Instep crampons?

Fri 01 May, 2009 6:42 pm

Hi,

Last year I had a nice day for a walk to Waterfall Valley Hut.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_f8fm4h-2XO8/Sfp5Q ... %20004.jpg

and

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_f8fm4h-2XO8/Sfp4Y ... %20001.jpg

The snow was cold, dry, and hard and there was ice on the track going down to the hut.
It was very slippery, so I chose to walk beside the track for quite some distance through the scrub.
At the hut there was a group taking a rest day while the track softened.
Some of them had camped halfway down the last steep bit the previous night.
The icy track had slowed their progress.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_f8fm4h-2XO8/SfqpP ... %20002.jpg

I lunched for 15 minutes at the hut and got back to the Dove Lake car park near sunset.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_f8fm4h-2XO8/Sfp7t ... %20003.jpg

I am thinking of returning this year taking instep crampons (for the ice) for when it is cold, dry, and hard and cheap snowshoes
for when it is cold, wet, and soft. I own neither.
Is this a reasonable combination of footgear, and has anyone on the forum used instep crampons?
I am not a climber, mountaineer, or alpinist.
I think I can buy 2 or 3 different styles of instep crampons in Ausralia. (Kovea brand)
Any help please?

robl

ps. Sorry about the cold links

Fri 01 May, 2009 7:15 pm

G,day robl.
I dont own crampons however I do own "Yowie" snow shoes which were perfect on my last decent down the slippery slope to WFV however they are not cheap.
I have also in the past needed to go off track rather than chance the slippery slope and would do so again if I did not have my "Yowies" .
c

Fri 01 May, 2009 8:24 pm

hi robl, i saw this photo on one of my other favourite forums only minutes ago!

Fri 01 May, 2009 8:45 pm

I've heard good things about the yowies too (from some people on this forum and other reviews on the net).

For icy conditions rather than deep snow, lots of people overseas like the kahtoola microspikes for walking rather than technical mountaineering. They wont keep you afloat indeep snow, but they'd certainly help with the slippery bits. I'd like to try the microspikes myself, so if you do give them a go, please post a review here

Cheers,
Alliecat

Fri 01 May, 2009 9:09 pm

luke_vic wrote:hi robl, i saw this photo on one of my other favourite forums only minutes ago!

I am a beginner at forum posting.
And have only today achieved emerging status.
Yes, one of the above photos was linked to another forum recently.
It was just a test on the other forum.
Do you play "where is it"?

Sat 02 May, 2009 8:12 pm

I've got some Rob and on the boardwalks after icy weather they are good. If there is any snow on top of the ice I find the spikes too short and they don't really penetrate. For the price they are worthwhile I think.

Sat 02 May, 2009 10:58 pm

Joel wrote:I've got some Rob and on the boardwalks after icy weather they are good. If there is any snow on top of the ice I find the spikes too short and they don't really penetrate. For the price they are worthwhile I think.

G'day Joel,
What do you have crampons what brand ? or Yowies
c

Sun 03 May, 2009 7:09 pm

G'Day Corvus
How do you find your yowies as opposed to normal snow shoes? I have used neither but was considering an alpine walk in Kosciusko in spring. The yowies seem light but they require a different technique I believe as they stay against you feet.
Your views would be appreciated
Darren

Sun 03 May, 2009 7:40 pm

G'day Darren,
My initiation to Snow Shoes was over 45 years ago when we made our own a la Native North American style they worked perfectly in the hard snow in Scotland however they were heavy and bulky.
Fast forward to this century and Yowies which I have found to be really good in our conditions in Tasmania ,walking style not very far removed from normal ,perhaps a little more open legged but not exaggerated and unlike other makes they can be worn on down hill steps (the others trail and hang off your feet) I must add that a couple of the party got heel blisters from them but that was due to loose boots IMHO .
We had a Winter trip last year where 4 of the five had never used snow shoes b4 and using Yowis (thanks to my good friend Nuts for the lend) we managed to get to Waterfall Valley with very little incidents which would have been almost impossible without them .
Love my Australian made for Australian conditions Yowies and recommend them without hesitation .
I will look for our Winter post and direct you to it.
c.

Sun 03 May, 2009 8:05 pm

Darren ,
This is our trip report there are some good pics of it in the Gallery around this date .
c

Re: Waterfall Valley July 19th & 20th (Was Mt. Claude etc.)

Postby flyfisher on Wed 23 Jul, 2008 9:58 pm
Well the BWT Strollers walk to Waterfall Valley hut left from Devonport at about 8.45 on Saturday with the participants being Corvus, Pommysi, STHughes
Penguin and Flyfisher. We made good time to Dove Lake and were under way shortly afterwards.
The climb up Marions Lookout wasn't too bad and we were soon on Cradle Plateau where we donned our Yowie snow shoes and proceeded to Kitchen hut where we had a short break. The Yowies were kindly loaned to 4 of us by a forum member.
We then proceeded across the plateau amid a snow shower or two, and decended to the welcome sight of Waterfall Valley hut where we arrived at close to 5.30
After setting up and having a pleasant meal,the evening passed quickly, with much happy banter,possibly helped by a few drinks of red and clear liquid which
seemed to have been secreted in various packs.Out through the window the brilliant moonlight lit up Barn bluff with it's mantle of snow.
Next morning with a low fog we made our way back up Cradle Cirque after a liesurely breakfast and a 10am start.
After the climb and a short walk ,again in snow shoes we hung a right and made the steep and rough decent to Scott Kilvert hutwhere we stopped for some lunch.
Then we were away again ,up the valley and around Little Horn, past the Pool of memories and up to the rangers hut overlooking Dove Lake.
Here we took a short -long cut - and after backtracking we were on our way again, over Hansons Peak and back to the car park around 6pm
We were in the ute and off back to D.Port soon after arriving at 7.50pm
Welcome to new BTStroller -Penguin-with the whole group getting on much like old school buddies.
This is not an exclusive group and we welcome any new starters for future walks

Mon 04 May, 2009 6:58 am

G'Day Corvus
Thanks mate, very helpful. It does snow a little near where I live. Last year I had my pack ready for 2 months trying to get a free weekend where it actually snowed. Finally I spotted a big front on its way on a Friday so I took my gear to work and went straight after. It started raining as I parked the car but within 10 minutes, snow. I only walked in 5k and camped as it was late but I was rewarded with 4 to 6 inches of pea snow all night and a beautiful wonderland in the morning.
It might seem strange to do this to some, but it’s the only way I can test gear and gain experience in these conditions without a 10hr drive.
Still no need for snow shoes but great all the same.
Thanks again
Darren