The Rudiments of Alpine

LilyQ

I watched this video before but didn’t even finish watching it, just felt it is way too much complicate.

First of all, I don’t quite understand why the rescuer has to rappel down to send the pulley and carabiner to the victim? He can just lower the pulley-biner dangling from the loop down to the victim. If the victim is conscious, he can clip the carabiner by himself in order to set up 2:1 hauling system. It will be much quicker and efficient. If 2:1 is still hard to haul, and then can add 3:1 to add more pulling power.

It looks like this hauling system is commonly used by the guides and assuming the victim is the client with less experience or unconscious. And then the guide has to rappel down to help the victim set up the system. If it is this case, my question is why they don’t use 3:1 or 5:1?

If they have to rappel, I think there are still some safety issues in the several individual parts as Dr. mentioned
1.Rappelling down to a victim on a single strand, low-angle
--Rappelling down on a thin single strand, the limited friction will make heavier rappeler hard to control
--No ultimate backup when free of hands to set up pulley for victim

2. Rigging up 2:1 hauling system on a victim
-–Although the victim is in a close loop connect to the rope through the pulley and backup with the prusik, but if the prusik failed, the victim will drop the distance of the length of the slack.
-–There is no backup for the victim before the rescuer disconnecting the figure 8 on a bite.

3. Climbing back up, single strand, on a low-angle
--No ultimate backup.

4. Rigging 3:1 hauling system (with a Reverso as ratchet)
--Using Reverso as ratchet will add unneeded friction compare to using micro traxion or pulley backup with prusik or tibloc.
--No ultimate backup for the victim

5. Hauling (6:1), in theory
--2:1 plus 3:1, it should be 6:1 based on picture attached (Figure E)

Just some rough thoughts, please correct if something is wrong or anything I missed. Thanks.

PanShiBo
The first tip that was presented on the "Random Alpine Tips" presentation was this: "Be skeptical about instructions posted on the Internet".

Here is a video that illustrates that. Students of Alpine 101 course are encouraged to analyse (and welcome to post your opinions here). Bottom line is, as it has always been: "Nothing, especially exotic tricks, can surpass the bible - The Freedom of the Hills". 8)



There are several individual parts ("components") worth to analyze on their own:

1. Rappelling down to a victim on a single strand, low-angle
2. Rigging up 2:1 hauling system on a victim
3. Climbing back up, single strand, on a low-angle
4. Rigging 3:1 hauling system (with a Reverso as ratchet)
5. Hauling (6:1), in theory

It is worth to read the comments on the video too.

PanShiBo

LilyQ
I watched this video before but didn’t even finish watching it, just felt it is way too much complicate.

First of all, I don’t quite understand why the rescuer has to rappel down to send the pulley and carabiner to the victim?

Great analysis! That's most annoying part - getting down to the victim when he could do everything up at the anchor. Besides, I am not sure in this situation anybody  will have that much rope available: you need 3 length of the fallen distance. Also, he probably wasted the entire effort getting 2:1 advantage due to the friction of the Reverso in his 3:1.

Any comments on the "alpine butterfly knot"?

LilyQ

I don't understand why he added a butterfly knot here instead of just clipping the figure 8 to the master point to make a close loop. Both ends are fixed , it seems there is no need the butterfly knot to serve as a stop knot :?:

PanShiBo


Any comments on the "alpine butterfly knot"?

PanShiBo

画蛇添足?

LilyQ

PanShiBo
画蛇添足?

:lol:  :lol:  :lol: ,中文不错，同义词是：多此一举

数码叮叮

PanShiBo

Any comments on the "alpine butterfly knot"?

Boshi,  I just watched the video.  Good demonstration.  Based on the rule of "soldiers don't do stupid things", the butterfly knot is used in this system to form a fixed loop in the middle of a rope.  This is an advantage when working with long rope.

数码叮叮

Boshi and Vera, thanks for taking time to explain 6:1 hauling system today.  The practice and training was fun as always.  

I did more review on the glacier crevasse rescue this evening.  There are some scenarios that the guide has to rappel down to the victim and set up a drop loop hauling system, such as the situation illustrated in this Petzl webpage

I also thought  about why the guide in this video would set up a 2:1 system first, then add in 3:1 later after the practice today.  My conclusion was because that’s the most effective mechanic system.  If we set up a 3:1 first, it is actually hard to pull the victim on top of the glacier while the victim hanging in the crevasse.  I came across a good document that describes more completed glacier crevasse rescue processes and provides some good reference to this video.

