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#1
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Rigging snow shovel blade as a deadman snow anchor
I have a Voile snow shovel with two holes in the blade for rigging it as a
deadman snow anchor. Any recommendations on the best material to pass through the blade holes? 1" tubular webbing? Can a correctly planted snow shovel be expected to behave like a snow fluke (e.g. if offset from the slope by 40°) in wet or slushy snow? Thanks. Howard |
#2
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In article m, Howard nun wrote: I have a Voile snow shovel with two holes in the blade for rigging it as a deadman snow anchor. Any recommendations on the best material to pass through the blade holes? 1" tubular webbing? Can a correctly planted snow shovel be expected to behave like a snow fluke (e.g. if offset from the slope by 40°) in wet or slushy snow? _ Traditionally, those holes are for rigging an emergency sled or creating a simple strap carrying system. They aren't meant for rigging a snow fluke. Thin metal edges and nylon webbing and rope aren't a good combo, there's nothing I would trust. There is a reason snow flukes have metal cable connections. The best way to use a shovel is as a standard deadman with a sling around the shaft, of course if you do that you don't have anything to dig the deadman out with. Snow flukes make crappy shovels and shovels make dangerous snow flukes. _ Booker C. Bense -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 iQCVAwUBQKjN22TWTAjn5N/lAQGLHQQAtHTjzJIgt+QX6lJPE743ko7UDQkh3uqZ Qk+GHj0+pfEoQBuxY2V0jZxlI24WO5zYV/kwToFPiZIkbNrOFCLis6OOUXccACkv tTNruPWx7uW7mW4iMYXaXK7/qfJ1HvNExxqUEAqN0w1QwoCSyoC7fxnheYck3CJL ZoWu7ViTOvE= =ttQ7 -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- |
#3
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reason snow flukes have metal cable connections. The best way to
use a shovel is as a standard deadman with a sling around the shaft, of course if you do that you don't have anything to dig the deadman out with. Snow flukes make crappy shovels and shovels make dangerous snow flukes. I would not recommend to use a shovel as deadman. The shaft is not strong enough for that purpose. Even ice axes might not qualifiy for the usage as deadman (there is a UIAA norm for shafts). Bernd |
#5
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"Michael A. Riches" wrote:
I have used things like trekking poles, mountain axes, tree branches and the likes, very successfully, for anchoring tents, in all kinds of weather. My absolute favorite tent anchors are nylon mesh stuff sacks filled with snow. They hold insanely well. The snow inside the sack bonds to the snow outside the sack, and you end up with a web of nylon imbedded in the snow. Not really any more work than any other kind of deadman; you don't bury any hardware that you need, and four or five nylon mesh bags weigh almost nothing. |
#6
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in article , Mike Garrison at
wrote on 5/17/04 3:08 PM: My absolute favorite tent anchors are nylon mesh stuff sacks filled with snow. They hold insanely well. The snow inside the sack bonds to the snow outside the sack, and you end up with a web of nylon imbedded in the snow. Not really any more work than any other kind of deadman; you don't bury any hardware that you need, and four or five nylon mesh bags weigh almost nothing. Yeah...I've heard of this before, but have never tried yet. It would be interesting to do some pull tests and see just how much this "stuff sack" thing really will hold. It makes a lot sense and they could possibly far, far, exceed the holding power of pickets or flutes under the right snow conditions, especially if they were designed like a parachute or drag anchor, on a boat, with the support webbing or stranding running completely around the bag portion. Ratzzz...(I have also been amazed at the holding power of snow bollards(sp), with just a jacket or piece of fleece between the rope and the snow, "incredible" holding power...) |
#7
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Mike Garrison wrote in message ...
"Michael A. Riches" wrote: I have used things like trekking poles, mountain axes, tree branches and the likes, very successfully, for anchoring tents, in all kinds of weather. My absolute favorite tent anchors are nylon mesh stuff sacks filled with snow. They hold insanely well. The snow inside the sack bonds to the snow outside the sack, and you end up with a web of nylon imbedded in the snow. Not really any more work than any other kind of deadman; you don't bury any hardware that you need, and four or five nylon mesh bags weigh almost nothing. Me too. I use just standard smallish stuff sacks, about the size of one built for an ultralight thermarest. Ones I use come with a kind of daisy chain webbing loop sewn onto the side. Nice. I clip them to the tent with nylon clips. Seems pretty bomber once the snow sets up. And...no biggie if they get trashed, seem to work fine even cut to shreds. Yep, they hold insanely well is how I'd describe them. Brian in SLC |
#8
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My absolute favorite tent anchors are nylon mesh stuff sacks
filled with snow. They hold insanely well. The snow inside the sack bonds to the snow outside the sack, and you end up with a web of nylon imbedded in the snow. Not really any more work than any other kind of deadman; you don't bury any hardware that you need, and four or five nylon mesh bags weigh almost nothing. How about getting those anchors out? Isn't it a problem to dig them out once they are frozen to the snow? I used traditional (Bibler) snow and sand anchors on Denali and even those where hard to dig out after a few days. Bernd |
#9
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"Mike Garrison" wrote in message ... My absolute favorite tent anchors are nylon mesh stuff sacks filled with snow. They hold insanely well. The snow inside the sack bonds to the snow outside the sack, and you end up with a web of nylon imbedded in the snow. Sounds like a great idea. Do you know a good commercial source for nylon mesh stuff sacks that are the right size? Do you have an easy method to attach the anchors to the tent? BobT |
#10
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bbense+rec.climbing.rec.skiing.backcountry.May.17.
wrote: Snow flukes make crappy shovels and shovels make dangerous snow flukes. Both are better than nothing, though. But if you expect to need pickets or flukes, you probably should just carry pickets or flukes. Another common mod I have seen for metal snow shovel blades is holes cut in the blade in just the right spot to turn it into a platform for a Whisperlite stove. |
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