International Mountain Day - Prize Update

On Saturday we are celebrating International Mountain Day in Bellingham.  We have had a lot of things developing for the event.

Just to remind people of what this is, we're doing a benefit for the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center with rock rescue clinics, an avalanche awareness seminar and a party. This is all happening on Saturday, December 3rd and you can get details on locations and times, here.

We have booked food (pizza and beer) for the evening event. We have also booked a acoustic musician (Quinton Rundell).  And we will be premiering the film, Fifty Years in the Mountains.

In addition to all of this, we will be having a raffle and an auction.  Raffle tickets are $5 each and they can be purchased any time.  If you purchase a ticket and are not on site to pick it up, then we will mail the prize to you.

Following is a list of donations for the raffle:

Mountain Gear - 4 $50 gift certificates
Stevens Pass - 4 day passes and 4 hats
Petzl - Snowracer Ice Axe ($95 value)
Julbo - Zebra Revolution Googles ($160 value)
Tendon Ropes - 30 meter ski rope ($100 value
American Alpine Institute - 2 T-shirts
American Alpine Institute - Ski Tune and Wax
American Alpine Institute - Splitboard or Snowshoe Rental
American Alpine Institute - $25 Shop Gift Certificate

We will be having an auction for five extremely valuable items.  Four of the items will be available for a silent auction and the last item will be available for a live auction.  Here is a list of the silent auction items:

Mountain Equipment UK - Firefox Shell Jacket
We have one male and one female version of the jacket.  These each have a value of $350.  The minimum bid will be $25 and will be in the silent auction.

Rab - Xenon Jacket
We have one male and one female version of the jacket. These each have a value of $225. The minimum bid will be $25 and will be in the silent auction.

And lastly from Hilliberg, we have a Nammatj 2GT tent that's green. This tent has a value of $685.  This will be the only item in the live auction and will have a minimum bid of $50. 

If you do not think you'll be able to attend the event, but would like to put down a bid on either the official silent auction items, or you would like to place a bid on the tent remotely, please call us at 360-671-1505.

--Jason D, Martin

Mountain Conditions November 30th

 NORTHWEST:
-- Mountain Specific Weather Forecasting.

-- Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.

-- Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.

-- Webcam for Leavenworth and the Stuart Range.

-- Forecast for Mount Rainier.

-- Route and Conditions Report from Mt. Baker Rangers: Mount Baker Climbing Blog.

-- Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

-- Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.

-- Webcams for Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Leavenworth.

--Webcam for Camp Muir on Mount Rainier.

-- An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest may be found here.

-- Up-to-date Pacific Northwest ice conditions may be found here.

SIERRA:

-- For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.

-- Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass.

RED ROCK CANYON:

Guide Doug Foust took this photo of climbers on Frogland last week they reported excellent conditions.




--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.

-- Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

-- The late exit and overnight permit number for Red Rock Canyon is 702-515-5050. If there is any chance that you will be inside the park after closing, be sure to call this number so that you don't get a ticket.

--The scenic drive currently opens its gates at 6 in the morning.

JOSHUA TREE:

-- Watch for aggressive bees on Hemingway Buttress near "Poodles are People Too"

--With the exception of Cottonwood Campground, all park campsites opened on September 30th.

-- Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Park.

-- Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.

-- As winter use in Joshua Tree is growing, camping can be difficult at times. It is not a bad idea to come with a back-up plan if the park campgrounds are full. Here are the NPS Campground Details. Some people like to stay at the rural campground often referred to as "The Pit." And lastly, there is a campground available at Joshua Tree Lake.

-- The Joshua Tree entrance fee is currently $15 per vehicle. Your receipt will give you access to the park for seven days after its initial purchase. Rangers check this receipt at each of the major access points going in and out. Annual passes are available for $30.

ALPS:

-- Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.

-- Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.

ALASKA:
-- Conditions in the range are not currently available. But we are taking reservations for both Alaska Range Ascents and Denali trips for the 2012 season. To learn more, click here. We will begin regular conditions reports in the Alaska Range in late April.

Rope Length on a Glacier

How much rope should be between people on a glacier?

Twenty feet?  Forty feet?  Sixty feet?  It seems like there should be a clear-cut answer to the question, but unfortunately there's not.

Some years ago a friend of mine was coming down the Coleman-Deming route on Mount Baker late in the season.  He was at the back of the rope team.  The person at the front of the team slowly began to work his way across a snowbridge. Approximately half-way across, the bridge collapsed.

The leader dropped into the crevasse.  The guy in the middle of the rope team did not attempt to arrest the fall at all.  And my friend immediately dropped into a self-arrest position.  Each of the two climbers at the front of the team were essentially lowered to the bottom of the crevasse.  But unfortunately, my friend was dragged in and fell to the bottom.