Over all, I think the guide in this video has done a lot of things right.  He just needed to explain more on the background and limitations on the rescue methods he demonstrated in his video, like what Petzl and thekevindotyresume.com did.

LilyQ

数码叮叮


I did more review on the glacier crevasse rescue this evening.  There are some scenarios that the guide has to rappel down to the victim and set up a drop loop hauling system, such as the situation illustrated in this Petzl webpage

Petzl has product line for Sports and also for Professional use(工业用途）.The webpage you checked which is for professional area, the situation and equipments used are totally different from mountaineering. Here is the link which is the explanation from Petzl for crevasses resuce.

数码叮叮

Thanks, Lily.  As we have discussed in last training session, we don’t have to limit our imagination.  Not sure if you have read through the document  in my previous post, drop loop crevasse rescue is an advanced method recommended by many mountaineering schools.   Actually, the guide in the video also did an excellent demonstration on  extended rappel  with single strand.  I definitely learned a lot from the video and the discussion. Cheers.

vera

Hauling systems
Mechanical Advantages: Counting Tensions & Estimating System Efficiency

PanShiBo

Alpine Tip #59: Climb only with compatible partner

People who climb high peaks belong to three major categories, which are mostly incompatible:

1. "to prove it", even at the price of personal injury or even death (fanatics, soloists)
2. to be famous (peakbaggers, collectors - quantity over quality)
3. to enjoy the process of getting there - every step on the mountain, every minute, hour and day of it, including months (or even years)  of expedition planning and training (true alpine climbers)

Imagine if a climbing team (usually a pair) belong to different categories - easy to see how a big trip is looking for a big trouble.

On a side note - I must admit that I have used to belong and climb with people belonging to all three categories, each at different times, of course.. 8)

PanShiBo

Alpine Tip #60: The world's most dangerous peak is called "Mount Stupid"

I wish all beginner alpine courses started with introduction to "Mount Stupid". So that, I believe many (often fatal) alpine accidents would not have happened. In the science of psychology, this has a formal name of The Dunning-Kruger effect.

Typical scenario - an absolute beginner ("what's the heck is an Overhand Knot?!") grabs a quick basic 4-days mountaineering course or even "just learns from friends", or even just watches YouTube, or even learns nothing just borrowing cool and shiny mountaineering equipment. Climbs some of the technical routes under supervision, as a second it is quite possible to climb anything, and may be leads an easy route. All success! What happens after this is a scientific fact - he now imagines himself to become a sudden expert in everything, looking down (often with inner contempt) on real veterans, on his climbing partners and even on his own past instructors. Welcome! - this is the peak of Mt. Stupid. Then he goes climb the next trip and gets badly hurt or worse. To my own embarrassment, I have been myself on the very top of Mt. Stupid - because it is scientific fact, nobody can avoid it. I "knew" many things, like when it is safe to climb under a snow cornice, or when a snow slope is stable (and so avalanche-safe),  or that go ice-climbing seracs is a very good idea, but these days I am not so sure anymore.
I have seen other people fast approaching the top of Mt. Stupid, and warned them about the danger to no avail - this is like to say to an alcoholic he is an alcoholic - it will be venomously denied. "Who? Me? No way!". I have seen the same people who were warned get hurt. More than once I had to visit funeral homes for the last good-bye. That's why 90% of aspiring "alpine climbers" don't last longer than one season - after a few epics they quit. I only got to know one alpine climber who, in the first three-four seasons never led - most of his ascents were guided, or as a second, even on class 3 routes! He is still around, healthy and climbing.

And of course, the worst is when such a Mount Stupid "expert" begins organizing (and leading) technical trips, just take a look at social media and local sports clubs - always such a "leader" is surrounded by bunch of another Mt. Supid experts and/or beginners (都是滥竽充数的人) - no veteran will join because they know what's going on. The sure sign of this type of trips is the team's size - if it is bigger than 4 (2 rope teams of 2 for glacier travel, otherwise 1 rope team of 2 is best). The trouble is readily available to strike. And it does strike, often real hard.

So the question is - when the Mount Stupid is past over? The answer is: when one sobers up from his false over-confidence binge and gets paranoid on any route harder than class 2 and takes double precaution, even on the routes he has already climbed. Welcome to the next point, "The Valley of despair".

