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 | Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
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 Sardonic sandbagging scoundrel, Cascade Climbers lobotomized spraymeister, space blanket flyer, new millennium vulgarian betaboy and friend to all squids
Climbing, a mountain
Canada
∞ Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2012 : 12:02 PM
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People always toss around ridiculous estimates of slope angle when climbing snow. Someone once called the Golden Ears trail "70 degree ice" in my hearing range and I had to choke a laugh.
Anyways, if you are a pro, you can whip out your $150 clinometer on route and take a shot midway through the crux, but there is a cheaper way.
1) You need two ice axes or ice tools of the same length. If it's that steep, you will probably have two. If you are getting by with one, it's probably 50 degrees or less.
2) Take one axe and balance it vertically using one hand with the tip on the snow.
3) Take the other axe and balance it horizontally on the first axe with the head on the head and the shaft pointing at the slope.
A 1:1 (45 degree) slope should mean that the tip of the horizontal axe just touches the snow or ice.
With a 2:1 slope (about 64 degrees), half of the shaft length of the horizontal axe should be buried in the slope.
Other angles can be determined by extrapolation between these two. |
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north van, bc
Canada
949 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2012 : 12:22 AM
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| or whip out the iphone with level app. ;) |
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Whistler, BC
Canada
1204 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2012 : 3:07 PM
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| Or droid. But seriously, this method is common in the winter with ski poles. Works very well. |
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1448 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2012 : 4:34 PM
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mammut makes a nice app for the iphone
http://itunes.apple.com/app/mammut-safety/id316156014?mt=8
quote:
The Mammut Safety App features a clinometer (to estimate the slope angle), a compass (to determine the slope exposition) and an altimeter. With the latest update, the application newly includes a risk check (to quickly define the level of risk on location) and an SOS function (to communicate your gps data to the regional rescue services and your number of choice). Furthermore the application also features the personal safety equipment requirements and links to all the avalanche bulletins worldwide. The Mammut Safety App is now available in 7 different languages.
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Burnaby, BC
Canada
467 Posts |
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Kootenay Bud
2695 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2012 : 7:19 PM
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| Aw, but how badasss are ya gonna sound if you sprayed about climbing a 30 degree snow slope?????????? |
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| Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
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Sardonic sandbagging scoundrel, Cascade Climbers lobotomized spraymeister, space blanket flyer, new millennium vulgarian betaboy and friend to all squids
Climbing, a mountain
Canada
∞ Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2012 : 7:50 PM
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Personally I'm not going to take my phone out when I'm climbing a steep slope, app or no.
In a couple years when my phone and camera are a fully integrated device, maybe. Right now the cameras in phones don't cut it for photography for me. |
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Qualicum Beach, BC
Canada
1332 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2012 : 8:07 PM
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When I'm going up ever steepening snow slopes or gullies, I can judge the slope angle by a few simple observations. Of course this also depends on conditions and such.
-If I'm starting to pause for a breath, as opposed to just "step-step-step", then I am on maybe 20 degree slope. I also look back and guess that the slope is skiable by me.
- At 30 degree slope, I have my ice axe out in walking mode. I look back and tell myself that I could ski the slope, If I really wanted to... in my dreams!
- At 40 degrees slope, I have my ice axe plunged to the hilt on every step and probably long ago put on my crampons. This is not the steepness of slope to find that your kick steps go from deep pockets to 1/2 inch deep toe placements.
- When I reach 45 degrees, I'm in climbing mode and feel best with two axes and hear my partners are calling it 55 degrees.
- A 55 degree slope is what I would call near vertical climbing and it requires all limbs at all times... and a belay might be nice, thank you.
- Beyond 55 degrees is pretty much vertical , as far as I'm concerned.
I have gone back and checked the steepness of slopes, that I have previously climbed, with a $10 inclinometer and constantly find that I over judged the steepness of slope. I find that I don't go by, or relate to degrees of slope steepness, but rather what feels right at the time. A perfect styrofoam type snow on on a 55 degree slope might feel great, but a wet loose 30 degree slope might feel pretty grippy. |
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canine loving, machete-toting bushwhacking lake seeker, Indiana Jones hat-wearing off-road 4x4 guru
Surrey Hole, BC
Canada
6871 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2012 : 10:36 PM
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I am guilty of calling 60+ in some cases on a forested slope, likely
nowhere near that.. Forests do have hidden benches that can be 60 or beyond and lead to cliff bands and creek/river drop ins, suddenly. Limited vision can make this more difficult than open Alpine in some cases. |
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| Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
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Sardonic sandbagging scoundrel, Cascade Climbers lobotomized spraymeister, space blanket flyer, new millennium vulgarian betaboy and friend to all squids
Climbing, a mountain
Canada
∞ Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2012 : 08:55 AM
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| 64 degrees is 200% slope, which is pretty much impossible to safely travel on a forested slope, usually because the soil is gone and you are dealing with rock. In terrain assessment the steepest slope I ever walked across was 150% (56 degrees) and that had multiple landslide scars in it. |
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Simple way of estimating slope angle