The Coleman Glacier on Mount Baker

Photo by Jason Martin

As the crevasse wasn't that deep, no one was seriously hurt in the incident.  But it was a very close call.  One could make a very good argument that if there were just a few more feet between these individuals, that then the fall could have been arrested before it became as serious as it became.

There are three things to consider when deciding on rope length:

1) How big are the crevasses?

Obviously, you will need enough rope out to make sure that two members of the team are not on the same crevasse.  If you're in the Alaska Range or the Himalaya, this is significantly more rope than it is if you are in the Cascades, the Canadian Rockies, or the Andes.

2) How many people are on the team and what kind of room will you need to arrest?

The more people on the rope, the more weight there is.  On a team with five people, I've seen a person fall into a crevasse and stop without a single member of the team self-arresting.  While larger teams tend to be slower and more difficult to manage, they are better when it comes to arresting a fall.

It is also important to make sure that there is not only enough room between each member of the team to arrest a fall, but that there is also enough rope out to arrest the fall before getting dragged into the crevasse.  Essentially, this means that there should be more rope out between people when there are smaller teams.  Having lots of rope out between people doesn't matter as much with larger teams.

3) Is there enough rope to perform a rescue?

Why not just put all the rope out?  Won't this ensure that you always have enough room to arrest?

Certainly there are places where having all the rope out is good.  In ranges with giant house-eating crevasses like the Himalaya and the Alaska Range, it's probably best to put all of the rope out.  But this does make crevasse rescue more difficult and it doesn't give you a lot to work with if someone gets hurt in a fall.

One of the things that we teach at AAI is that, if possible, you should have some rescue rope on either end of your team.  This rope should be long enough to reach the next person on your team.  This is so that if there is a major injury in a crevasse fall, that you have enough rope to rappel down and perform first aid before pulling a person out.

If you plan to travel to a range where you will need to have all of your rope out, it is good to practice crevasse rescue without rescue coils.  Unfortunately, it is a slower and more tedious technique.

Rope Measurement for Smaller Ranges

I have a simple system for measuring rope length in the Cascades.  I'm six feet tall and so my wing span is also approximately six feet.  I will generally separate people by measuring the rope with my arms.  Here is a team breakdown:

Two person team - 8 arm lengths - 48 feet between climbers
Three person team - 7 arm lengths - 42 feet between climbers
Four person team - 6 arm lengths - 36 feet between climbers
Five person team - 5 arm lengths - 30 feet between climbers

In a pinch, it's possible to have a larger team, but it is not optimal.  And you should never go below 30 feet between climbers.

When you get to teams with five or six people on them, generally there is not enough rope on either end to perform a rescue.  In such a case, you should have the leader (i.e. the strongest/most experienced person on the team) carry any rescue rope that's available.

Conclusion

Certainly, the amount of rope out between people is a personal and team choice.  Some of you who are reading this are probably shocked at how little rope I suggest between people.  And others are just as shocked about how much I suggest.  Either way, I can say comfortably that I personally feel as safe as is reasonable with these lengths on the glaciers of the Northwest...

--Jason D. Martin

Update --

The guide who fell into a crevasse back in 2000 responded to this post.  Following are his comments on the topic:

Hey Jason, I was checkin out your AAI blog this morning and I saw your post on rope distance on glaciers. Nice article - well written and a great topic. I thought about trying to write about that topic recently but got side-tracked.

Interesting to see an anecdote told about my experience. I learned a few things from that, and as such I might disagree with a couple of your premises - or at least have a few other factors to consider. After my accident, some people told me (Crusty old Tom Bridge being one of them) that I could have benefited from the rope distance being a bit longer. I saw that you put that in your blog as well. Keep in mind however that had there not been a little "floor" in that crevasse, an extra few meters would not have mattered, and we probably all would have gone in anyway - and died. Yeah, more rope distance = more "time to react" but only to a point. The amount of rope out was for me a tiny little variable. The other key thing worth pointing out (and you did anyway) is that it was a small, visible bridge that failed over an open crevasse, rather than the failure of a soft blanket of snow over a hidden crevasse.

 My clients and I were tied the "standard" 35 or so feet apart. In the following season or two, I heeded Tom B. and others' advice that I should go more like 40-45 feet on cascades glaciers. It wasn't until 2005 or 2006 or so when I realized, that all things being equal, I should have gone way closer  than 35 feet. When I started going through the AMGA alpine program, that confirmed it for me. For me rope distance ceased to become a function of anticipated crevasse width. I now go even closer in AK too. I think the most likley consequences of a crevasse fall is usually trauma to the victim - not "the whole rope team getting sucked in". The circumstances of my crevasse fall in 2000 should never be used as an example of how far apart to tie in for glacier travel. We should have been in short rope mode - and thats what I would do if I could go back to that moment on Sept 28th, 2000 (at about 1:45pm in the afternoon to be exact).

