Ian MacDougall said:how many of you carry a snow shovel? I was looking today around Edinburgh
outdoor stores as I was thinking of taking one with me this weekend to dig a
snow hole should I get into trouble... or dig the car out!
I usually take one if I'm ski touring, less often when walking. One
utility not on your list of reasons is quicker and better avalanche
prediction pits, plus quicker and better seats for a pit stop.
The prediction pits are more likely to be needed skiing because you
cover more ground and aim specifically for the sorts of places where
avalanches are more likely. I wouldn't generally take one /just/ for
emergency snowholing: in an emergency you can use an axe which isn't as
easy as a shovel but OTOH means you don't carry around a shovel for not
much reason.
If you're planning a snowhole then definitely take one.
Quoted message said:In your informed opinions are either of these a good investment (and how
easy are they to lug up a hill / connect to a bag?)
Most have detachable blades, so they're easy enough to fit in a bag.
Some packs have a shovel flap, like the Lowe Contour Mountain bags.
Telescopic ones are IMHO better because they're easier to stow while
still having useful leverage for better digging.
If you only have snowholes in mind then get a curved metal blade (such
as the Norwegian Whitco shovel), as these are significantly easier to
hack into hard nevee with. Flat blades are better for prediction pits
and a little easier for general shovelling of snow.
Plastic blades are lighter and are fine in soft snow, but for Uk
conditions where hard nevee is more likely a metal one is IMHO a better bet.
Also worth considering, on the avalanche front, is a collapsible probe.
As well as hunting for avalanche victims it's handy for sounding out
stuff like cornices and if the place you want to dig a snowhole is
actually deep enough snow. The light carbon fibre ones like Ortovox do
are very light and slide easily down the side of a pack. An alternative
is something like the Backcountry Access shovel which has a collapsible
probe stowed in the handle. We have a set for the ski club (Braemar
MRT's recommendation), and they're good though I think a little on the
overly chunky side, and I prefer my Voile telescopic with a separate
Ortovox carbon probe.
I like mine, but I had it for ski touring anyway. For general walking
I'd probably not bother unless you're regularly out in deep snow, when
it is an asset to staying safe by not getting avalanched, or digging out
people that are. To dig out the car, just keep a cheaper and heavier
implement in the car. Ex-army entrenching tools are good as they fold
to a relatively compact size and you can lock the blade as an adze for
easier hacking at hard stuff. Bit heavy to wander round with though.
Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
