Snow Climbing and Glacier Travel Field Days - April 12-13, 2024

Leader:  Forest Dean

Participants: Elizabeth Moore, Haley Eakin, Luke Jacobsen, Kimberly Meade White, Paul Jensen, Kyle Goeke, Sam Watson, Cory Mckague, Nichole Burgio

In preparation for the upcoming spring/summer alpine climbing season, we once again got a group  together to practice and learn all things related to steep snow climbing and glacier travel.  This was the seventh straight year of these field days in the spring.  As in years past, we had a great group and and I think we all learned something!

We started on Friday evening by gathering at a local park.  Here we spent a couple of hours working on crevasse rescue.  We hung ropes over beams and practiced different methods of ascending ropes to replicate getting ones self out of a crevasse.  We then set up team rescue (z-pulley) systems on the grass to practice what we would then do on snow the following day.

On Saturday morning we gathered at Snowbowl, geared up and headed up on the Paradise run.  Here we worked on roped team travel as we hiked uphill.  We then practiced self arrest on one of the steeper sections of slope.  After that it was on to steep snow climbing techniques working on both simul-climbing, snow anchors and belaying.  Finally we moved on to crevasse rescue and finished up the day setting up haul systems and pulling teammates up the slope.

Thanks to all those who came out and participated, as well as the crew of folks who showed up for the Snow and Glacier Roundtable the preceding Thursday evening.  It was good to talk and practice these skills with all of you!

Forest Dean