Gebirgsjäger Steigeisen (Crampons)

[Heeresbergführer]

I was recently asked on a 1:1 scale reenactment forum "how do you strap on ice crampons?" I've also been asked this a few times by 1/6th scale modelers. So below is my "How To" Lession.


Servus Bergkameraden,

Here is today's Bergsteigen (mountain climbing) lesson...how to strap on your Steigeisen (crampons).

First make sure that your crampons will fit your boots and that you have good (new) straps:

Step 1 - mount boot onto the crampon, then insert strap through the outside heel ring...leaving the buckle end loose:

Step 2 - bring the strap across the boot and loop through the inside middle ring:

Step 3 - back across the boot to the outside toe ring:

Step 4 - now over to the inside toe ring:

Step 5 - back across the boot, the strap now goes to outside middle ring:

Step 6 - bring the strap over to the inside heel ring and tighten up the webbing:

Step 7 - finally, make sure the straps are tight, buckle up and you're done:

Finished boot with crampons strapped on....outside:

And inside of boot:

Berg Heil und Horrido!

Patrick

 

[Squidley]

Thanks for that!

I've got a pair of modern (well 20 years old, anyway) crampons that work much the same way. I would not suggest standing on bare rock wearing them like your (excellent) fig. Far from comfortable. Ice or snow works much better on the feets!

 

[Heeresbergführer]

Thanks for that!

I've got a pair of modern (well 20 years old, anyway) crampons that work much the same way. I would not suggest standing on bare rock wearing them like your (excellent) fig. Far from comfortable. Ice or snow works much better on the feets!

Servus Squidley,

Yes, I know...I got to use my period crampons and other Gebirgsjäger gear this summer in the French Alps @ 10,000 feet.

Berg Heil!

Patrick

 

[Sourdoh]

Great pictures. Looks like they could have been taken 68 years ago! The tutorial is great as many of us have GJ figures and adding crampons would be neat.

 

[Squidley]

Nice pics! Thanks so much for sharing them.

I've move on to step-in instead of strap-on crampons, but they need the plastic shell double mountaineering boots. Not quite period!

Looks like you lads had a great time. Good use of ice axe for an anchor/belay point.

 

[Fernandopm]

Really nice pics, Patrick, and which part of the French Alps was that ?

I still remember the days when we use strap-in crampons and those frozen finger tips trying to adjust the straping system under a blizzard on a North Face !! fortunately we now have all kind of automatic step-in crampons with different systems valid for almost all kind of mountain boots

 

[Heeresbergführer]

Servus Fernando,

We were in the Ecrins National Park climbing the mountain "La Meije." Also, we had a member of our group from Spain.


IMG_0121 by bergfuhrerkiser, on Flickr

La Meije is a mountain in the Massif des Écrins range, located at the border of the Hautes-Alpes and Isère départements. It overlooks the nearby village of La Grave, a mountaineering centre and ski resort, well-known for its off-piste and extreme skiing possibilities.
La Meije is composed of three principal summits. The highest point is the Grand Pic de la Meije at 3,984 metres. The Grand Pic is notorious in that there is no "easy" path to the top. For this reason, La Meije was the last major peak in the Alps to be summited. The first ascent was made on August 16, 1877 by Pierre Gaspard and his son and their client Emmanuel Boileau de Castelnau. In 1891, J. H. Gibson, U. Almer and F. Boss made the first traverse of the ridge, from west to east.
The Doigt de Dieu (English: Finger of God), a large snow-clad tower at the east end of the ridge, overhanging the south slopes, is an attraction for mountaineers of various levels of ability.


Berg Heil!

 

[Fernandopm]

Really nice pictures, Patrick. I know the area very well, in my opinion the Ecrins Range is an excellent choice for "classic" mountaneering and rock climbing, being a National Park is far less civilized than other parts of the Alps (Chamonix, etc.), but I wonder what the French locals thought when they saw your group scrambling over there (the "boches" are back !!)

 

[Heeresbergführer]

Grüß Di' Fernando,

The event organizer and guide cleared everything with the French authorities before the climb. At the lower elevations where we ran into more day hikers we did not wear our tunics...only pants and shirts, plus caps without insignia...so we just looked like 'classic' or 'oldtimer' climbers. Once we reached the higher elevations and we weren't running into other people, we put on our full uniforms. Most of the people we ran into were very interested in all of our old kit like rucksacks, boots, and ice axes. Hopefully, I can make it over again this summer and make sure that my boots are better fitting:



Berg Heil,

Patrick

 

[jfunk]

Ouch! Great pictures Patrick (even the one of the blister). You guys look like you had a blast. Please post more if you can. Great tutorial by the way, extremely helpful.

 

[Panzercommander HOH]

Hi Patrick,

Great photos and great lesson!

A question about your Gebirgsjäger Hauptmann tunic if I may:

Why no turnback cuffs on the tunic?

Don't Gebirgsjäger officers need a place for their opera tickets as well?

Again - GREAT photos!

Fred