Alpine

MountAINEERING
Bruce Goodlad

a Practical manual
eSSENTIAL kNOWLEDGE FOR budding alpinists
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Arolla Zermatt
La Luette

Aiguille du Tour Mt Blanc de Cheillon Breithorn

Aiguille Crochues Pigne d’Arolla
Breuil-Cervinia Castor

Passy Pollox Piramide Vincent

Chamonix

St Bernard Tunnel Alagna-Valsesia

Mont Blanc Tunnel Champoluc Gressoney
Mont Blanc -la-Trinite Varallo
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alpine
Mountaineering
Bruce Goodlad
First published 2011

Published in Great Britain 2011 by Pesda Press

Tan y Coed Canol
Ceunant
Caernarfon
Gwynedd
LL55 4RN

Reprinted with updates 2016

© Copyright 2011 Bruce Goodlad

ISBN: 978-1-906095-35-2

The Author asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Publisher.

Printed and bound in Poland. www.hussarbooks.pl

 Acknowledgements

Mountaineering is a team sport; experiences shared in the mountains and

relived in the valley over a beer or a cup of coffee stay in your mind forever.
Writing a book is also a team sport – although it is my name on the cover
there has been a team of people helping me along the way. I owe a massive
thanks to Kate (my better half) who has taken all the technical photographs,
turned my terrible spelling and grammar into English and shared many
happy days in the mountains.

I would like to thank two long-suffering clients Kat Congleton and Mark
Dearnley, who read early versions of the manuscript and returned invaluable
comments about style and content.

Thanks also to Mark Charlton, who did a great job of technically editing
the book. I first met Mark when he was assessing me on my summer
guides test in North Wales, and we have shared many great days on the hill
since then. A big thank-you goes to the many friends who have contributed
photographs and also to Franco at Pesda Press for taking my idea onboard
and letting me have a free rein while putting the book together. I hope all
these people have enjoyed the process as much as I have.

A final thanks to all those friends who have shared many happy days in
the mountains with me; I look forward to many more in the future.

Bruce can be contacted via: www.mountainadventurecompany.com

Photographs

Photos by Pete Benson, Jon Bracey, Mark Dearnley, Rob Jarvis, Richard
Lundberg, Andy Perkins, Terry Ralphs, John Taylor, and Andy Teasdale are
acknowledged in the captions. All other photos are by Bruce Goodlad or
Kate Scott.

4
Bruce Goodlad About the Authors

Bruce Goodlad

Born in Ayrshire with both parents employed as teachers, Bruce spent most
of his childhood in the outdoors. Summer holidays were spent sailing the
west coast of Scotland, exploring the coastline and islands. He is quoted by
his father as asking, at a young age, “Dad, why do we have to climb every
mountain?” He’s been climbing mountains ever since!

After studying geography at Glasgow University, Bruce spent a year

at Glenmore Lodge (the national outdoor training centre in the Scottish
Highlands) on the Night Watch scheme as a trainee instructor. He has
worked in the outdoor industry ever since, guiding and instructing all over
the world. Bruce qualified as an IFMGA (International Federation of Mountain
Guide Associations) guide in 2001 and is now involved in the training and
assessment of British Mountain Guides. He lives in the French Alps where
he runs his mountaineering business, sharing his passion for the mountains
with his clients in the form of climbing courses in the summer months and
skiing and ice climbing in winter.

Away from the mountains, Bruce has been a regular contributor to

Climber magazine for many years. This is his first attempt at a book!

Eric Pirie

Brought up in Grantown-on-Spey in the Scottish Highlands, Eric has skied

and climbed from a young age. He qualified as an IFMGA guide in 2006 and
splits his work time between his home in Scotland and the Alps. He has a
particular interest in Mountain Rescue and has been an active member of
the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team since 1982. Eric is a course director
with the Wilderness Emergency Medical Services Institute (WEMSI-Europe)
and a qualified Emergency Medical technician. Eric was the obvious choice
to write the Alpine rescue chapter for the book.

5
 Introduction
The terms ‘climbing’ and ‘mountaineering’ are words which cover a huge spec-
trum of activities. They encompass an enormous range of skills and techniques
that can take us from climbing on small crags close to the road to the giants of
the Himalaya. One of the many attractions of mountaineering is that there are so
many different things that you can do in the mountains at whatever level feels
comfortable for you.

In this book we focus on the European Alps and assume that you have done a
bit of walking but nothing more technical in the mountains. We take you through
all the skills you will need to enable you to climb independently or with a mountain
guide in the Alps.

