A beefier take on the Chouinard Alpine hammer, with a wider pick and heavier head than the 1968 version.
Identifying Marks
- Pick with 4 teeth
- Wide pick and noticeably heavier head
- Wood handle
- Solid head (no notch)
About the Model
The extra weight made this version a better piton driver and gave the pick more bite in hard ice. It didn’t last long. In 1973 the Alpine hammer gained a notch in the head while keeping 4 teeth on the pick. In 1974 the notch stayed and the pick changed again: a group of 5 teeth, a gap, then 4 more teeth. By 1975 there was a longer handle option and a six-tooth pick. That rapid back-and-forth shows how quickly Chouinard was experimenting as front-pointing and piolet traction took hold.
Source: identifying marks and dates from the Karabin Climbing Museum‘s Chouinard Equipment display. Have something to add? Let me know.
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