UKH

Hi,

What are people's thoughts on lighter weight options for crossing uncomplicated dry glaciers please?

I'm planning a two week trip to hike in Sweden's Sarek National Park this coming August. Am planning to do some side trips to climb some of the peaks in the area. Most of these are simple ridge walks or scrambles, but generally require crossing glaciers on approach. On similar trips in the past, I've taken my B2 boots, crampons and a walking axe and put up with the need to carry these for a week during the rest of the hike.

This time, as I'm going for two weeks, I'd prefer to take alternative, lighter weight options for glacier traction rather than hump a pair of B2 boots the whole way. Are microspikes a reasonable option on dry glaciers? What about putting C1 crampons on summer hillwalking boots - is this just a silly idea?

Microspikes are fine unless it gets steep. If you want an actual crampon Kahtoola KTS will work well on summer boots. https://kahtoola.com/product/kts-hiking-crampon/

On the approach to Mount Kazbek you travel for a reasonable period over a dry glacier that had a lot of grit on the surface.  We walked over this in just boots (no crampons or micro spikes).  I think taking some micro spikes would be a good idea but should be fine if as DaveHk says the terrain is pretty flat.  The only time on the dry glacier approaching Mount Kazbek that I could have needed crampons was when we had to jump over crevasses and I was worried about sliding back down if I misjudged my step.

You can get very lightweight B2 boots these days. Ski touring crampons could work if the terrain is fairly mellow but best to go for something with steel rather than aluminium points. Micro spikes are for walking round town, to my mind. 

I use kahtoolas on light approach shoes...work just fine

I use my Scarpa Triolets for hiking in Sarek and similar areas, so less hassle for me to take proper crampons.

Which summits were you thinking about? For most of the stuff in central Sarek and Ahkka (except from the SE) I would definitely take proper crampons rather than microspikes.  Alu ski touring crampons are a bit shit when glaciers are dry or full of rocks. Old style crampons with baskets back and front are probably your best bet.

CB

edit: I would save weight on the axe: Walking poles and a lightweight ski touring axe with a steel head. I use an old, straight shafted Grivel ghost.

Similar scenario on dry glaciers last year in Alaska I wore summer boots with a pair of Petzl Leopards, although this was general flat glacial trekking rather than anything steep. 

I've done quite a bit in a pair of Scarpa Ribelles and Petzl Leopards for approaching climbs where you need to carry boots up and over. Great for uncomplicated walking, but utterly terrible for anything approaching steep/kicking steps/where the ice is really hard.

Thanks for the replies everyone! I think the Katoola KTS Crampons are what I'm going to go for.

They are fine on steeper stuff if you know their limitations. Admittedly some of those who buy them for dedicated hill use invariably don't...

Thanks. I'm planning a South to North through hike from Kvikkjokk to Ritsem. The summits I'm looking at are Ahkka and Sarektjahkka as well as the easier peaks in the SE, like Parte. Do you know much about Skarki, the peak lying to the north of the middle Rapadalen? 

What about Edelrid 'Grodel' 6 point instep crampons? You can wear them with any boots and they're lighter than the Kahtoolas (500g vs 662g) at under half the price.

Done this several times with my family, hopefully again this year!

Parte itself from the South requires no crampons at all. You can actually hike more than 10 km of the ridge line that you see once you turn off Kungsleden towards the hills. The approach over the glacier from the East is full alpine glacier tour, that I would only consider roped up in a team, etc..

The other summits in Parte massiv a bit further north look impressive from Luohttolahko, but not all can be climbed easily from that side (e.g. Saitaris!). Lullihatjahkka from the lake below is doable, again no crampons needed.

Skarkki is a plateau mountain that can be accessed from the Rapadalen side, or even better from the Jilavagge, a side valley of the pass at the end of Snavvavagge (the usual shortcut to Skarja coming from Rapadalen). At least its summits overlooking Rapadalen are ice free scrambles from that side.

Sarektjahkka main summit (Stortoppen) again is a full on glacier climb from the south via Mihkkajiegna, while the North summit is glacier free from the North. The ridge between the two is proper alpine climbing, I have not done it as I never carried enough gear and especially not a rope able to hold a leader fall.

It is possible though to do a long ridge traverse from (I think) Gavabakte to Nijak without dropping down into Ruohtesvagge that has minimal glacier contact.

Ahkka main summit is proper glacier climbing from the north but only a long scree scramble from the Southeast (between the two narow glaciers) with a little exposed scrambling near the top.

My favourite area for climbing is the Alkatj massive in the centre. Lots of summits available from Sarvesvagge or Tielmabuollda or Alggavagge in the North. Again, the East side is proper glacier climbing.

If you can read either Swedish or German you should get the Sarek guidebook by Claes Grundsteen, no other guide comes close. It has excellent suggestions for climbs, info about the glacier crossings, etc., even if you ignore the suggested treks. The difficulty of the climbs is also somewhat overstated, as it is not an actual climbing guide.

My tip for Kvikjokk --> Ritsem is to go left around Parte, either across Luohttotjahkka and down into Sarvesvagge (the best valley of all!)  or a bit further left through Njoatsosvagge. Best to avoid the idiot trap of the bridge across Gadoktjahkka, together with Aktse and Skarja one of the few places in Sarek where the hordes congregate (relatively speaking...)

CB

Grödeln (the generic German word for instep crampons) is what my wife uses in Sarek (Austri Alpin 4 point rather than Edelrid 6P). Fine for most stuff, and if there is a steeper section or bergschrund I will go first with my normal crampons and build some kind of belay.

CB

Thanks for the great information. I'll check out that guide book. I can't read German nor Swedish, but the Google translate app can translate printed text.