The book is in two main parts: an instructional manual and a detailed guidebook.
In the first part, we begin by looking at the Alps, their geography and the features
that you may find there. We then go on to look at the equipment you will need
and how to use it. Once you have been shopping, we explain the techniques
you will need and how you can put them together so that you can move safely
through glaciated terrain, across rocky ridges and climb beautiful peaks. We have
also included a chapter about climbing via ferrata, which is an exciting activity if
you want a day off from the high peaks.

In the second part, the guidebook section has all you need to know to enable
you to get out there and practise what you’ve learnt in the first chapters. There
is a selection of 20 routes in the Western Alps where you can hone your skills
on rock, snow and ice. The routes start with glacial training areas, move through
increasingly more adventurous climbs and culminate with Mont Blanc.

We have selected routes that will allow you to develop at your own pace; you
can start on shorter climbs moving onto longer and more difficult itineraries as
you feel comfortable. The author has climbed all the routes, many of them with
budding Alpinists, so the information is current and accurate. We hope you will
enjoy them as much as we did.

Before you head for the hills, the author and Pesda Press would like to remind
you that climbing, hill walking and mountaineering are activities with a danger of
personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and
accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions.

6
Contents
Acknowledgements 4 Technical Equipment 59
About the Authors 5
Personal technical equipment 59
Introduction 6
Crevasse rescue kit 64
Contents 7
Group equipment 66
Suggested kit lists 69
Going Alpine 9 Choosing technical kit 72

The skills blend 12

Ease of access 13 Alpine Movement 77
Alpine infrastructure 13
Moving on rock 77
Alpine scale 15
Moving on snow 79
Alpine features 16
Moving on ice 94
Moving on mixed terrain 95
About the Alps 17
Geography and geology 17 Protecting Yourself 97
Alpine huts 19
Knots 97
Acclimatisation 20
Belaying 105
Altitude sickness 21
Prusiking 112
Alpine terrain 23
Creating anchors in snow 114
Alpine grades 29
Creating anchors in ice 116
Creating rock anchors 120
Objective Dangers 33 Building a belay 123
Abseiling 128
Rock fall 33
Ice fall 34
Crevasses 34 Glacier Travel 133
Cornice 35
Spacing on the rope 133
Storms and lightning 36
Taking coils 135
Avalanche 37
Moving on the glacier 137
Human psychology 40
Crevasse rescue 138
One-to-one rescue 139
Alpine Weather 41
Highs and lows 41 Speed versus Security 147
Fronts 42
Protection on snow 147
Effect of mountains on weather 43
Moving together on rock and mixed ground 150
Summary 44
Protection on ice 153

Kit for the Alps 45

Navigation in the Alps 155
Clothing 45
Navigation tools 156
Other personal kit 52
How to use your navigational tools 159
Food and hydration 56
Using a GPS 160

7
 Alpine Rescue by Eric Pirie 161 Planning an Alpine Trip 177
Organisation of mountain rescue in the Alps 161 Pick the right team 177
How to get help 163 Questions to ask yourself 179
Helicopters 164 Valley bases 180
Managing an emergency 166 Using huts 186
Bivouacs 188
Using maps and guidebooks 191
Via Ferrata 169
Via ferrata kit 169
Grading via ferrata 172
Am I Ready? 193
Where to find good via ferrata 174 Your first route in the Alps 194
Chamonix 175
Zermatt 175
Saas Grund 175
Guidebook 199
Evolene 176 Glacial training areas 199
Val d’Anniviers 176 Mountain routes 203
Appendix 1 – Kit List 258
Appendix 2 – First Aid Kit 260
Appendix 3 – Bibliography 261
Appendix 4 – Index 262

The Author and Publisher of this book agree with the British
Mountaineering Council (BMC) Participation Statement that:

“The BMC recognises that climbing and mountaineering are

activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in
these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be
responsible for their own actions.”

Every effort has been made to ensure that the content and instructions in
this book cover all aspects of personal safety skills and techniques required
in Alpine mountaineering at beginner and up to intermediate level. The
Author and Publisher cannot accept any responsibility for any accident,
injury, loss or damage sustained whilst following any of the techniques
described within.

If you feel that you need additional instruction in order to use this book
then it is advised that you employ a suitably qualified and experienced
mountain guide.

