How To: Stop yourself with an ice axe in mountaineering

Ali Alami with Fit Climb demonstrates how to stop yourself using an ice axe when mountaineering. Arresting yourself is important if you or a partner on a rope team trip or fall when climbing. To practice hold your ice axe across your chest and slide down a hill on your backside. To arrest yourself roll to whatever side the pick is positioned on, digging the pick into the mountain and rolling your body completely on top of it. Keep your feet above the snow until you are almost at a stop and then dig your crampons into the mountain. Kick in vigorously until you stop. Be careful because your crampons may kick into hard ice or snow and flip you backwards. Practice a variety of positions because you might fall in different positions. Stopping yourself on a steep mountain with an ice axe has a 50% success rate.