Chouinard USA Ice Axe

[Press-1-for-english]

My brother picked this up at a yard sale in Oregon today.
Do any of you fine folks have any information on this ice axe. I did Google search the pictures but didn't come up with a match.
He said there is nothing marked on the other side of the head.
Thank you all in advance.

 

[Lorien]

that's quite a find! Chouinard as in the founder of Patagonia. He was a blacksmith, made those things in his shop before he started Patagonia. I'll bet it's fairly valuable.

 

[Press-1-for-english]

Wow!
Thank you Lorien.
That was included in a $13.00 pile of stuff.

 

[Blues]

I was using Chouinard climbing gear way back in the 70's, including one of their ice axes out in the Wind Rivers. (It was borrowed however.) Have a bunch of pitons and other hardware from them though.
My own ice axe is a fiberglass shafted Stubai from the period.

 

[Press-1-for-english]

Thank you Blues.

 

[Blues]

It seems that model may be the Zero or Zero X from the 70's to 80's. Most likely the "X" (Expedition) version.

The Chouinard Blue Shaft Ice Axe refers to vintage Chouinard technical climbing tools (often the Zero or Zero X models) from the 1970s and 1980s. Highly collectible today, these featured a distinctive blue-coated metal or composite shaft and are considered pioneers of modern alpine gear before the company transitioned to Black Diamond. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
These ultra-rare climbing axes typically resell on secondary marketplaces like eBay for around $150 to $250 depending on condition, model year, and whether they include original features like the reverse droop pick or stitched leashes. [1, 2, 3]
Here are a few specific models you might be tracking down:

• Chouinard Zero / Zero X: The most notable ice tool featuring a blue shaft. These were available in 50cm or 55cm lengths and are valued for both display and occasional use in technical mountaineering.
• Chouinard Alpinist Piolet: A rarer, early 1978 technical model, sometimes found with a blue-finished shaft. [1, 2, 3, 4]

 

[Press-1-for-english]

Thanks again Blues!

Air Cav? Blues=Infantry?

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

It’s also an Alpine style ice ax.

 

[Blues]

Thanks again Blues!

Air Cav? Blues=Infantry?

No, federal law enforcement.

We had Black Hawks in our air wing...though I was only assigned there on TDY (temporary duty) or hitching a ride when they transported our SRT to serve warrants and takedowns in various locales in, or off the coast of, South FL.

Most of my time was involved in investigating money laundering, narcotics, arms smuggling and terrorism related matters.

You have a nice piece of mountaineering history there. Chouinard and Royal Robbins were a couple of my early heroes, (aside from some great European climbers).

 

[Press-1-for-english]

Ahhh South Florida. 1985. You could hear Blue Thunder coming up the intercoastal from miles away. If you know, you know.

I have been relaying all this information to my brother in Oregon who has the ice axe.

I currently live in good old NJ, Exit 80-ish.

 

[Blues]

Scroll down this page of Chouinard gear...

You'll find what you're looking for:

Chouinard Ice Axes

The Chouinard Piolet was first introduced in 1969. The Chouinard 1969 catalog that I have does not show the Piolet within the catalog pages, but they are listed in the price list. - Chouinard - Frost...

www.karabinclimbingmuseum.com

 

[Blues]

Ahhh South Florida. 1985. You could hear Blue Thunder coming up the intercoastal from miles away. If you know, you know.

I have been relaying all this information to my brother in Oregon who has the ice axe.

I currently live in good old NJ, Exit 80-ish.

I'm from NYC originally. Started my career there in the federal building at 26 Federal Plaza. I'm well acquainted with NJ LOL

 

[Press-1-for-english]

Unfortunately, so am I! Lol

 

[Blues]

(And for the record, my closest partner was Cuban. I've done a lot of work on that country as well, but that's a whole other discussion.)

 

[John A. Larsen]

Blues, Long time ago I read an article about snap links (carabiners) and they were tested for strength. Stubai had my kind, I think something like 5000 KG, report said it exceeded the test capability of their testing machine! John

 

[Blues]

I have a ton of 'em from several makers. Never had one fail. Some were made out of steel, rather than the lighter aluminum. Some were locking but most are not. Ovals, D's, Stubai made great equipment...but there were several awesome manufacturers of gear.

Back in the day, 1975 -1976 I worked at the old Abercrombie & Fitch on the 8th floor in the Mountaineering and Backpacking Dept. (Back when they sold high end gear for serious outings and expeditions.)

Met a lot of interesting (and famous) folks there back then...about a year out of college.

 

[John A. Larsen]

Blues, Running a Laser Range Finder Course at Camp Pendleton. we got to see aluminum snap links that had deep grooves worn into them as so many Marines had rappelled on them. John

 

[Blues]

Clearly way more use than I ever put 'em through, John.

I did have a Goldline rope get cut by rockfall during a storm while rappelling off Temple Peak or East Temple Peak in the Winds way back when. That was a wake-up call when we discovered it while finding the next belay point. (We didn't have Perlon ropes with us at the time.)