8
 Glacier Travel

Glacier Travel
A well-spaced party Glaciers are described as wet or dry glaciers. Dry glaciers have no snow on
using a rope correctly on them, so you can see all the crevasse danger. A wet glacier is covered in
the Altipiano di Fellaria snow so you cannot see the crevasses; if you are on a wet glacier you
below the Piz Palu, should always use a rope.
Bernina.
Photo: Andy Perkins
Spacing on the rope

When measuring out the space between each person, I find it really difficult
to visualise a number of metres when the rope is lying in a pile; it is much
easier to think about arm spans. I am an average-sized adult male so my
arm spans are about a metre and a half. If you have super-long arms or really
short arms, you may need to adjust a bit but I wouldn’t worry too much.

Two people on the rope

With two people on the rope a spacing of 12–15 arm spans works well in
most situations. To measure this out, find the middle of the rope, measure
out six or more arm spans in each direction and tie a little knot in the rope to
mark the point. You both tie into the end of the rope and take coils (described
in detail below) until you reach the knot, then tie off the coils.

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Alpine Mountaineering

Two climbers moving

together on a rope
12–15 arm spans apart.

With two people it is worth considering tying some knots in the rope;
if someone does fall into a crevasse, the rope will cut into the crevasse lip
until it comes up against a knot where it will hopefully jam. This is especially
useful on heavily crevassed glaciers or when going downhill on a steep
glacier where holding a fall will be difficult. It is also very useful when there
is a big difference in weight between the two climbers. Four or five knots
spaced along the rope will do the job; figure-of-eight knots are good as they
are quite bulky.

Two climbers travelling

on a rope with knots.

Knots on the rope make the standard crevasse rescue system impossible,
however, so you will have to drop the victim the end of the rope and work
from there. If you don’t have enough rope you will need to pass each knot
as you come to it when you are pulling out your partner; alternatively, your
partner could use the knot loops to clip into as they climb out. If you do
use knots, remember they will take up some of the rope length so have to
be included in your calculation. The most important thing in any situation is
to hold the fall then worry about everything else; if you can’t hold the fall,
everything else is irrelevant.

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Three people on the rope

With three on the rope you have more stopping power so you don’t need
such a large gap between each person. The middle person doesn’t carry
coils; they tie into the middle of the rope then measure seven arm spans in
each direction and mark the point with a knot. The other two tie in and take
coils to this point, where they tie their coils off.

Three people on a rope

seven arm spans apart.

More than three people on the rope

You can operate with more than three on the rope, but you just need to
spread people out. I wouldn’t suggest coming any closer together than
five arm spans. With more than five people on the rope, the whole thing
becomes a bit unwieldy.

Taking coils

In most Alpine situations you are unlikely to have all the rope out in use,
so you will need to use some method of storing the unused rope. This is
usually done by taking coils around the upper body. Some people prefer to
store the excess in their rucksack so they don’t have the bulk of the rope
round their body. Taking coils makes it easier to change the length of rope
when you need to, so this is what I recommend. Carrying extra rope in coils
isn’t unique to glacier travel; it is an essential Alpine technique which you
will use on most Alpine terrain (unless you are climbing long pitches).

Tie into the rope as normal with your rucksack on. (If the coils are under
your sack they will be difficult to adjust and can also be really uncomfortable.)
There are two basic ways of making the coils: one with a wrist flick and one
with a static hand.

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Alpine Mountaineering

Putting on coils
with a flick of
the rope.

Starting at your harness, take the rope up your front and round the back
of your neck; you will find this easier and more comfortable with your hood
up. Bring the rope behind your head, down around under your armpit then
back up the front to make a loop. The bottom of the loop should be about
halfway between your waist and your armpit. If it is much longer the coils
will slip off your shoulder; if any shorter you will end up with a big pile of
rope under your armpit which is really uncomfortable. To take in the rest of
the coils I use my right hand and flick a loop of rope over my head and round
behind my arm. With each flick I put a tiny twist in the rope so that it sits
nicely in a coil.

Alternatively, once you have decided on the length of your coil, you can
use your other hand as a spacer and wrap the rope between your neck and
hand. I don’t think this gives such neat coils, but it is much easier to learn.

Once you have an appropriate amount of coils you need to lock the
Simon Abrahams coils off (if you don’t and you fall into a crevasse, the coils will tighten and
using his hand as a strangle you). There are lots of different ways of locking off your coils. I
spacer to take coils. once came out of the Cosmiques hut with two other guides and we all
locked our coils off differently. As long as they can’t slip, the method you
use doesn’t matter.