At some point that day as we descended, the snow got firmer and the crevasses became more open. It was probably around  8000 feet on the coleman glacier.  S-R mode would have allowed me to route-find better and just end-run the crevasse (which was the most logical and "safe" way of solving that particular guiding problem that day. Long-roping is a great technique for crossing glaciers where hidden crevasses comprise the greatest hazard, but in our case most everything that could open was already open. Short-roping would allow a guide to routefind much better than trying to long-rope with a client 80 feet in front of you leading the way (on that piece of glacier, I thought
about going first but the risk of slips and falls was high - thus another reason to S-R and not L-R.

The other thing to remember about your blog topic is that crevasse falls are not the only big hazard on glaciers. Slips and falls on steep terrain are sometimes more severe, and a rope team moving together while tied in far apart is not well prepared (in my opinion) to deal with those hazards.

So, to make a long story longer, when I am trying to figure out how far apart to tie my rope, I think about a few of the following variables (above and beyond crevasse size, numbers of people, etc...)

- Is long-roping more appropriate or less appropriate than short-roping right now? (L-R when soft snow, bad vis, lots of hidden slots, etc... S-R when late season, Firn, most slots are open, route-finding in complex (but not whiteout) terrain.

- Is the snow firm or soft? I might short rope routes these days in the morning, but then L-R them in the afternoon when they have softened up.

- How fit are the clients and how important is my communication with them and with each other?  - if client safety benefits more from communication, pacing, direction, etc then I might go shorter rather than longer. Its a lot easier to remind your clients to keep the rope tight when they are 25-30 feet away than it is when they are 40. Its also easier to keep the rope tight, as well as direct, warn, caution, etc... I have gotten so sick and tired of tying my clients in 40 feet apart only to see them tripping on my rope with their crampons. They sometimes do such a bad job monitoring rope tension that the additional distance ceases to become a benefit. And you know this is true for recreationalists (comprising much of your blog audience) as well.

- Is adjustability important?  Build a system into the rope team that allows one or more members to drop an intermediate knot - thus extending themselves temporarily - It isn't that hard to teach even the greenest of clients. If we are approaching a monster slot where I am afraid of its strenght and of having 2 or more people on it at once, its easy to go quickly from 25 feet to 40 feet if neccessary - or even switch to a belay-from-anchor.  Furthermore, I think there are hardly any monster slots out there (bigger than 20-25 feet or so) that don't manifest themselves on the surface some how. The biggest slots I have ever seen outside of AK are down in Antarctica, and they always reveal themselves one way or another.

Instead of asking myself "how long should I go with my rope distance" when I rope up with my clients, I now try to ask my self 1): Is a rope even necessary? (because sometimes it isn't of course - or sometimes the presence of a rope makes things more dangerous than less - I asked my clients to unrope on a relatively crevasse-free glacier on Mt Blanc this summer because I felt the risk of rockfall from above far outweighed the likelihood of an unroped crevasse fall. 2): How short can I safely go? I bet there are plenty of days on Baker late in the season where one could short rope the vast majority of the route and argue logically that it exposed the team to less risk than long-roping.

The caveat of all of this, and the reason that it is on my mind so much (besides me being the lucky survivor of the story you told) is because of all the 14 guide fatalities in France last year, many of them were due to crevasse falls. Many euro guides can be seen short roping here and there on heavily crevassed glaciers, and it really makes me wonder sometimes... I find myself long roping lots of terrain that fellow french, italian, or swiss guides might be short roping on. There was an inquiry at ENSA (the french guide school) last year after many of the accidents and the ENSA instructors were asked if they teach new guides to S-R the glaciers. "No" they said. "We teach our candidates to use longer distances of rope when the risk of crevasse falls is high" they said. "We don't know why these guides learn one way with us then do something completely different (and much less safe) when they complete their UIAGM diploma".

That about wraps her up... Sorry this isn't very short but as you might know I have a very personal connection to crevasse falls  and crevasse-related risk management. Plenty of people probably don't agree with me by the way, but I'd happily maintain that there is little or no evidence to support the claim that more rope in the team equates to less crevasse fall risk.

I witnessed two crevasse falls in a 30 minute period while guiding the Dufourspitze in Switzerland last summer. I rescued both victims myself. One team (a czech team) tied in a about 35 feet, and did a poor job of watching their tension. A girl popped through a weak bridge in the dark and yanked the other two guys off their feet. She went deep-until she corked. If she hadn't corked she might have dragged them both in. 15 minutes later an Italian climber passed me as I was probing a suspicions area (he wasn't concerned). He and his (single) partner were tied in 25 feet apart. He fell in - and the tension went immediatey onto his partner - who self arrested (crampons on, toes in the snow! - It works!). Is partner was dragged a little bit but not much, and successfully stopped the fall. We hauled that guy out too. One of your blog points was that smaller teams should tie in further apart than big teams. I disagree (with some exceptions). I think they can go just as close (and use heaps of butterfly knots). I honestly believe the benifits outweigh the disadvantages, and overall - if people are skilled and aware - going a little closer is often safer. 

An Accident and a Self-Rescue

Recently an amazing video was uploaded onto YouTube. And no, it has nothing to do with puppies or overweight cats. flash-mobs or kids hopped up on laughing gas. Nope, instead this one has to do with a climbing accident.

Brice and Ed were ascending a multi-pitch ice funnel when an avalanche struck, knocking them both from their positions. In the aftermath, Brice was fine, but Ed had a seriously broken ankle and a lacerated knee.  This video shows how the team successfully self-evacuates after the accident.


Brice and Ed did a great job. However, there is one moment in the film where the team could have clearly made a better decision. 

During Ed's rappels, there was no backup. Ed was rappelling with one hand while trying to protect himself with his other.  It would have been better if Ed had an autoblock on the rope, or if Brice were protecting him with a fireman's belay.  Had Ed slipped, this very bad situation could have become significantly worse.

Self-rescue is a difficult and often time-consuming process. But when bad things happen, we often don't have much of a choice.

--Jason D. Martin

November - December Events

-- November 29 -- Bellingham, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- November 30 -- Seattle, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- December 1 -- Seattle, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- December 3 -- Bellingham, WA -- International Mountain Day

-- December 3 - 4 -- Olympia, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- December 6 -- Tacoma, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- December 7 - 8 -- North Bend, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- December 10 -- Port Townsend, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

Eye Protection on Long Expeditions

Anyone who has spent any time on a glacier when the sun is out, will tell you how fast their skin started to tan or burn.  The reflective nature of snow and ice greatly magnifies the suns power, and proper measures need to be taken to protect our skin and eyes from UV rays.  Putting on sunscreen and wearing sun glasses seems like basic common sense when the sun is out, however it is not as obvious when the clouds are overhead.  The fact is though, that even when the clouds are out, those damaging UV rays are still making their way through, and your chances of becoming snow blind or burning your skin is still high.  On long expeditions, the chance of you encountering bad weather and having to deal with variable conditions is almost a guarantee, and as such you should come prepared.

The author, rocking out his Spectron 4 shades in the bright light on Denali

This leaves you with a bit of a dilemma, seeing as sunglasses generally are made for when the sun is out, right?  Most sunglasses are just too dark to use when the clouds are out, making visibility even a bigger issue.  Julbo USA realizes this issue, and as such have created glacier glasses with much higher visible light transmission.  They use a lens system which range from Spectron 1 - 4, with the higher number eliminating more of the visible light.  They have even created a lens system, which they call Camel, that is photochromatic - meaning it transitions between two different lens categories depending on the amount of light available.


This feature however, can price some people out of these glasses, and personally, I choose another option anyway.  On long expeditions, I will bring 3 different sets of eye wear, for a variety of reason.  The first, is a pair of sunglasses that have Spectron 4 lenses, for those days that are bluebird and the sun is out shining.  The second pair, will have Spectron 3 lenses in it, and an anti-fog coating.  I tend to find that when I'm in a white out, there is a lot more heat and moisture and my glasses will fog up.  That is why it is most important to have an anti-fog coating on this pair.

The author, with his Spectron 3 glasses - preparing for when that fog rolls in.

My final pair, will be some goggles, with the highest visible light transmission possible.  If I have goggles on, it is probably because the weather is so terrible and the wind is blowing so hard, that I will need to be able to see as much as possible.  Smith Optics makes a great pair of lenses called the sensor mirror, which seem to increase contrast and really help with the flat light that can be found in a blizzard.

Smith goggles with the Sensor Mirror Lens.

The important thing to note, is that all of these glasses/lenses filter out 100% of UVA/UVB rays.  The amount of visible light that is transmitted is a completely different story, which is why you can still remain protected while altering your lens to the current conditions.  Additionally, you could very well get a pair of glasses with Spectron 3 lenses, and they would serve most all of your purposes.  I choose 3 pairs of eye protection because I like to have redundancy in this system.  If I, or someone else on my team, loses or breaks their glasses - there will be a back up pair.  I would rather carry the extra weight of a second pair of glasses, than go snow blind.

The author, covering up his skin and rocking a different pair of shades on the summit of Denali.

Let's not forget the most important reason to carry more than one pair of sunglasses however.  Sometimes it's nice to switch up your style while on the mountain!

--Andrew Yasso
Program & Expedition Coordinator

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 11/24/11

Happy Thanksgiving!

Many of you are headed to the desert to go climbing. This is one of the busiest times of the year at "warmer" US climbing areas...so be sure to plan ahead. Figure out a backup plan for camping if you're going to a place with limited availability like Red Rock or Joshua Tree.  And try to avoid popular routes and crags...


