| Britain's Telegraph newspaper recently carried the | | | | as climbing tools instead of their original purpose, |
| remarkable tale of a 50-year-old man who slipped | | | | which was as a sort of glorified walking stick that |
| while walking in the hills in England in foul weather. | | | | could also be useful on ice. Make no mistake, |
| Although the walk was not an especially demanding | | | | however, that these were ineffectual. Generations of |
| one, he happened to be out in one of the snowiest | | | | climbers including Sir Edmund Hillary used them to |
| winters that Europe has seen in decades. A blizzard | | | | conquer the world's highest peaks. |
| descended and he could not see more than a few | | | | There is no doubt that the modern designs are lighter |
| feet in front of his face. | | | | and more efficient when it comes to climbing steep |
| Blinded by the blizzard he stepped right off the edge | | | | slopes. Yet something has been lost in the transition |
| of the mountain and started tumbling down towards | | | | for the new ones are so short that they are now |
| injury or possibly even his death. As luck would have | | | | almost useless when it comes to steadying oneself |
| it he had recently bought an ice axe for use the | | | | and preventing a fall in the first place. One now |
| following summer climbing Mont Blanc in the Alps. | | | | commonly sees mountaineers ascending high above |
| Although he did normally use one, he had brought it | | | | the snow line using trekking poles to steady |
| with him on this walk to try it out. It was just as | | | | themselves. Yet were they to fall their walking poles |
| well, for with it he arrested his descent and probably | | | | would offer absolutely no assistance in arresting their |
| saved his life. His conclusion was that in future he | | | | slide down the slope. One could argue quite |
| would be sure to take his ice axe with him as a | | | | convincingly that this has made climbing more |
| matter of course. | | | | dangerous rather than safer. Many climbers, including |
| What makes the incident all the more remarkable is | | | | those who have successfully ascended Mount |
| that old fashioned, long-shafted axes, generally now | | | | Everest and higher high peaks, have come to a similar |
| know as walking ice axes, have fallen deeply out of | | | | conclusion and wished for a return to the classic, |
| fashion. Over the past few decades they have | | | | long-shafted walking mountaineering axe. |
| become progressively shorter and more specialised | | | | |