Locking off coils.

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 Glacier Travel

The method I prefer is as follows. Once you have finished putting on an

appropriate number of coils – in my case over my left shoulder – put your
right hand across your chest behind the coils coming down your front. Take
hold of a bight of rope of about 30cm in length from the tail of the rope, and
pull it back through so it is now in the centre of the loop of coils. Using the
bight tie a hitch round the rope leading to your partner. Take the small loop
that is left as a tail and clip it with a screw-gate krab into your knot loop at
your waist.

Moving on the glacier

Once you have all tied on, you can start moving. You need to be spread out
with the rope tight enough between you so that if someone falls into a cre-
vasse, the next person on the rope will not be jerked (shock loaded). If they
are shock loaded and pulled off their feet, they are unlikely to be able to hold
the fall. However, if you are moving with the rope really tight between you it
will be very annoying and you will not enjoy your day out. A happy medium
is to have the rope coming from your harness touching the snow and then
coming back up to the next person (as depicted in the photos). This makes it
comfortable to walk, but tight enough to hold the fall. If you are in an area of
crevasses you can tighten the rope so you are ready in case of a fall.

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Alpine Mountaineering

Prusiks on the rope?

You will often see people travelling on the glacier with one prusik on the rope
clipped into their harness, so that they are ready to set up a crevasse rescue
system or climb out of a crevasse unaided. This also has the advantage of
lowering the pull point from the tie-off loop on your chest coils to the waist
belt on your harness, making it easier to hold a fall. The disadvantage is that
it is difficult to change the rope length as you have to remove the prusik each
time. This is particularly the case when you are moving from glacier travel
onto more technical ground.

The issue of lowering the pull point is a valid one, but it can be solved by
tying a small overhand knot in the rope and clipping it to your knot loop. This
has the same effect and is easier to change than a prusik.
Lowering the pull point
using a French prusik If you are heading off on a long glacier travel section, I would consider a
on the rope clipped prusik or a knot on the rope. If it is just a short section before moving into
into your knot loop. more technical terrain, I probably wouldn’t bother.

Lowering the pull

point using an
overhand knot.

Crevasse rescue

If it all goes horribly wrong and someone does fall into a crevasse, you have
a number of options as long as the person left on the surface has held the
fall. If the person on the surface doesn’t know what to do, they will have to
become the anchor while the person in the crevasse prusiks up the rope as
described in the previous chapter. This may also be the case if the person
on the surface is not strong enough or heavy enough to set up an anchor
(but they will almost certainly be able to act as an anchor). The bottom of
a crevasse may be full of water, so if you do land in water you will need to
prusik clear of the water no matter what happens next in the rescue.

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 Glacier Travel

If there are a few people on the rope they may be able to pull the victim
out of the crevasse by just walking back on the rope. If there is another team
close by, they may be able to help pull the victim out. This is the quickest and
simplest rescue, but if there are a number of people involved remember to
ensure that someone is keeping an eye on the victim as they approach the
lip of the crevasse. There have been some very nasty accidents (a number
of fatalities, in fact) where people have been crushed into the underside of
the crevasse lip. Chop away as much of the lip as possible to make it easier
to climb out, and have someone positioned close to the edge so they can
communicate and coordinate the pull. Place something under the rope near
the edge of the crevasse to stop the rope cutting deeper into the snow.

One-to-one rescue

This is the worst-case scenario, but possibly the most likely situation where
you will have to perform a crevasse rescue.

Holding the fall

If someone falls in a The most important part of any crevasse rescue is holding the fall; if you
crevasse get low to the can’t do this and you both end up in the crevasse, any other techniques are
ground. You may have irrelevant. With good rope management so you are not shock loaded and
to self arrest to stop catapulted off your feet when your partner falls in a hole, then it is possible
sliding; when you have to hold falls even when there is a big disparity in weight. Having a low tie-in
stopped, dig your feet in. point as described above will help, and getting your body low as quickly as
possible and using your ice axe in the self arrest position works well. As
soon as you have come to a stop, kick your feet in as deep as you can to
reinforce your stance. If you are the only person on the surface and there
is no one else around, you will need to set up a haul system to pull your
climbing partner out of the crevasse.

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Alpine Mountaineering

Creating an anchor

Create an anchor – When someone falls into a crevasse, there is very rarely any ice close to the
Once you are stable, you surface which would allow you to build an ice-screw anchor so you will have
can start digging your to build a snow anchor. As you dig into the snow, you may be lucky enough
buried axe belay; this is to find some ice but it is unlikely. The only real option is to use a horizontal
as awkward as it looks. ice axe as described in the previous chapter (Buried-axe belay); if you have
two tools you can reinforce this.

