ice ax

American  

noun

1. a mountaineering tool combining an adzlike blade and a pick on the head of a long wooden handle, with a spike on the end, used for cutting into ice and for support on icy surfaces.

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Etymology

Origin of ice ax

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

“On Forbidden Peak, the glacier melted entirely, and groups no longer need to carry an ice ax or crampons in the later part of the summer,” Hicks said.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 4, 2023

I kicked one toe into the snow as firmly as possible, then the other a little higher, then hammered an ice ax into the snow a little higher still.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2023

But it won’t be an issue anymore for Richards, who says the episode on Dhaulagiri made him realize it’s time to hang up his ice ax.

From New York Times • Jul. 11, 2021

In winter, you can sign up for a ski mountaineering clinic, wielding your ice ax and fixing rope to climb up the terrain, then skiing down in an exhilarating rush of “job well done.”

From Washington Post • Nov. 27, 2019

I chipped it off with the pick of my ice ax, then asked Andy to return the favor by turning off my regulator in order to conserve my gas until the Step cleared.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer