| Any person who willingly engages in an activity | | | | ◦ As a climber, you could loose your |
| where the ground you stand on could disappear | | | | hold and drop into the air. It could be the last |
| beneath your feet, where the earth around you | | | | sensation you know. |
| could bury you alive or where the weather alone | | | | ◦ You may go careening down a |
| could blow you right off a mountain, well. Mountain | | | | mountainside. If you survive the brutal fall, |
| Climbers are just insane. They engage in one of | | | | hopefully you won't land in a deep hole or a |
| the most extreme, most dangerous nature | | | | crevasse. (Good grief!) |
| sports in the world. And they do it willingly! | | | | ◦ Be extremely cautious on slick ice |
| There are such extreme dangers in mountain | | | | slopes. Crampons, an ice axe and ice screws |
| climbing. The top three are things falling on you, | | | | (pickets) become necessary here. One slip could |
| yourself falling and bad weather. Things that may | | | | mean no return for you. |
| fall on you include rocks, ice and snow | | | | There are snow slopes for which a potential |
| (avalanches). | | | | avalanche must always be considered. At the |
| ◦ Rocks could come loose on | | | | base of these snow slopes lies the danger of a |
| mountains at any moment. Furrows on the slopes | | | | hidden crevasse. Meticulous use of a snow bridge |
| and conspicuous collections of rock and debris in | | | | often becomes necessary. You'll want to have an |
| patches are good signs to look for. | | | | experienced climber with you for those instances |
| ◦ Areas prone to falling ice are | | | | when advancing over snow, especially snow on |
| overhanging cornices (molding below a ceiling) that | | | | ice, is a difficult decision. If you must go, a straight |
| you find on the peaks of narrow ridges. | | | | ascent is preferred over a horizontal one. Less |
| ◦ Broken sections of glaciers, called | | | | can be done to encourage snow movement |
| seracs, are potentially dangerous. Ice sections | | | | (avalanche) this way. |
| could fall during, and after, the hottest part of the | | | | Crevasses are deep chasms found in glaciers. |
| day. | | | | They may be easily seen or they may be hidden |
| ◦ Hanging glaciers on steep slopes will | | | | from sight. It takes experience and caution to |
| periodically drop ice. Ice piles in patches are | | | | detect them. Your best protection is to rope your |
| excellent indicators. | | | | climbing party together. Don't ever cross a |
| ◦ Be weary of large icicles that form | | | | crevasse without being tied to at least one |
| on steep rock faces. They could break loose at | | | | person. |
| any moment, especially after inclement weather. | | | | Weather is an awesome force high in the |
| ◦ Before all of that, however, you | | | | mountains. You can never escape it so don't think |
| are advised to remember that a falling climber is a | | | | that you can ignore it. You may experience a |
| very real danger. Even just his gear coming your | | | | whiteout where you'd be lucky to see a few feet |
| way could knock you loose. | | | | in front of you. In the summer, you may |
| Either way, stay sharp at all times. It may not be | | | | experience thunderstorms or lightning, even |
| the mountain that takes you down. | | | | lightning all by itself. All climbers are advised to |
| Tons and tons of snow, ice and debris streaking | | | | have an alpine start, that is, a climb that starts |
| down a mountainside as an avalanche is most | | | | before or at first light. It gives you the chance to |
| terrifying. If you find yourself caught in one, | | | | return to base during daylight should the weather |
| survival is slim, at best. Hundreds of people die | | | | become threatening. |
| every year in avalanches. Many of them were | | | | High in the mountains there is less oxygen to |
| athletically skilled individuals, even skilled climbers. | | | | breathe. The body needs to acclimatize, to |
| Many of them were caught out in the open snow. | | | | become accustomed to the thin air. If you don't |
| It isn't very easy to turn back from a snow | | | | give yourself enough time, you'll probably develop |
| crossing once you've begun. So much time will be | | | | altitude sickness. If you do not descend |
| lost. When in doubt, don't do it and save your life. | | | | immediately when this happens, your condition |
| A large percentage of avalanche fatalities were | | | | could progress to one of two forms of edema. |
| expert skiers with avalanche training. Think on | | | | Both conditions could be fatal within 24 hours. I |
| that for a bit. Sometimes knowing is not enough | | | | repeat, fatal within a day. If this happens, get |
| to save you. Oftentimes, it is the knowing that | | | | yourself off that mountain right now! |
| makes a person unnecessarily reckless. | | | | Mountain climbing is absurdly dangerous. You really |
| Alpine (high mountain) climbers are advised to | | | | will risk your life, over and over. But, oh, to stand |
| always carry an avalanche beacon, a probe and a | | | | on the summit. To be so high, to see for many |
| shovel to help in your own rescue should you, or | | | | miles, possibly over many miles of mountains, to |
| your party, become trapped in an avalanche. | | | | know that you stand where few have gone |
| Just as there are many ways that an object may | | | | before. What a feeling! Very few things come |
| fall on you while climbing, there are so many | | | | close. Be careful up there! |
| ways for you, yourself, to fall. | | | | |