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FT Logistics
FT Logistics
Date: 2/22 or 2/23
Time: Meet-Up Time TBA
Meeting Location: Paradise (meet-up location TBA)
*Consult Equipment Matrix on Home Page to Reference What to Bring*
Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to:
Describe and demonstrate proper ice axe carrying techniques.
Describe and demonstrate tying into the middle and end of a glacier-travel rope using the correct knot(s) and carabiners.
Describe and demonstrate a crevasse rescue using 2:1 drop loop system as middle and end climber, with some prompting from an instructor.
Describe and demonstrate several snow anchors (vertical mid-clip and deadman), with some prompting from an instructor.
Rough Agenda:
Introductions (10-30 minutes—until the gate opens)
Hike into practice area (30 minutes)
Ice axe discussion and demonstration (20 minutes)
Demo glacier travel, prusik belays and anchor construction (20 minutes)
*Glacier tie-in checkpoint; practice glacier travel and belays (60 minutes)
*Crevasse rescue (120 minutes)
Hike out to cars (30 minutes)
Debrief (10 minutes)
* Small group rotation
Checkpoints: Glacier tie-in
Checkpoints: Glacier tie-in
You will have a checkpoint on the above items at this field trip. Please refer to FT 2 or the Critical Skills Page for reference material.
Expected Standards
Expected Standards
Glacier Travel Set-Up & Kiwi Coil: Set-up the following without instructor prompting:
Rope spacing prepared (10-# of climbers=# of arm lengths between climbers, remainder is kiwi coiled)
Climbers tied into rope (end climbers- rewoven figure-8; middle climbers- butterfly knot)
End climbers have kiwi coils on
Prusiks on rope (end climbers: one prusik ; middle climbers: one on either side of your butterfly knot)
Chest harness on
Partner safety & harness checks
Snow Anchors
Snow Anchors
REI Article: Snow Anchors for Mountaineering
You will be introduced to snow anchors at this field trip.
We use snow anchors as a safe way to secure ourselves to the mountain in a variety of scenarios including crevasse rescue, stopping for breaks, belaying our team members who might be tired, etc.
As a competent climber, you must learn to both build and inspect other people's anchors and ensure they are SERENE:
Strong
Equalized
Redundant
Efficient
No Extension
How strong are Snow Anchors?
How strong are Snow Anchors?
We commonly use pickets and ice axes to build snow anchors in this course, but in the field you may need to improvise and use other equipment: skis, poles, backpacks, etc.
Snow Conditions for Anchor Building
Snow Conditions for Anchor Building
SNOWBALL TEST
Can you form a snowball? Or are the snow conditions so soft that it crumbles?
If you can form a snowball: stomp out and compact snow as much as possible prior to building your anchor.
If you cannot form a snowball: do your best not to disturb or compact the snow and instead build your anchor as deep as possible until you hit the next snow/crust layer.
SOFTER THE SNOW = DEEPER TO BURY THE ANCHOR
Read this article on Snow Anchors for Belaying & Rescue. It's a bit dry but will give you a better understanding of what factors contribute to a strong anchor.
When to Use Each Anchor Type
When to Use Each Anchor Type
Snow Stability Test
Snow Stability Test
In Avy Awareness & AIARE courses, you'll learn how to do a quick snow stability test, by sticking your fingers and other objects in the snow to test it's stability. This is helpful in determining what snow anchors you build and how to build them. To test, you see if you can fit the following in the snow surface after stomping it out/compressing it:
Fist (F)
4 Fingers (4F)
1 Finger (1F)
Pencil (P)
Knife (K)
Deadman (T-trench anchor), Vertical top-clip, & Vertical mid-clip
Vertical Mid-Clip
Good for 1F to P hard snow. Good for 4F snow that's been stomped on
Orient ~10-15 degrees back from perpendicular to snow surface
Preferred/stronger than the vertical top-clip
This will typically be your first anchor you place for crevasse rescue
Deadman (T-Trench)
Most bomber option for most snow conditions
You will almost always use this in crevasse rescue
This video uses skis for the deadman but we will of course primarily use pickets in this course
Vertical Top-Clip
Quick to set-up and ideal for running belays
Best for P to K hard snow
Place 25 degrees back from the load, perp to the snow surface & girth hitch a runner through the top clip.
Anchor Systems
Anchor Systems
In crevasse rescue scenarios especially, you want redundancy (remember SERENE Anchors) and will therefore want to place two anchors and connect them both with a master point. In this course, we practice crevasse rescue using a vertical mid-clip for the first anchor and a deadman (t-trench) for the second anchor.
Distributing the Load Between Two Anchors
Distributing the Load Between Two Anchors
Place each anchor piece in different places so if one fails the surrounding snow won’t affect other anchor.
Angle formed from sling attachments between two anchors should be less than 60 degrees.
Upcoming Checkpoints
Upcoming Checkpoints
Your next checkpoints will be at FT 6: Crevasse Rescue & Ice Axe Arrest.
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