Alpenstock Now

: A stout, six-foot-long wooden staff, typically made of seasoned ash, with a sharp steel or iron point (the "shod") at the base.

: Climbers would often carve the names of their successful ascents into the wood. Over time, Victorian alpinists added blades (picks and adzes) to the top of these staffs to help cut steps into ice, eventually evolving the tool into the ice axe . Contemporary Uses alpenstock

While traditional wooden alpenstocks are now largely collectors' items or used for historical reenactment, the concept persists in several forms today: Climbing with an Alpenstock - Alex Roddie : A stout, six-foot-long wooden staff, typically made