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FT Logistics
FT Logistics
Date: 3/29 AND 3/30
Time: Meet-up time TBA
Meeting Location: Paradise (meet-up location TBA)
Refer to the gear matrix on the home page for what to bring to the winter overnight. Remember snow stakes for your tent.
Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to:
Describe the elements that go into establishing a winter campsite.
Describe and demonstrate a crevasse rescue using 2:1 drop loop system as middle and end climber.
Describe considerations for the construction of a snow cave.
Describe a “running belay,” with some prompting from an instructor.
Describe and demonstrate a 3:1 Z-pulley system, with some prompting from an instructor.
Discuss and describe elements that go into efficient preparation for an alpine start before a glacier climb.
Describe and demonstrate various elements of travel as lead, middle and end climber in a glacier rope team, including appropriate ascending and descending and crampon techniques.
Describe and demonstrate ice axe arrest in multiple orientations (head up-slope and down, on stomach and on back, with and without pack).
Rough Agenda Day 1:
Introductions (10 minutes)
Hike into camping area (TBD)
Set up winter campsite (20 minutes)
Crevasse rescue checkpoint (120 minutes)
*Construct snow cave (20 minutes) (only one snow cave will be built total–each group will continue the efforts of the previous groups)
*Running belay (20 minutes)
*3:1 demo (20 minutes)
*Construct snow kitchen (30 minutes)
Demo crampon, ascending and descending techniques (30 minutes)
Debrief and group dinner (90 minutes)
Prep for following day (30 minutes)
* Small group rotation
Rough Agenda Day 2:
Alpine start buddy check (10 minutes)
Glacier team travel, including crampon, ascending and descending techniques (180 minutes)
Crevasse rescue checkpoint (as needed) (TBD)
Break down camp (60 minutes)
Ice axe arrest checkpoint (90 minutes)
Hike out (TBD)
Debrief (10 minutes)
Alpine Start
Alpine Start
At your winter overnight field trip, you will get an alpine start on day 2 for an easy/moderate roped snow hike, and be expected to do the following without instruction and in a timely manner:
Be ready to Go on Time (i.e. EARLY)
Be roped up with your team: correct spacing (which should be set-up the night before) tied in, prusiks on, kiwi coils (end climbers)
Crampons are put on accurately and quickly
Team members get belayed into/out of camp
Good rope-team management as you travel: pace, switchbacks, communication
On the hike you will practice running belays and team ice axe arrest with your instructors.
Efficient Snow Travel
Efficient Snow Travel
During your alpine start hike and throughout this field trip, you will practice efficient snow travel techniques. We cannot stress the importance of these skills enough. We only get a few outdoor snow field trips with you, so it is imperative you get out on your own time to hike/scramble in the snow, wearing your crampons. Doing weighted hikes on Mt. Si only is not going to fully prepare you to climb mountains; you need to train and practice weighted hikes on snow, with and without crampons, as much as you can. This is not only for fitness, but also to practice with different snow conditions efficiently so you don't get fatigued, injured, or fall.
Ascending Techniques
Ascending Techniques
Step kicking
Travelling in balance
Self belay (stake position)
Rest step
Switch-backing
French Technique
French Technique
Flat-Footing
(Good for gentle-moderate slopes)
German Technique
German Technique
Front-Pointing
(Good for hard, icy, and/or steep slopes)
American Technique
American Technique
Combination
(Best for most long stretches of basic glacier climbs)
Descending Techniques
Descending Techniques
Plunge Stepping w/ and w/out self-belay
Backing down slope
Sitting & standing glissade
Review this REI Article's section on descending techniques.
Emergency Snow Shelters
Emergency Snow Shelters
You may be in a situation where you have to decide whether to build a snow shelter for the night or try to keep moving and get back to your car or a safer location. If you have a generally fit group, it may be best to keep everyone moving and warm. Depending on weather conditions and if anyone is injured or you're completely lost, you may have no choice but to create a shelter. Read this article on a few basic snow shelter options.
Belaying Team Members At Camp and Rest Stops
Belaying Team Members At Camp and Rest Stops
The purpose of belaying your rope team members into or out of rest stops and camps on a glacier, is to never allow a significant amount of slack in the rope between yourself and your rope team members. One common method for doing this is the Seat Harness Prusik Belay.
Step 1. Pull 3-5 feet of rope from your harness (moving your prusik along the rope).
Step 2. Tie a clove hitch, and slide it up the shaft of the ice axe to the base of the head. Then plunge the axe into the snow, with the head of the axe perpendicular to the direction of fall.
Step 3. Place your uphill foot on the head of ice axe (make sure not to step on the rope), and set up a sturdy belay stance.
Step 4. Use your prusik to take up rope, belaying your team member in by pulling the climbing rope through the prusik knot. The next climber in on the rope team would repeat the same procedure.
Running Belays
Running Belays
When you travel roped together, you may encounter hazards or situations when team arrest isn’t possible, when you need extra protection on an extended steep section, or when you’re worried that one person’s fall, however short, may take others down.
Running belay: One quick way to add security is to set up a running belay – which allows the team to move together at the same time while the rope is secured to one or more snow anchors. In a running belay, the lead climber will place one or more individual pieces of protection (typically a snow picket or an ice screw) that the rope is secured to. The anchor holds the rope and team in case of a fall. If one anchor isn’t enough protection for the running belay, use multiple individual anchors. The running belay allows for the team to move more efficiently than setting up a stationary belay, as you would in rock climbing.
Skip to the "Belaying on Snow" section of this article and read about how to set-up running belays.
After you read the article linked below, watch this video on how to safely pass protection (i.e. pickets) while doing a running belay.
Checkpoints: Crevasse Rescue & Ice Axe Arrest
Checkpoints: Crevasse Rescue & Ice Axe Arrest
Expected Standards
Expected Standards
Crevasse Rescue
You will have a checkpoint on the 2:1 portion of the crevasse rescue system we teach. You will not have a checkpoint for adding the 3:1 component (making it a 6:1 system) but should have a good understanding/concept of the full system. You will be checked for proficiency, without prompting by instructors, on the 2:1 system as follows:
Team Ice Axe Arrest
Talks Through Steps of Crevasse Rescue: Arrest Fall, Evaluate Fallen Climber/Situation, Devise a Rescue Plan (self-rescue, direct pull, or pulley system), Implement Plan
Communication with team members throughout
Safely prusiks and probes for crevasses while travelling up & down rope
Solid anchor set-up
Checks on & communicates with fallen climber
Instructs middle climber on how to support rescue process (e.g. tends anchor)
Successfully sets-up 2:1 system and is able to haul fallen climber out
Ice Axe Arrest
You will be checked on successfully arresting falls from 4 different positions (with your packs on):
On stomach, head uphill
On back, head uphill (turn body towards adze)
On back, head downhill (turn body away from adze)
On stomach, head downhill (turn body towards adze)
Ensure you do the following:
Turn your body/feet towards/away from the adze of the axe
Kick your feet in to help you arrest
Upcoming Checkpoints
Upcoming Checkpoints
You will be asked to demonstrate top-rope belaying at FT 7.
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