Northwest:

--Whatcom Magazine has published a series of interesting facts about Mount Baker. Check them out, here.

--So many pine, fir and spruce trees in the Northwest are riddled with bugs and disease that major tree die-offs are expected to rip through a third of Eastern Washington forests — an area covering nearly 3 million acres — in the next fifteen years, according to new projections. To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--A 39-year-old Irvine man had an apparent heart attack and died while hiking in Joshua Tree National Park over the weekend, a park official said Monday. Frederick McMichael was with friends on the Lost Horse Loop Trail on Saturday when he collapsed, spokesman Joe Zarki said. Several of his friends went to get help around 4:30pm and park rangers reached the “remote, rugged” scene within half an hour. To read more, click here.

--In a sea of dunes stretching to the horizon, a dinosaur the size of a Doberman strode through wet sand that squished between its talon-tipped toes. Where the creature was headed and why has been lost forever down the well of geologic time, but its muddy footprints march on in a block of sandstone 25 miles from the Strip. Officials at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area have confirmed the discovery of dinosaur footprints and other tracks laid down roughly 190 million years ago. To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--As the congressional Super Committee announced its failure to reach a budget deal this week, there is great concern about the impacts that failure could have on our national parks. According to Congress’ budget agreement made in August called the Budget Control Act of 2011, failure of the 12-member congressional panel sets in motion a process of sequestration, which will begin in January 2013. As the law currently stands, this process will lead to mandatory cuts to discretionary spending across-the-board which means national parks could see nine percent cuts that will also harm local businesses, jobs, and the protection of our national heritage. To read more, click here.

--The Access Fund is hiring.

-- Scientists say they can now explain the existence of the most inaccessible mountain range on Earth.  The Gamburtsevs are the size of the European Alps and yet they are totally buried beneath the Antarctic ice.  Their discovery in the 1950s was a major surprise. Most people had assumed the rock bed deep within the continent would be flat and featureless. To read more, click here.

Mountain Conditions November 23rd

 NORTHWEST:
-- WSDOT has closed the North Cascades Highway for the season. Snow depth at Washington Pass is 30 inches, and the forecast through Wednesday calls for up to 40 more inches. Snow accumulations at depths of 50 to 60 inches make avalanche chutes unstable.

-- Mountain Specific Weather Forecasting.

-- Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.

-- Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.

-- Webcam for Leavenworth and the Stuart Range.

-- Forecast for Mount Rainier.

-- Route and Conditions Report from Mt. Baker Rangers: Mount Baker Climbing Blog.

-- Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

-- Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.

-- Webcams for Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Leavenworth.

--Webcam for Camp Muir on Mount Rainier.

-- An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest may be found here.

-- Up-to-date Pacific Northwest ice conditions may be found here.

SIERRA:

-- For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.

-- Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass.

RED ROCK CANYON:

-- Thanksgiving Weekend is typically very busy at the Campground so expect the campground to be full. If you do get a site consider being generous and sharing with late comers.

--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.

-- Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

-- The late exit and overnight permit number for Red Rock Canyon is 702-515-5050. If there is any chance that you will be inside the park after closing, be sure to call this number so that you don't get a ticket.

--The scenic drive currently opens its gates at 6 in the morning.

JOSHUA TREE:

-- Watch for aggressive bees on Hemingway Buttress near "Poodles are People Too"

--With the exception of Cottonwood Campground, all park campsites opened on September 30th.

-- Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Park.

-- Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.

-- As winter use in Joshua Tree is growing, camping can be difficult at times. It is not a bad idea to come with a back-up plan if the park campgrounds are full. Here are the NPS Campground Details. Some people like to stay at the rural campground often referred to as "The Pit." And lastly, there is a campground available at Joshua Tree Lake.

-- The Joshua Tree entrance fee is currently $15 per vehicle. Your receipt will give you access to the park for seven days after its initial purchase. Rangers check this receipt at each of the major access points going in and out. Annual passes are available for $30.

ALPS:

-- Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.

-- Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.

ALASKA:
-- Conditions in the range are not currently available. But we are taking reservations for both Alaska Range Ascents and Denali trips for the 2012 season. To learn more, click here. We will begin regular conditions reports in the Alaska Range in late April.

Skiing Mount Baker

Spent the weekend about two weeks ago skiing around Mt. Baker.   The snow wasn't quite there yet. But it's there now.  Go get after it!

Photos from the Baker Ski Area back country...

Jason skiing rocks

American Dipper

Heliotrope Ridge...

Justin

Luna the super dog

Alasdair Turner, Instructor and Guide

Washington's North Cascades Highway Closed for the Season

The American Alpine Institute just received the following note from the Washington State Department of Transportation:

OKANOGAN – The gates are closed until spring on the North Cascades Highway. SR 20 was closed temporarily at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, in advance of heavy snow storms. When conditions and forecasts were reassessed early Monday morning, Nov. 21, maintenance and avalanche teams determined it wasn’t safe to attempt reopening the highway for Thanksgiving.

