So my buddy and I went ice climbing this weekend to do the NE Gully of Thatchop (WI3/4). There was one party ahead of us that we caught up to just at the base of the climb, and there was one guy in particular who looked pretty strange. He was basically crawling up a relatively moderately angled snow slope and making strange snorting-like noises.



After we got up the 1st pitch of ice, I started building my belay in the rocks. I looked over to see this guy with a HUGE mullet bringing up his partner on an anchor that was just an ice axe stuck in the grass. He was attached to it just by a clove hitch. I asked him what it was. He said, "this here's a TURF anchor"



What is a turf anchor? I thought it to be kind of odd that he was belaying his partner up on just one piece of gear, especially given the steepness of the ice.
I don't remember reading anything about turf anchors in Freedom Of the Hills? Is it a slang term like french-freeing? Is this safe?

Hey, I remember that spot. Didn't use a turf anchor. There was already a V-thread and the ice was thick enough for screws. Frozen dirt, moss, and that sort of thing can be surprisingly solid. I'd also throw dead trees under "turf anchor". I know I've definately placed tools in the turf and I would probably evaluate it's role in an anchor similarly to how I would for a tool in ice. That being said I wouldn't trust just one tool in that configuration, probably wouldn't be that happy about two. That guy has the crazy eyes going though so he can do whatever he likes, safety be damned.

It looks like the perfect set up for the beginning of the movie "vertical limit". I wonder if BD or Petzl has "turf" failure ratings for their gear..........

You are right that this isn't a typical anchor. It has nothing to do with safety though...In fact, one piece turf anchors are usually pretty bomber. The only issue is that your tools get dulled whilst smashing them into the dirt.

bomber!

oops, I meant...

[scottishaccent] Bomber-r-r-r!! [/scottishaccent]

I think you misheard. He said, "This here's a TURD anchor." Indeed.

I feel like I've seen that guy before.

yeah now that i think of it, i think i've seen him too!



here he is in ecaudor with a couple sketchy looking Ecuadorians at the chimborazo refuge, 5000m.

who IS this guy?!?!

Standard practice in Alaska, It depends on how saturated the soil is of course. But adaquately frozen turf is BOMBER!

I am not an ice climber but if I was doing any sort of climbing and I came up to my partners with an anchor like this I don't think I would be happy.

Frozen turf is like concrete but this rig appears to have an outward pull on the tool's pick. Is it typical in ice climbing to have a 1 point anchor in a situation like this?

Is this whole thread a joke that I am not getting?

Using this is related to the angle of terrain.

Are tools adequate in vertical ice as a belay anchor, no. I wouldn't use them for a moderately difficult snow anchor either.

But as a quick way to move on low angled terrain; what's better, throwing the rope around some loose blocks, or slamming the tools in some frozen turf? You're basically doing something similar to short-roping, except the terrain is a little bit more difficult than hiking. You don't really need every anchor to be a multi-point load distributor in rock or ice, you'll spend more time in rigging anchors when moving quickly and playing position is more the safer way to manage a route.


Here is what I think is a better example that Jeff did on Bancroft:

The anchor:

Part of my anchor atop P1. I used a piton and my ice tool in frozen turf. The anchor building options are slim and I ran out of gear! Submitted By: Jeff F. on Feb 2, 2009

View from atop our P1 looking down the route. Scottish grade probably with all the snow/ice and frozen turf. Submitted By: Jeff F. on Feb 2, 2009

In Europe (esp. Poland, Slovakia) people use warthogs to protect on frozen turf. They seem very soild -- I remember rapping off one. You can still buy them. I'd personally feel very uncomfortable belaying from a single ice axe and I would like to back it up. Sometimes it's the best you can do though.

i think i know this gomer and that might be the best anchor i have ever seen him construct!

Personally, I don't like sinking tools into turf in alpine tundra, as it is detrimental to the ecosystem. If you do rip the turf off, it may never regenerate. The species of these ecosystems are in tight balances. I have, however, used the tool-turf anchor in the jungle and found it to be not only bomber, but ecologically sound. In fact, in very wet areas, often the turf is stronger, and more safe than a root, or tree, and a better choice for pro. than the seeping basalt choss around it.

That dude sure seems nuts. A tool in turf can be sweet, and I've used it before to back up a suspect tree at the top of a route, but unless you're in a hurry on easy alpine terrain or don't have any choice, I would find something else AND set another tool anyway. Sounds like you didn't have any trouble finding something better.