Intermediate Lecture #2 - Snow Skills - Mountaineers Tacoma Program Center

Tacoma Clubhouse 7pm, upstairs classroom

1. Lecture prep work:

• Watch videos:
  • How to Back Up a Snow Anchor for Crevasse Rescue
  • How to Rope Up for Glacier Travel
  • How to Build a Snow Anchor
  • Snow Anchors - Using your Ice Axe
  •  Snow Ice Anchor Testing Antarctica
  • Body Belaying when Mountaineering
  • Body Belaying when Mountaineering
  • Climbing Tools: The Body Belay
  • Carabiner Ice Ax Belay
  • Passing Protection when Running Belaying
  • How to Belay from Above
  • How to Lower a Climber from a Loaded Device
• Required Reading:
  • Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 9th Edition:
    • Chapter 16 - Snow Travel and Climbing
      
    • Chapter 17 - Avalanche Safety
      
    • Chapter 27 - The Cycle of Snow
    • Snow Anchors for Belaying and Rescue. D. Bogie, A. Fortini.
    •  Failure Modes of Snow Anchors

    • Self Arrest with Crampons. J. Martin.

• Create a trip plan for a 3 day climb of Mount Rainier via the Emmons route, and bring it to lecture.

2. Discussion:

• Insights, questions, and lessons learned from the trip planning exercise.
• Choosing appropriate snow travel/anchors/belay techniques over a few different scenarios.
• Questions/clarification on the lecture topics or reading.

3. Skills  Practice (stations):

• Belaying follower in guide mode
• Transition to lowering while belaying
• Passing a picket
• Block and tackle.

4. Homework

• Make sure you are prepared for the field trip. 
  • Field Trip Day 1 focuses on:
    • Building Shelters
    • Snow Anchors
    • Snow Belays
  • Field Trip Day 2 focuses on:
    • Roping up
    • Testing 6:1 Canadian Drop loop
• Get ready for the exam.