Snow and Ice Climbing MITOC Winter School 2004 Paulina Varshavskaya With content and pictures from Chrissy Guth, Jae Roh, Hector Briceño, Robert Zeithammer, neice.com and climbing.com

WARNING!! ALL INDIVIDUALS USING, REFERRING TO, TALKING ABOUT, OR THINKING ABOUT THIS LECTURE OR THE LECTURE SLIDES MUST READ THIS!!! This inaccurate information is based on dim recollections, half-baked guesses, gossip, blind speculation, and outright lies. In NO WAY does it tell the full story. Nature is unpredictable and unsafe. Mountains are dangerous. Many books have been written about these dangers, and there's no way I can even list them all here, let alone discussing how to reduce risk from these dangers. Read the books. However, the preceding sentences do not mean that if you do not use the information in this lecture when you are out climbing, and something bad happens anyway, I or MITOC are in any way responsible. IF YOU CLIMB, YOU MAY DIE OR BE SERIOUSLY INJURED. And the longer you climb the greater your risk of bad luck, which may or may not be compounded by hubris, catching up to you. This is true whether you are experienced or not, trained or not, and equipped or not, though training, experience and equipment may help. It's a fact, climbing is extremely dangerous. If you don't like it, stay at home. You really shouldn't be doing it anyway. Neither me nor MITOC are in any way qualified nor certified to provide supervision or instruction. I will not be responsible for anything, included but not limited to climbing anchors (including bolts, pitons, slings, trees, etc.) As far as I know, any of them can and probably will suddenly fail without warning and send you plunging to your death with a bloodcurdling scream, likely pulling your partner to his or her doom as well. By looking at these slides, you are agreeing that neither I nor MITOC owe you no duty of care or any other duty, you agree to release me, my relatives, heirs, dependents, and anyone else I care to name, now and forevermore, from any and all claims of liability, even though my actions may be grossly negligent and/or be construed as reckless endangerment, manslaughter, or other misconduct up to and including premeditated murder. If you try to sue me in spite of all this, you agree to pay my lawyers fees regardless of the outcome of the suit, and you expressly agree to reimburse me for any loss or injury, be it financial, physical, emotional, or imagined, which I may experience as a result of such lawsuit. I promise you nothing. This is no joke. I'm neither competent nor responsible. This lecture gives you bad advice. Don't listen. Or do listen. It's your choice, but you face the consequences either way, whatever they may be. In short, CLIMB AT YOUR OWN RISK. If you, or your heirs, relatives, dependents or others known or unknown to you; your partner or your partners heirs, relatives, dependents, or others known or unknown to you or your partner, are the slimy kind of lawyer-touting parasites who would try to sue a poor student, or the rich institution that she attends, if you cannot take responsibility for your own decisions, knowledge, and plain dumb bad luck, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stay far far away from us, give up climbing, and die of some completely natural, painful, and slowly progressive disease. Thank you, climb safe, and have fun! With thanks and apologies to Brutus of Wyde, rec.climbing, 2002

Basic Hazards Mountain weather Falling ice, rock, trees etc. Avalanches Sharp implements of destruction on your person Cold Your partner’s death wish The driver’s death wish

Avoiding Basic Hazards Stay home Prepare –weather forecast, reasonable objectives –food, water, clothing When climbing/belaying –ALWAYS wear a HELMET and GLASSES –turn away from falling ice –face away from your tools, don’t stack feet –point all sharp bits away from you when falling Don’t glissade with crampons on Don’t drive like a maniac

Climbing gear Snow climbing/mountaineering –Flexible boots, semi-rigid or flexible crampons –Mountaineering ice axe Steep alpine or waterfall ice –Plastic boots, semi-rigid or rigid crampons –2 technical ice axes Harness, belay device Helmet and glasses/goggles Rope, anchor material

Dress well and keep warm Clothing –leave all fancy GoreTex at home –extra gloves –hat must fit under helmet Stay warm –eat, drink, down jacket –keep hands below heart, don’t overgrip –don’t bury your feet in snow

Technique

Watch out for… … the rope! And the sharp bits! … your footwork –drop the heel, take many small steps … your swing –minimize tool placements, practice with 1 tool … your butt … your own and everyone’s safety

Where to climb An Ice Climber’s Guide to Northern New England 3 rd edition S.Peter Lewis & Rick Wilcox Auburn Ice Canyon –in Boston Rocks, 2 nd edition Susan Ruff & Richard Doucette