Ice Axe

For another variant, see Secret Santa.

For the Specialist equipment, see Icepick.

An Ice Axe is a tool used to climb-up, break-up, pick, or chip at ice. It appears as a utility in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered, and as a melee weapon in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, Call of Duty: WWII, Call of Duty: Mobile, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Vanguard, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. It is also briefly seen in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

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Ice Axe
Damage	100 (SP)
Range(explanation)	64"
Used by	John "Soap" MacTavish Gary "Roach" Sanderson

Captain John "Soap" MacTavish and Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson each use two ice axes in the level "Cliffhanger" to scale their way up the icy mountain to the hidden base this mission takes place in. An ice axe is also used by Captain "Soap" MacTavish to kill an enemy soldier on a snowmobile.

However, in "Cliffhanger", the player will only be able to use them in the beginning. Afterwards, Roach will automatically take out his Silenced ACR with Heartbeat Sensor and Red Dot Sight attachments losing the ability to use the ice axe in the process.

If the player doesn't hold on to the wall in "Cliffhanger", on any difficulty, they will fall and die. "Hold on for dear life!" will be shown on the screen instead of the usual random quote. If the player holds on to the ice for too long, it will eventually break up and they will fall. If they are low enough, they will just fall back onto the ledge.

Ice axes act like a dual-wielding melee weapon, but the player is never given a chance to kill anyone with them in the original MW2. The player can, however, still melee with them if they press the attack button while not climbing. Pressing the melee button will swing both at the same time.

In Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered, it is possible to use the ice axes to take down the first two enemies in the Cliffhanger mission. A special melee animation will play, which involves Roach taking down the two guards simultaneously. Additionally, if the "Green Beret" Intel Cheat is enabled, the player is able to use an Ice Axe as a melee weapon for the whole mission, replacing the CQB Bayonet from other levels.

Gallery

Ice axes in first person

Soap with his ice axes

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

An ice axe is briefly used in the mission "Crash", where Cormack throws it at an enemy soldier.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered

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Cliffhanger
Weapon Class	Melee
Damage	150 (MP)
Range(explanation)	64 (slash), 128 (stab)
Unlocked	The completion of the Cliffhanger bounty collection
Rarity	Bounty
Collection	Cliffhanger

"Effective at close-range. Hold Triangle/Y to switch weapon to melee."

— Description

The Ice Axe, labeled as Cliffhanger (or Icepick in development), is available as a melee weapon in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered. It was added in the December 13, 2016‎ update.

It is only available through completing the Cliffhanger bounty collection in the Depot, and is functionally identical to the Knife. However, unlike the Knife, the Cliffhanger can be equipped in a matter similar to that of the Combat Knife featured in previous installments.

Call of Duty: WWII

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Ice Pick
Weapon Class	Melee
Used by	Olivia Durant

"The other entrenching tool used during the war consists of a wooden handle and a cast iron head, and is well suited for breaking-up hard ground or combat."

— Description on Call of Duty: WWII's official website

The weapon, referred to as Ice Pick, was teased pre-launch of Call of Duty: WWII, and was released as a melee weapon during the Winter Siege special event.

Variants

For the visuals of the variants, see Ice Axe/Variants.

Name	Rarity	Perk	Operation	Notes
Gold Digger	Epic	10% Bonus Soldier XP	Winter Siege	Collection reward
The Rattler	Epic	10% Bonus Soldier XP	Winter Siege
Clean State II	Heroic	15% Bonus Soldier XP	Winter Siege
Ice Pick	Rare	10% Bonus Soldier XP	Winter Siege	Exclusively Quartermaster Contract reward

Gallery

For variants images, see Ice Axe/Variants.

The Ice Pick in first person

Inspecting a side of the Ice Pick

Inspecting another side

Call of Duty: Mobile

The Ice Axe returns in Call of Duty: Mobile. It is available in the form of Uncommon, Rare and Epic blueprints for the Base Melee. It was added as part of the Season 2 update.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

An ice axe is used in some purchasable Finishing Move for SAS operators.

Included in the Wendigo Operator Bundle is the "Crevasse" blueprint of the Combat Knife, designed instead as an ice axe with alternative animations and sounds.

Call of Duty: Vanguard

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Ice Axe
Weapon Class	Melee
Unlocked	Multiplayer: Get 3 Kills with the Throwing Knife in a single match 15 times. Zombies: Use Melee weapons to kill 50 Sturmkriegers.
Cost(Zombies)	0 (starting weapon)
Consolecodename(s)	me_icepick

"A handy climbing implement that has combat use as both a melee or thrown weapon."

— In-game description

The Ice Axe returns in Call of Duty: Vanguard. It was added on April 19th, 2022 as part of the Season Two Reloaded update.

The player can use the Ice Axe as any normal melee weapon via swinging as well as being able to throw it at enemies.

Overview

Zombies

The Ice Axe can be brought into any map via Create-A-Class, at Loadout rarity. When upgraded via the Pack-a-Punch Machine, it becomes the Skullsplitter, garnering increased melee damage with each subsequent Pack-a-Punch upgrade level.

Blueprints

Blueprint	Image	Rarity	How to Obtain
Carbon Fiber		Epic	Motorized Mayhem Bundle
Conflict Spike		Epic	Contribute with 75,000 points in the Last Stand Warzone event
Wealth Tax		Legendary	Battle Pass Season Five Tier 89

Gallery

Anna Drake using the Ice Axe.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II & Modern Warfare III

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Pickaxe
Weapon Class	Melee
Manufacturer	Schlager
Unlocked	Sector E0 (Season Five Battle Pass) Multiplayer: Get 15 Operator Kills with Melee Weapons. DMZ or Zombies: Extract the Weapon.
HUD icon
Consolecodename(s)	me_pickaxe

"Almost any tool can be turned lethal in the right hands, and this Pickaxe is no exception."

— In-game description

The Ice Axe returns in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II as the Pickaxe. It was added on August 30th, 2023 as part of the Season Five Reloaded update.

The Pickaxe is also available in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III as part of the Modern Warfare II content carryover.

Overview

Zombies

In Modern Warfare III, the Pickaxe can be brought into Operation Deadbolt via Create-A-Class, at Common rarity and can be found at any rarity via the Mystery Box for 950 Essence. When upgraded via the Pack-a-Punch Machine or with Aetherium Crystals, it becomes Diana's Disemboweler.

Blueprints (Modern Warfare II)

Blueprint	Image	How to Obtain
Chainsaw		Tracer Pack: DOOM Bundle
Ice Axe		Tracer Pack: Tomb Raider Operator Bundle

Blueprints (Modern Warfare III)

Blueprint	Image	How to Obtain
Heat Hawk		Tracer Pack: Mobile Suit - MS-06S Zaku II Bundle

Blueprints (Warzone Mobile)

Blueprint	Image	Rarity	How to Obtain
Amped Mutation		Uncommon	Obtain 140000 Event Points during the Tech Control event
Crown Crusader		Uncommon	Obtain 150000 Event Points during the Tenshi Rise Event
Hornstriker		Rare	Thick Skin The Keep
Lucky Break		Rare	Dungeon Crawler The Keep
Scale Issue		Rare	Obtain 200000 Event Points during To The Metal Event

Gallery

Pickaxe as seen in First Person view.

Inspecting the Pickaxe.

DOOM Chainsaw.

Trivia

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

• The Infinity Ward logo can be seen on the bottom of the ice axes.
• The name, "carina," is written on the side.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered

• The Cliffhanger name in the remaster is a reference to the first appearance of the Ice Axe in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, in the mission Cliffhanger.