8” of new snow accumulated by noon today and the forecast calls for 4” more by this evening, 9” more overnight and as many as 16” Tuesday. Coupled with warming temperatures, those quickly-filling avalanche chutes won’t remain stable and it’s unsafe for either our crews or motorists to be under them.

Last year, the highway closed temporarily on Nov. 29 and two days later after a storm dropped 2’ of new snow, it closed until spring on Dec. 1. The 37-mile winter closure zone begins seven miles east of Diablo Dam at milepost 134 on the west side of Rainy Pass (elevation 4,855 feet) to nine miles west of Mazama at milepost 171 below Washington Pass (elevation 5,477 feet).

Last spring, the highway reopened May 23, marking the second latest in the highway’s 39-year history. SR 20 typically reopens between the last week in March and the first week in May. The earliest opening ever was March 10, 2005. In 1976, a drought year, it remained open all winter.

Visit the North Cascades web page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/northcascades and the North Cascades Flickr - photo site: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157626170712679/ 

International Mountain Day Celebration - December 3, 2011

At the American Alpine Institute, we love mountains for their beauty and challenge, and for the livelihood they provide us as guides and outdoor educators. But there are ample reasons for flatlanders to love mountains as well. Mountain ranges function as engines of water production, provide habitat for game, and supply resources for industry. In view of the universal value of mountains, the United Nations established International Mountain Day to celebrate this shared natural heritage.

This year, we have decided to benefit the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center with our International Mountain Day activities.

The Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center (NWAC) promotes safety by helping reduce the impacts of avalanches and adverse mountain weather on recreation, industry and transportation in Washington, and northern Oregon through data collection, mountain weather, avalanche forecasting and education.  

To achieve this mission, the Northwest Avalanche Center:

• assists a variety of snow safety and snow maintenance programs by providing and analyzing useful weather, snow and avalanche data, and by producing and distributing a variety of mountain weather and avalanche forecast products.

• assists backcountry travelers by providing current information on snowpack structure and avalanche danger, and by forecasting expected changes in snow and avalanche conditions.

The professional mountain meteorologists and avalanche specialists at NWAC are on duty from September through June, issuing twice-daily forecasts from about mid-November through mid-April and special statements as warranted in the early Fall and mid-late Spring.

You can develop your personal climbing skills, your avalanche awareness skills and help us to benefit this important cause by participating in our International Mountain Day events.

• Rock Rescue Clinics

We will be offering two two-hour rock rescue clinics at the YMCA climbing wall in downtown Bellingham. The clinics will focus on the baseline skills required to perform a rescue in a high angle environment. We will be offering these from 11:30-1:30pm and from 2:00-4:00pm.

• Avalanche Awareness Seminars 

We will be offering an Avalanche Awareness Seminar and reception (with beer and pizza and music) in the evening at Allied Arts (next to the Old Pickford) in Bellingham.  Doors will open at 6pm, with the seminar starting at 7pm.  This seminar will be a short introduction to the skills required to safely and effectively move through the backcountry during the winter season.

At all events we will be selling raffle tickets ($5 per ticket) to raise money for the Northwest Avalanche Center.  

To learn more, click here. 

--Jason D. Martin

November - December Climbing Events

-- November 18-19 -- Minneapolis, MN -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- November 19 -- Little Rock, AR -- Little Rock Boulder Bash

-- November 19 -- Bishop, CA -- Buttermilks High Ball Work Day w/ John Long

-- November 20-21 -- Duluth, MN -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- November 21 -- Ellensburg, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- November 22 -- Leavenworth, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- November 25 -- Bellingham, WA -- AAI Equipment Shop Sale Begins

-- November 29 -- Bellingham, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- November 30 -- Seattle, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- December 1 -- Seattle, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- December 3 -- Bellingham, WA -- International Mountain Day

-- December 3 - 4 -- Olympia, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- December 6 -- Tacoma, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- December 7 - 8 -- North Bend, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

-- December 10 -- Port Townsend, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival

Weekend Warrior - Videos to get you STOKED!!

Are you part of the 99%?

Occupy Mountains: Maxim Arsenault 2011 Segment from Dendrite Studios on Vimeo.

Mount Baker opened on Friday - were you there?
Here's a clip from earlier this week.



The good folks at Salomon Freeski TV also recently toured the PNW and had a chance to enjoy the new snow of the season as well.

25th Anniversary of the AORE Conference

At the beginning of November, I had the opportunity to attend the 25th annual AORE Conference in San Antonio, Texas.  For those of you that are not-in-the-know, AORE stands for the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education.  Their mission is to...

...provide opportunities for professionals and students in the field of outdoor recreation and education to exchange information, promote the preservation and conservation of the natural environment, and address issues common to college, university, community, military, and other not-for-profit outdoor recreation and education programs.

