CMI
Pitons & Bongs

Colorado Mountain Industries started producing pitons in 1963. They continued at least into the mid–1970s.

Crack Tacks

CMI originially included both straight and offset Crack Tacks. I do not have any of former. They also made a chrome-plated Crack Tack which I have not seen.

Set 526, 36, 321: CMI Crack Tacks

Set 526, 36, 321: CMI Crack Tacks

↑ Set 526, 36, 321: CMI Crack Tacks

Made in USA [ca 1965, 1974].
#21, #21–#22
Designed for direct aid only, not for protection.

526: CMI Crack Tack

526: CMI Crack Tack

526: CMI Crack Tack

↑ 526: CMI Crack Tack

Made in USA [ca. 1965].
Weight: 22 g.
Overall Length: 41 mm.
#22, Effective size: 21x23x3 mm.
Designed for direct aid only, not for protection.
Stamped "Cmi" on top behind the blade hole, near the anvil.
From Mike Gerbman, 2025.

Set 036, 321: CMI Crack Tacks

Set 036, 321: CMI Crack Tacks

↑ Set 036, 321: CMI Crack Tacks

Made in USA [ca. 1974].
#21–#22
Designed for direct aid only, not for protection.

036: CMI Crack Tack

036: CMI Crack Tack

036: CMI Crack Tack

↑ 036: CMI Crack Tack

Made in USA [ca. 1974].
Weight: 20 g.
Overall Length: 31 mm.
#21, Effective size: 12x23x3 mm.
Designed for direct aid only, not for protection.
Stamped "Cmi" and "21" on top behind the blade hole, near the anvil.

321: CMI Crack Tack

321: CMI Crack Tack

321: CMI Crack Tack

↑ 321: CMI Crack Tack

Made in USA [ca. 1974].
Weight: 22 g.
Overall Length: 39 mm.
#22, Effective size: 17x23x3 mm.
Designed for direct aid only, not for protection.
Stamped "Cmi" and "22" on top behind the blade hole, near the anvil.

Offsets

The 1964/1965 CMI catalog lists eleven offset pitons. This was reduced to six (#110-160) in the 1965/1966 CMI catalog. One more (#125) was added by the 1975 catalog.

Set, 252,: CMI Offsets

Set, 252,: CMI Offsets

↑ Set, 252,: CMI Offsets

Made in USA [ca. 1966].
Made from chrome-molybdenum steel.

520: CMI Sawn Offset

520: CMI Sawn Offset

520: CMI Sawn Offset

↑ 520: CMI Sawn Offset

Made in USA [ca. 1966].
Weight: 52 g.
Overall Length: 74 mm.
#121 Very Thin, Effective size: 30x25x3 mm.
Designed for direct aid only, not for protection.
Made from chrome-molybdenum steel.
Stamped "Cmi" on top next to the eye.
Length matches #111 hollow grund knife blade but I think this is a #112 that was cut to length (possibly after tip breakage) and sharpened by a former owner.
From Mike Gerbman, 2025.

521: CMI Offset

521: CMI Offset

521: CMI Offset

↑ 521: CMI Offset

Made in USA [ca. 1966].
Weight: 58 g.
Overall Length: 93 mm.
#121 Very Thin (cut), Effective size: 50x24x3 mm.
Designed for direct aid only, not for protection.
Made from chrome-molybdenum steel.
Stamped "Cmi" on top next to the eye.
From Mike Gerbman, 2025.

522: CMI Offset

522: CMI Offset

522: CMI Offset

↑ 522: CMI Offset

Made in USA [ca. 1966].
Weight: 88 g.
Overall Length: 96 mm.
#113 Medium, Short, Effective size: 55x24x5 mm.
Made from chrome-molybdenum steel.
Stamped "Cmi" on top next to the eye.
From Mike Gerbman, 2025.

252: CMI Offset

252: CMI Offset

252: CMI Offset

↑ 252: CMI Offset

Made in USA [ca. 1966].
Weight: 92 g.
Overall Length: 90 mm.
#113 Medium Ssort, Effective size: 50x23x5 mm.
Made from chrome-molybdenum steel.
Stamped "Cmi" on top, just behind the blade.

523: CMI Offset

523: CMI Offset

523: CMI Offset

↑ 523: CMI Offset

Made in USA [ca. 1966].
Weight: 115 g.
Overall Length: 89 mm.
#115 Thick Short, Effective size: 50x24x6 mm.
Made from chrome-molybdenum steel.
Stamped "Cmi" on top next to the eye.
From Mike Gerbman, 2025.

524: CMI Offset

524: CMI Offset

524: CMI Offset

↑ 524: CMI Offset

Made in USA [ca. 1966].
Weight: 135 g.
Overall Length: 118 mm.
#135 Thick Long, Effective size: 75x24x7 mm.
Made from chrome-molybdenum steel.
Stamped "Cmi" on top next to the eye.
From Mike Gerbman, 2025.

Set 253-254, 525: CMI Offsets

Set 253-254, 525: CMI Offsets

↑ Set 253-254, 525: CMI Offsets

Made in USA [1970s].
#110, #120, #150
Made from chrome-molybdenum steel.

253: CMI Offset

253: CMI Offset

253: CMI Offset

↑ 253: CMI Offset

Made in USA [1970s].
Weight: 49 g.
Overall Length: 80 mm.
#110 Knife Blade, Effective size: 35x24x3 mm.
Designed for direct aid only, not for protection.
Made from chrome-molybdenum steel.
Stamped "Cmi" and "111" on top behind the blade, near the anvil.

254: CMI Offset

254: CMI Offset

254: CMI Offset

↑ 254: CMI Offset

Made in USA [1970s].
Weight: 55 g.
Overall Length: 94 mm.
#120 Thin, Effective size: 50x25x3 mm.
Designed for direct aid only, not for protection.
Made from chrome-molybdenum steel.
Stamped "Cmi" and "120" on the base, near the anvil.

525: CMI Offset

525: CMI Offset

525: CMI Offset

↑ 525: CMI Offset

Made in USA [1970s].
Weight: 121 g.
Overall Length: 114 mm.
#150, Thick Medium, Effective size: 70x24x6 mm.
Made from chrome-molybdenum steel.
Stamped "Cmi" and "150" on the base, near the anvil.
From Mike Gerbman, 2025.

Angles

CMI made four sizes of angle pitons for direct aid use.

366: CMI Angle

366: CMI Angle

366: CMI Angle

366: CMI Angle

↑ 366: CMI Angle

Made in USA [1970s].
Weight: 49 g.
Overall Length: 102 mm.
AP 310, Effective size: 60x12 mm.
Made from chrome-molybdenum steel.
Stamped "Cmi" and "31" on blade.