channel for the V-thread.. check out this vid to understand what brian is talking about
Start the V info around 2:10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz0v-yEKcMc

[Slot Machine]

This is a pic from Monday. You can see the webbing just coming out on the other side. The ice at this location was about 6" thick, and solid through. I was concerned with the potential of the ice cutting the webbing.

Anchor type? Deadman? Dig it up and inspect?


Did I just stumble into the ice climbing forum?? :haha:

I doubt that ice would have any more of a chance of cutting webbing than rock. No, that is giving ice too much credit. I'd bet ice is a pitiful webbing slasher, because it is brittle and melts at a low temperature (i.e. when rubbed against webbing).

Dig up that anchor? Heck no! That anchor is frozen, so it is not a progressive-failure anchor like most deadman anchors. One of the purposes of digging up deadman is to see if it is progressing (shifting) towards failure. But a frozen anchor will either fail right away (at body weight) or it won't, much like a bolt. If you and a buddy pull mightily on that webbing, and can't move it, then you should be good to go.

That being said, I do like Brian's suggestion of ice screws. :2thumbs:

[JiyaCamerl]

Sometimes its so hard to guess the webbing of ice. The anchor sure does not look like it's been dug up. :angryfire:

[Brian in SLC]

The Ice screw is to drill out the channel for the V-thread.. check out this vid to understand what brian is talking about
Start the V info around 2:10

Wow, great video. I've met Roger a few times, heckuva nice guy. Got crunched in an avalanche two season ago but is back...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqRIqNIYrWU