Ice Axes for the Haute Route

One of the essential items of gear needed next March will be your ice axe. The trip from Chamonix to Zermatt will not demand high angle ice climbing, but it will involve glacier travel and booting up some steep snow slopes. The axe you choose need not have the radical droop to climb vertical ice, nor does it need to be too beefy. These days almost every major company - Black Diamond, Grivel, Petzl - all make lightweight ski mountaineering axes. The one pictured here is what I use and it weighs only 14 ounces. (As a related aside, for those on a budget NCS has ice climbing axes for loan, while a bit heavier will do the trick.)

CLICK HERE to access a list of makes and models.