As most of you know, the American Alpine Institute is both a climbing school and a guide service.  Our mission has always been to educate our climbers so that they can get out there to do things on their own. Additionally, our emphasis on education has always been broad enough to reach out and engage those who would like to become climbing guides, climbing instructors, and outdoor educators.

It only makes sense for us to be involved with a phenomenal organization like AORE.

I attended the AORE conference last year in Keystone, Colorado and found it to be an exciting and engaging event. So this year, I packed up my bags and made my way to San Antonio.  As my brother lives in Austin, I decided that I would make my way to the conference from there.

I had the opportunity to man a booth in the vendor hall for AAI, to present a lecture on how to become a mountain guide, to hold a career seminar, and to teach a class on multi-pitch rock rescue in Enchanted Rocks State Park.  Additonally, I attended seminars on legal issues in guiding, on field risk management and on indoor climbing wall certification.  There were literally dozens of seminars I would have liked to attend, but couldn't due to my other duties at the conference.

Here are a few of the seminars that I missed, that looked "super cool!"

• Silo Ice Climbing - Techniques for creating your own outdoor ice park.
• Getting Past the Cruxes of Planning Climbing Competitions and Events
• Diversifying the Field of Outdoor Education - How organizations are trying to diversify outdoor pursuits and education.
• The Ins and Outs of Environmental Sustainability in Outdoor Programming
• Missing the Link: The Importance of Nature Education for City Parks and Recreation Departments

Of course these are things that interested me.  Many might be more interested in how to run a bike program at a university or through a bike guide service. Others might want to learn how to set-up a student program to a foreign location.  And yet others might want to talk about stand-up paddle boarding.  By my count there were around 130 different seminars, discussions or trainings that one could have taken at the event...

Following is a photo essay from the conference.  And from San Antonio, Enchanted Rock and Austin.

The Centerpiece of Any Tour of San Antonio is the Alamo

Out in front of the Alamo is a large white sculpture with many of the important figures of the battle carved into it.

Another not-to-be-missed element of San Antonio is the Riverwalk.

A Statue of San Antonio, a Catholic Saint the city was named after.

The Riverwalk is an incredible Venice-like experience. The San Antonio River runs right though the center of the city and numerous shops and restaurants populate the edges of the canal.

During one of the night socials for the students, professors and outdoor professionals, they brought in a mechanical bull to ride.  And now I can say from experience, that this is not a very easy thing to do.

I went out to Enchanted Rock State Park twice.  This is the nearest trad climbing area to both Austin and San Antonio.  The locals affectionately call it, E-Rock.

A lot of climbing areas really stand out when you approach them.  One usually crests a hill and then the angels start to sing as some steep face or beautiful pinnacle comes into view.  That is not the case with Enchanted Rock.  The crags are on the periphery of low angled -- but very cool -- granite domes.

The Main Dome at Enchanted Rock

Hikers and backpackers from all over come to Enchanted Rock to check out these strange low-angled domes.  But on my first trip there, I went to check it out for the rock rescue course I was supposed to teach later on.  That, and to climb.

I spent my first day at E-Rock alone.  I used my Ushba to complete a handful of toprope solo routes.

Most of the routes are found on boulders lying against the edges of the domes.  I did a handful of routes on the steeper face on the left-hand side of this picture.

A Self-Portrait while at a rest on Orange Peel (5.10a)

Most of the climbing is slabby with edges.  There are a few really fun cracks.  E-Rock is a really great climbing area!

 The Main Dome

 At the end of the event, I returned to Enchanted Rock to teach a multi-pitch rock rescue clinic.  Following are some photos from the clinic.

 

 I couldn't help myself. I had to take a picture of the backpackers pulling a cooler...

After the rock rescue seminar, I made my way back to Austin.  Which is a really cool city.  These photos are from a tour I did of Ladybird Lake and Barton Creek.

Yep, that says, Lets Pretend we are Robots. 
Click on photo for full image.

 More fun street art.
Click on photo for full image.

Barton Creek has a little bit of the Central Park Feel

I'm already looking forward to the AORE conference in 2012.  It looks like I'll be able to wax my skis up to meet all my new friends again in Snowbird!

--Jason D. Martin

Teacher Scholarships Available for Summer Courses in Denali National Park and Preserve

The American Alpine Institute just received the following email from Denali National Park:

DENALI PARK, Alaska: With support from Alaska Geographic, the Murie Science and Learning Center is awarding scholarships to teachers for accredited trainings and seminars taking place in Denali National Park and Preserve. These field-based courses are small group intensives that expose teachers to science, research, and educational opportunities using Denali as their classroom.  Most courses are three days in length. Professional development credit (1-3 hours) is made available through the University of Alaska.  For additional information and an application please visit the Murie Science and Learning Center website at www.murieslc.org. The application deadline is December 18, 2011.

