Hammer & Climaxe in 1974 Ellis Brigham Catalogue at around £7 each
Description
Ice-axe with serrated pick & wooden shaft, hammer with serrated pick and wooden shaft.
Inscription description
(a) “CHOUINARD-FROST” a diamond logo with C inside, diamond with CAMP inside, mountain logo inside a circle with INTERALP inside, “MADE IN ITALY”. (b) “CHOUINARD MADE IN USA”
Acquisition Method:
Donated by Dave Whalley
Number of Objects:
2
Related Items:
Provenance:
Wee anomaly here as Yvon Chouinard himself describes his Alpine Hammer as a Craghammer as well in his 1978 Great Pacific Iron Works Catalogue, there was also an early version of the Climaxe which you’ll find elsewhere in the collection. The one we have here is a short version of the iconic Chouinard Frost Ice Axe which you can also find elsewhere in the collection. These tools were part of the 1970s Ice Evolution when ever-steeper ice climbs required better equipment to deal with them: drooped picks; banana picks and the iconic Terrordactyl by Hamish MacInnes were all part of the new armoury, while the tricouni-boot, step-cutting brigade fumed on their Woodbine cigarettes – Capstan Full Strength for the tough guys.
These two ‘tools’ were kindly donated by our good friend Dave (Heavy) Whalley, ex RAF Rescue Team Leader and man of many parts.