Digging the anchor and transferring the victim’s weight to the anchor is
probably the hardest part of the rescue. Once you have held the fall and
stabilised yourself, you will need to dig the horizontal slot for your buried
axe. Dig this level with your waist or slightly in front; if you dig it too far back
you will struggle to transfer the load from yourself on to the anchor. Prepare
the anchor as described in the previous chapter; digging the slot for the sling
can be really awkward. It will feel really hard work but everything depends

Transfer the weight –

Attach a French prusik
to your anchor, slide
it down the rope then
slowly transfer the
load to the anchor.

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 Glacier Travel

on the quality of the anchor. Some people carry a stainless steel cable with
Lock off – an eye at each end to use instead of a sling, as this cuts into the snow more
Clip the rope through easily so you don’t need such a good slot.
the HMS krab then
lock off with a slippery Transferring the weight
hitch and a half hitch.
Once you are happy with the anchor, tie a French prusik around the rope to
the victim and clip it into the anchor using a pear-shaped (HMS) krab. If you
were travelling with a prusik on the rope, release the tension, unclip it from
your harness and clip it into the anchor with an HMS krab. Orientate the krab
so the narrow end points towards the crevasse; this helps the French prusik
to work more efficiently.

Slide the prusik as far down the rope as possible, then slowly shuffle
forwards so the load is gently transferred to the anchor. When the weight
is on the anchor, the victim will be hanging from the prusik. Clip the rope
through the HMS krab and tie it off using a slippery hitch and a half hitch
(this will catch the victim if the prusik slips).

The rope between the anchor and the victim is referred to as the live
rope; the rope on the other side of the anchor is called the dead rope.

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Alpine Mountaineering

Improve the anchor

You can now untie your coils and improve the anchor if possible; drop your
coils but stay tied in just in case of other crevasses. You could pack snow
into the slot as described in the previous chapter. You may want to back up
the anchor by burying horizontal ski poles or a rucksack behind the main
anchor, and connect it using a sling.

Protect yourself as you

approach the edge.

Prepare the edge –

Slide a ski pole under
the rope to stop it
cutting in, then kick or
cut a ramp to make it
easier for the victim to Check the victim and prepare the edge
climb out. Communicate
to let them know Use an 8ft sling tied into the live rope with a Klemheist knot, with the other
what is happening. end clipped into the belay loop on your harness to protect yourself as you

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 Glacier Travel

approach the edge of the crevasse. You can now slide it down the rope to
protect yourself in case of other crevasses or in case the edge collapses
while you are getting ready to rescue your partner.

Slide a trekking pole or rucksack under the rope to stop it from cutting
any further into the crevasse edge. Shout to the victim and let them know
what you are doing. Find out if they are injured; if they are you may have to
use the dead rope to abseil into the crevasse and administer first aid. If they
are hanging upside down, it is imperative that you get them upright so they
don’t asphyxiate. You can fashion a chest harness from a sling to do this or
use the chest strap on their rucksack.

Once you have communicated with them you will have to prepare the
edge of the crevasse. Crevasses are often overhanging at their edges, so
you will have a lip to negotiate. Kick or cut away as much of the snow as
possible from the edge around the rope. Be careful not to damage the rope
Tie a Kleimheist round with your crampons, as it will be easily cut under tension. Warn the victim
the live rope, clip in the you are going to do this as the snow will land on them.
dead rope and untie
the half hitches. Tie the Setting up a hauling system
rope to your harness
and pull using your Move back from the edge, take your second prusik and tie it round the live
legs. Have a rest and rope using a French prusik or a Klemheist. Clip your DMM Revolver krab into
push the Kleimheist the prusik to reduce friction. You could use a small pulley here instead to
back towards the edge reduce friction. Clip the rope that is on the dead side of the anchor into the
to reset the system. Revolver and untie the half hitches that were backing up the French prusik;

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Alpine Mountaineering

you now have a 3:1 pulley system. You will not be able to pull the victim out
hand-over–hand, so tie the rope next to the Revolver into your harness.