On a side note - I am sometimes asked if this or that alpine course is worth taking. My advise (subjective!) : "Avoid the training if the instructor hasn't lead-climbed at least 5 technical routes in the past 12 months. Grab the course if the instructor has lead-climbed at least 5 techincal routes every year in the past 5 years". Same applies to the alpine trips/leaders. This rule makes sense, but who is doing such screening before enrolling?

PanShiBo

Alpine Tip 61: How to self-belay on fixed ropes, or how to go rock climbing without a belay-partner. The system lets you climb the rope too and we have done more than once (Spindle, Weart).

PanShiBo

Alpine Tip 62: Modern alpine rappel system

This is our current system of rappel, which is a modified version of so-called "extended rappel" (others are "classic old school" and "new school").

Gear: Two 30cm 5.0mm prusik loops, belay device, 2 mid-size autolockers

Advantage of this system is the easy release of the backup prusik (the curse of "old school" system), even in free air, greater friction range: one can rappel with left hand only on prusik as break hand. Stop/resume is very smooth too. It works very well even on single 7mm static ropes, even though belay device is not meant to handle that small diameter.

PanShiBo

Alpine Tip 63: A good trip leader

The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.

孙子兵法

Replace "general" with "trip leader" and "protect his country" with "provide safety to his fellow climbers" and you will get an idea..

PanShiBo

Alpine Tip 64: Use overhead wet towel to avoid heatstroke.

30% of the body heat loss happens through the head. Use overhead wet towel to avoid heatstroke, which can be a real threat. Two layers will keep the moisture longer.

PHOTO: +35°C in shade, Utah Flats, Arizona.

PanShiBo

Alpine Tip 65: Carry OxiMeter

Russian high-altitude climber Anatoli Boukreev used to have a golden rule - always descend under 3,000m to recover from high-altitude symptoms. It worked well for him - it makes sense, usually 3K marks the height where blood oxygen is still normal, greater than 90% that is.

With modern technology, I would adapt his rule to this - to recover from high-altitude symptoms or to rest well, descend to the level where your blood oxygen level becomes normal.

To determine your blood oxygen, carry an OxiMeter - an inexpensive electronic device (sold in Walmart pharmacy section and elsewhere) it measures heart rate too.

Have a habit to take a look at the numbers every time you summit something high (Mt. Baker or Rainier), or even not that high - indoor exercise gym or BCMC trail for example.

PanShiBo

Alpine Tip 66: The "best" alpine routes

There are thousands of alpine routes to climb, and the ubiquitous internet is full of all sorts of advices which ones are the "best". There are printed paper books too - "Selected alpine climbs in the <area>". So which peaks go on the top of your list?

It's not obvious in the beginning, but super obvious after it had been pointed out - select first those climbs that are offered by commercial guiding companies. These are well established, with zero-bushwack approach (most often maintained class 1), comfortable parking, good base camps, stable rock, solid rappel stations and good views - otherwise why clients would pay for it  (the current rates are in the range ~600 USD/per day) ?

Examples are Mt. Whitney/CA, Mt. Rainier/WA, Mt. Hood/OR, Borah Peak/ID, Denali/AK etc.etc.
Bonus tip: if you select to go climb next day right after a commercial scheduled guided trip, you will have a nice booted track on the glacier. On techncial routes such as Rainier, Denali, etc. there will be fixed ropes already set up and sketchy glacier spots will be marked with crossed wands.

PanShiBo

Alpine Tip 67: Dehydrated food for backpacking / expeditions.

Tired of Mountain House' domination and cosmic prices? Try Augason Farms freeze-dried food line - sold in the US Walmart's Emergency Food section. Pretty good rich taste at a very reasonable price. Packs well too - it's in bulk. We cook this stuff by just mixing it with boiled (or just hot enough) water inside a "fat"thermos.

PanShiBo

Alpine Tip 68: Never leave BC without proper out-of-province emergency medical inurance

Although it is well known that emergency medical bill will be expensive, how many people do care to check if their insurance does cover alpine accidents? It can happen to anyone anywhere - even when driving to the trailhead.

This summer I had to visit an Emergency Room in South Lake Tahoe'  hospital in California, with minor finger infection. It took only ~45 minutes, with the bill of $3,000 USD, just to treat the cut. Worth to mention, that $1,000 was charged only for "non-doctor expenses", which was in fact just a regular check-in paper-work (1 page) and taking my heart-rate.
In case of a serious alpine accident, the bill easily may go up to $300,000 USD, like it was for someone I know in the Rainier 2013 accident' fall into a crevasse. Think about it.