The Physics Of Ice Screws
Many adventure sports in the GoPro era are all about the spectacle. They're fast-paced and full of action. Ice 
climbing is different. It's a slow, deliberate sport. And it's beautiful in its quiet way.
climbing is different. It's a slow, deliberate sport. And it's beautiful in its quiet way.Ice climbers use ice screws to secure themselves from the ice and prevent themselves from falling. The ice screws are connected to a 
rope and are placed at an upward angle. If one climber falls, the other climber is pulled up by the rope. The anchor needs to be able to withstand a lot of force.
rope and are placed at an upward angle. If one climber falls, the other climber is pulled up by the rope. The anchor needs to be able to withstand a lot of force.The ice screws started appearing in the 1950s and 60s. The earliest known ice screw is the MARWA screw, manufactured by Mariner Wastl in 1958. The MARWA screws were known to be unreliable, but the ice-screw idea was thus introduced to the climbing world.
However, it wasn't until Greg Lowe, a gear hero, unveiled the "snarg" screw-piton hybrid that it took off about two decades later. The snarg's hollow core is what allowed it to be so successful. This feature allowed for a much larger diameter and thus more screw surface area to be exposed to the ice. Snargs were popular in the 80s and 90s but have now been replaced by regular screws.
However, there is very little research on 
ice screws and ice screw physics compared to the rest of the climbing. The results of a 1997 study were surprising and bit unnerving. The researchers spent years and many hundreds of ice screws attempting to answer basic questions about placement, screw length, and even what constitutes "good" climbing ice in the first place.
ice screws and ice screw physics compared to the rest of the climbing. The results of a 1997 study were surprising and bit unnerving. The researchers spent years and many hundreds of ice screws attempting to answer basic questions about placement, screw length, and even what constitutes "good" climbing ice in the first place.It turns out that screws are more likely to fall out when they are perpendicular to the force rather than when the force is along the threads. The strength of an ice screw placed at a downward angle is as much as twice that of a screw placed at an upward "negative" angle. This difference becomes less significant as the ice quality decreases and can be dangerous if "melt out" is possible.
A later study used a 
computer modeling technique known as finite-element analysis (FEA) and found that length doesn't have a significant effect on screws. The load in a fall is highest at the top of the screw. This means that modern climbing ropes can absorb more shock the higher the climber is from the ground. Differential equations may be useful, but they cannot replace experience.
computer modeling technique known as finite-element analysis (FEA) and found that length doesn't have a significant effect on screws. The load in a fall is highest at the top of the screw. This means that modern climbing ropes can absorb more shock the higher the climber is from the ground. Differential equations may be useful, but they cannot replace experience.This is where screamers come in handy, as they add extra stretch to the system. This way, even in a low fall, where there is less rope to stretch, the shock can be stretched out, reducing the load per unit of time.
Be safe.
The Physics Of Ice Screws
Many adventure sports in the GoPro era are all about the spectacle. They're fast-paced and full of action. Ice climbing is different. It's a slow, deliberate sport. And it's beautiful in its quiet way.
climbing is different. It's a slow, deliberate sport. And it's beautiful in its quiet way.Ice climbers use ice screws to secure themselves from the ice and prevent themselves from falling. The ice screws are connected to a rope and are placed at an upward angle. If one climber falls, the other climber is pulled up by the rope. The anchor needs to be able to withstand a lot of force.
rope and are placed at an upward angle. If one climber falls, the other climber is pulled up by the rope. The anchor needs to be able to withstand a lot of force.The ice screws started appearing in the 1950s and 60s. The earliest known ice screw is the MARWA screw, manufactured by Mariner Wastl in 1958. The MARWA screws were known to be unreliable, but the ice-screw idea was thus introduced to the climbing world.
However, it wasn't until Greg Lowe, a gear hero, unveiled the "snarg" screw-piton hybrid that it took off about two decades later. The snarg's hollow core is what allowed it to be so successful. This feature allowed for a much larger diameter and thus more screw surface area to be exposed to the ice. Snargs were popular in the 80s and 90s but have now been replaced by regular screws.
However, there is very little research on ice screws and ice screw physics compared to the rest of the climbing. The results of a 1997 study were surprising and bit unnerving. The researchers spent years and many hundreds of ice screws attempting to answer basic questions about placement, screw length, and even what constitutes "good" climbing ice in the first place.
ice screws and ice screw physics compared to the rest of the climbing. The results of a 1997 study were surprising and bit unnerving. The researchers spent years and many hundreds of ice screws attempting to answer basic questions about placement, screw length, and even what constitutes "good" climbing ice in the first place.It turns out that screws are more likely to fall out when they are perpendicular to the force rather than when the force is along the threads. The strength of an ice screw placed at a downward angle is as much as twice that of a screw placed at an upward "negative" angle. This difference becomes less significant as the ice quality decreases and can be dangerous if "melt out" is possible.
A later study used a computer modeling technique known as finite-element analysis (FEA) and found that length doesn't have a significant effect on screws. The load in a fall is highest at the top of the screw. This means that modern climbing ropes can absorb more shock the higher the climber is from the ground. Differential equations may be useful, but they cannot replace experience.
computer modeling technique known as finite-element analysis (FEA) and found that length doesn't have a significant effect on screws. The load in a fall is highest at the top of the screw. This means that modern climbing ropes can absorb more shock the higher the climber is from the ground. Differential equations may be useful, but they cannot replace experience.This is where screamers come in handy, as they add extra stretch to the system. This way, even in a low fall, where there is less rope to stretch, the shock can be stretched out, reducing the load per unit of time.
Be safe.
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