Ice axe needed for Piz Buin?

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 PTatts 06 Apr 2014
Hi All,

Heading ski touring in the Silvretta alps the week after next and will possibly try to include an ascent of Piz Buin. Trying to decide whether to take axes with us or not. Any one climbed Piz Buin in April? Did you need/carry an axe?

Cheers,
Paul
 Flashy 06 Apr 2014
In reply to PTatts:

Did pretty much exactly the same as you a few years back, climbed it while doing the classic Silvretta traverse in March.

As always it depends on snow conditions. If it's icy then I would want one. If not you could get away without. It's not massively committing and the upper slopes are low angled.

If you're going from Silvretta hut to Saarbrucker in the morning the next day you might appreciate an axe for a steep icy slope just before the frontier.
 Ander 06 Apr 2014
In reply to PTatts:

Isn't Piz Buin flanked by a couple of glaciers? Not sure what the drill is for ski touring, but I'd say you should really have one if you were walking- certainly the way I remember it!
 Flashy 06 Apr 2014
In reply to Ander:

Unless you're doing something very steep, the drill with ski touring is to only use an axe when you're on foot. Usually.

Lots of tourers carry very small and lightweight axes that aren't as functional as proper walking ones on the basis that they (hopefully) rarely need them.
RockShock 07 Apr 2014
In reply to PTatts:

Seems it's just me, but I can't really imagine _not_taking_ an ice axe on any tour that comprises:
- glacier travel

OR

- summiting a peak with the skis on the back

May be an overexagerration on my side, but then again in case of a rescue from a slot, or icy conditions not having an ice axe is a serious issue...
 Aigen 07 Apr 2014
In reply to PTatts:

Definitely bring an axe. I was there 3 weeks ago touring. True you might not use it but if you do need it then your screwed.

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