Get down on all fours, pull the dead rope from the anchor and push with
your legs. You will now be using all your big muscles and should be able to
pull the victim out. As they approach the surface, be careful they don’t get
pulled up against the lip. If you need to lower them down a bit you can just
release the French prusik on the anchor (you will be able to control the lower
using the pulley system). When you have pulled the victim up a bit, you can
let the tension out of the pulley and the French prusik will tighten up on the
rope holding them in place. You can then slide the Revolver back down the
live rope towards the edge, and repeat until they reach the surface.

Improving efficiency

You can reduce the friction and increase efficiency by replacing the French
prusik with a Petzl Micro Traction. These have to be put into the system right
at the start when you are connecting the live rope to the anchor.

Micro Traction
in a Z Pulley.

If you are still struggling, you can increase the pulley from a 3:1 to a 6:1.
Take the end of the rope that you are not using and clip this into the anchor
(you can use any knot). Lead this rope down to the Revolver, tie an overhand
knot in the rope that comes through the Revolver and clip a krab into the
overhand knot. Now clip the rope that comes from the anchor into the new
krab. Pull on this rope as before; you will have to pull a lot of rope through
the system to get the victim to move, but it is easier than the 3:1.

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 Glacier Travel

We have demonstrated
the 6:1 using a piece
of red cord so it is easy
to see the system.

In reality, you can use

the end of the rope
and pull using your legs
as described earlier.

Scoop the snow

out from under the
French prusik; this
stops the snow from
catching on the knot,
which would prevent
it from locking off.

What to do if you are the victim

If you are the victim, once your heart rate has stabilised a bit see if you can
reach one of the walls of the crevasse. If you can, take an ice screw from
your harness, screw it into the wall and clip yourself into it using an 8ft sling.
You are now safe if your partner makes a mess of creating the anchor; the
situation will not get any worse. Even if you can’t communicate with those
on the surface, when you feel your partner beginning to pull you out you can
unclip and remove the screw.

If you are near the walls during the rescue phase, you can push up
wherever possible as your partner pulls you. As you approach the surface,
you will need to push away from the lip and scramble out.

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Alpine Mountaineering

Crevasse rescue with knots on the rope

If you have been travelling with knots in the rope it will be easier to hold a
fall, but the rescue system described above will not work. Set up the anchor
as described and transfer the weight to the anchor. You don’t need to use a
French prusik as you will not haul on the rope between you and your partner.
Once everything is stabilised and you are happy with the anchor, approach
the edge of the crevasse (remember to protect yourself using a sling on the
live rope) and lower the end of the rope to the victim. You can tie an over-
hand or figure-of-eight knot with a screw-gate on the end to make it easier
to clip in. You can now set up a 3:1 hauling system using this new live rope
as before, and you can do it without the stress of having the weight on the
rope. If you don’t have enough rope, you will have to pull on the knotted rope
and bypass the knots. Play with this one at a hut on a sunny afternoon.

Assisted rescue

If the victim isn’t too deep into the crevasse and you have plenty of spare
rope, instead of attaching the Revolver to the live rope you can drop a loop of
dead rope to the victim; they can then clip this to their harness. To climb out,
the victim pulls down on one side of the rope and the rescuer on the surface
pulls on the other. This has created a 3:1 system, but has the advantage that
two people are pulling on it. In reality, it is very rare that you would have
enough rope to construct this type of rescue.

Crevasse rescue key points

Hold the fall – dig heels in, drop to the ground.
Dig the anchor – cut it next to you or slightly in front of you.
Transfer the weight gently – don’t shock load the anchor.
Prepare the edge – pad and remove overhang.
Set up the haul system – make sure you lock it off during prep.
Pull out the victim – communication is the key here.

Common problems
Rushing – results in poor anchor and inefficient system.
Anchor cut in the wrong place – difficult to transfer the weight.
Anchor not good enough = disaster.
Not taking time to prepare the edge so the rope or the victim
get stuck.
Poor communication with victim.

146
Alpine Mountaineering
a Pr ac t ica l m a nua l

A complete introduction to Alpine mountaineering. Glacier Travel

If you are planning your first trip to the Alps or

Speed vs. Security
anxious to improve on your performance on
previous trips, you need this book. Even seasoned movement on Rock
alpinists will benefit from Bruce’s clarity and depth
of experience. movement on snow & ice
Everything you need to know is here and none
Alpine weather
of the issues are ducked. From dealing with hut
guardians to moving roped together.
Alpine Routes
The first part of the book deals with the knowledge
and techniques you will need. The second part Your first route
consists of a choice of good routes to help you gain
experience, presented in guidebook style.

isbn 978-1-906095-30-7
10000

9 781906 095307