The courses available for the 2012 scholarships are:

Teacher Trainings:
iMovie: Moviemaking and Podcasting in Denali (June 5-7)
Taking it Outside: Connecting Science, Writing, and Students (June 18-21)
Teaching about Climate Change (July 10-13)
Bears of Denali (July 31-August 2)

Field Seminars:
Birds of Denali (May 31-June 3)
Wolves and Dall Sheep: Denali’s Key Predator Prey Tale (June 8-10)
Denali’s BIG Five: Large Mammals in the Park (June 12-14)
High Country Wildflowers (June 15-17)
Denali Mosaic: Exploring Patterns of Plant Diversity (June 22-24)
Denali’s Changing Landscape: What Historic Photos Reveal (July 6-8)
Wildlife Tracking and Signs (July 13-15)
Geology of Denali (July 20-22)
The Science of Fly Fishing (July 28-29)
Glaciology: Backcountry Citizen Science (August 3-7)
Paleontology: Searching for Denali's Dinosaurs (August 9 - 12)
Wolves of Denali (August 14-16)
The Turning Tundra: How Plants & Animals Prepare for Winter (August 24-26)

The Murie Science and Learning Center is a collaboration among the National Park Service and several non-governmental partners. Alaska Geographic is a proud supporter of the center’s mission to provide research, discovery, and learning opportunities within northern Alaska National Parks to promote understanding, appreciation, and caring for our national and cultural heritage.  For additional information or questions email courses@murieslc.org or call (907) 683-1269.

Additional park information is available on the park website at www.nps.gov/dena or by calling (907) 683-9532 between 9:00 am – 4:00 pm daily. Stay connected with “DenaliNPS” on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and iTunes – links to these social media sites are available at www.nps.gov/dena.

Mountain Gear Announces New Friday Clinics at 2012 Red Rock Rendezvous Event in Las Vegas

The ninth annual Mountain Gear Presents: Red Rock Rendezvous (RRR) rock climbing festival, title sponsored by The North Face with support from the American Alpine Institute, will return to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area near Las Vegas on March 30 through April 1, 2012. Registration started Monday, Nov. 1, and is limited to the first 1,000 registrants. For the 2012 RRR, Mountain Gear is adding Special Friday Clinics to the three-day event that include a range of outdoor activities and classes.

“We are excited to announce changes to Friday’s clinics for the 2012 Red Rock Rendezvous,” said Phil Bridgers, RRR event coordinator. “We will now be hosting intensive training clinics on Friday. These clinics are a great way to kick off the three-day event while focusing on gaining climbing, biking and wilderness skills in a fun and educational manner.”

Special Friday Clinics include:

• Multiple pitch climbing for intermediate climbers 
• Wilderness first aid – an eight-hour course to earn certification card
• Warrior’s Way with author and climber Arno Ilgner
• Map and compass class
• Self-rescue rock rescue class
• Intensive trail running
• Half-day mountain biking clinic
• UClimb’s Learn to Climb clinic for less experienced climbers and those who have never attempted the difficulty levels of the Red Rock Canyon. UClimb is designed to teach all ages how to rock climb in small-group settings with other amateur climbers. The full-day introduction clinics will teach climbing fundamentals to succeed at Red Rocks and other outdoor settings. 

The clinics will take place in an intimate clinic setting by professional guides who are also some of the world’s most accomplished climbers. UClimb participants will then be able to enjoy one full day and one half day throughout the weekend. There will also be an optional gear package that will include harness, helmet, shoes, belay device, carabineer, chalk bag and a membership to the Access Fund.

The festival also will offer clinics for advanced and intermediate climbers on Saturday and Sunday. Registration is $99 per person for the Saturday and Sunday events, and $179 per person for the Friday Learn to Climb clinic and Saturday and Sunday clinic combo (without the gear package). For $188, participants can have access to events for all three days.

For a complete list of registration packages and prices, visit www.RedRockRendezvous.com. 

Registration includes the Friday night opening celebration, a dinner buffet on Saturday night, demos, comps and mini-seminars by event sponsors, slideshow and movie on Friday night, a blow-out party on Saturday night, pancake breakfast Sunday morning and service projects to assist in the environmental conservation of the Red Rock Canyon and Spring Mountain. 

All of the festival activities, outside of the climbing clinics, will take place at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park located about 10 minutes from the entrance to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. This year’s Red Rock Rendezvous participant camping will be at Spring Mountain Ranch. The festival will be running a shuttle bus between the campground and the festival locations throughout the event.

Event proceeds will benefit the Access Fund, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment.  Other benefiting organizations include the American Safe Climbing Association, the American Alpine Club, Friends of Red Rocks and the Las Vegas Climbers Liaison Council.

For more information, call (800) 829-2009 or visit www.RedRockRendezvous.com.