BLAST FROM THE PAST … the ice climbing revolution

In the late 1960s and into the early 1970s, Chouinard launched the Revolution with his curved piolet, ice hammer, and rigid crampons. Others followed with Terrordactyls, Mjolnars, tubular ice screws and snargs.

Overnight, ice climbing not only became fashionable, but testpieces became trade routes, outrageous drips became manageable, and Alpine north face ice routes, were casual for even the likes of me.

Sexy pictures began to flood the climbing magazines, like this one of Chouinard climbing in Lee Vining which graced the cover of an early British Mountain magazine.