photo by Tom Beelman

Following a review of Seattle Mountaineers incidents in the mountains this year, the safety subcommittee brings you a summary of lessons learned, the most obvious of which ("be careful!") applies in every case. The lessons (in no particular order) are:

1. Protect frequently when leaving the belay. Two reasons: (1) Incurring a large fall factor (which places the most strain on the anchors and protection) can happen at the beginning of a route; (2) If the pitch starts on the ground or a ledge, it only takes a few moves past the first or second piece before you have enough rope out to hit the ground; for example, be careful at the start on S. Early Winter Spire, S. Arete.


2. Take time before and during a descent to stop, catch your breath, eat and drink a little, and check your bearings, particularly when the light is fading and the day is ending and the party is hurrying to get out. Fatigue on descents is a major cause of accidents.


3. Recheck your balance and tool placements before making the move off steep ice onto gentler terrain. Consider a final piece of protection here. These places can be awkward and are notorious for ejecting climbers.


4. Watch for thin snow cover (primarily spring and early summer but it can happen anywhere depending on season) and stay prepared for postholing and punching-through. Keep your speed in check on this kind of terrain.


5. Scout out glissade routes, particularly those that cannot be completely seen from above (due to slope curvature, curves around obstacles, drop-offs, moats, bergschrunds, or crevasses!)


6. Inspect those plastic hydration bladders! Some lose their integrity when filled with hot water, others may leak under normal wear and tear. Losing water can jeopardize the climb.


7. Keep your ice axe arrest skills current!


8. Avoid boulder fields when possible (or take the shortest route through them.) Precariously balanced boulders cannot be detected beforehand and are heavy enough to do considerable damage even if they shift only slightly.


9. Watch for loose rock on rappels. Also be aware that the rappel rope can dislodge rocks, particularly on less-than-vertical slopes. Stand away from the fall line of rappelling climbers.