Six Day Mountaineering Training

What it is that in order to become a valuable member of a team in glacier travel, it is almost a necessity that we take at least one proper course in mountaineering. I wanted to do just that before the summer season ends and was lucky to get a spot in an already full August session as someone canceled their reservation.

Here is what we did and learned on a day by day basis:

Day 1 Sunday 08/13/2017:
We met for Orientation at 6:30 AM at our guide’s office in Seattle. Guides performed gear check on all of us, helped us with cutting static rope for our waist and foot prusiks, we picked up any rental gear deemed necessary. Our guides then drove us to the trailhead for Mount Baker on the north side of the mountain. We stopped at a super market on the way to pickup lunch and snacks.

Orientation

At the trailhead, we each got some group gears from our guides to carry up to the camp. Guides showed us how to attach some of the technical equipment on the outside of our packs. We hiked several thousand feet into our basecamp for the course above treeline. Along the way practiced moving, pacing and standing with heavy loads.

On the way to our basecamp above treeline

At the camp, we learned how to set up a safe and secure camp in an extreme environment. Guides discussed the importance of personal maintenance, hygiene and sleeping in cold environs, and Leave No Trace principles.They gave us instruction of proper hydration, including efficient snow-melting protocols, nutrition, and backcountry-cooking techniques.

My tent partner Lauren and her tent

Sunset seen from our camp

Day 2 Monday 08/14/2017:
We attempted to go to an icefall to practice iceclimbing. But we encountered a bad watercrossing on the way that was roaring from the rain the day before. So the guides decided to turn around and we went back to the camp.

Once back at the camp, our guides showed us some of the more technical skills of mountaineering, including rope work skills: coiling, storing and changing the length of the climbing rope.

One of our guides showed us about 25 different knots. Here are a few that I could remember the names of:
– Butterfly
– Fishermen
– Figure 8
– Figure 8 On a byte
– Figure 8 retrace
– Overhand knot
– Overhand on a byte
– Clove hitch
– Munter hitch
– Girth hitch
– Luggage hitch
– European death knot
– Double fishermans
– Flamish band
– Barrel knot
– Auto block
– Hollow block
– Clim highst

We also learned how to construct our prusiks.

Me in blue jacket going nuts listening to all the different knots and thinking, “How am I supposed to dial in all these info …”

After lunch, our other guide took us to the snow and showed as how to properly walk on glacier. Topics included:
Snow walking bareboot
Uphil
– Flat walk on gradual slope
– Duck walk on slightly steep slope
– Step over walk
– Kick in step on steep slopes. First kick in hard with toes, stand up straight, then lower the heel so the calf muscle won’t get sore
– Side walk while traversing (kick into the snow with the side of the foot)

Downhill
– Kick in with the heel

Snow walking with crampons
Uphill
– No kick in
– Use all points in the crampon
– Flat walk
– Duck walk
– Step over walk (keep the toes either parallel to the slop or pointing down. If waist is bent in towards the uphill side, toes will automatically be pointing down)

Downhill
– Step in with heel then roll in the toes (Use all points in the crampons)
– Heel first then put the entire feet on the slop
– Lean forward
– Keep the upper body muscles relaxed

We were also taught how to walk on rocks with crampons.

We then practiced various types of self arrest using ice axe including:
– Normal (glissading down)
– Head first, on your back
– Head first, on your stomach

Our camp seen from a distance where we practiced glacier traveling and self arrest

Day 3 Tuesday 08/15/2017:
We learned:
– How to set up proper rope interval for glacier travelling
– How to build an anchor using an ice axe and a picket
– Rappelling down using rope that’s anchored and using a prusiks as a stopper
– Top roping up (used some of the ice climbing techniques), and belaying on a vertical snow

We then went up 1,000′ to put it all together to practice. We used both our uphill techniques on the way up and the downhill techniques on the way down that we learned on previous day. We built anchors and then rappel down a cliff using prusik as a stopper; we then top roped up while someone belayed.

Anchor Building

Day 4 Wednesday 08/16/2017:
This was the day we learned how to do crevasse rescue and we had the opportunity to perform one in the field.

Crevasse Rescue Steps:
1. Stop the fall (self arrest)
2. Auto block
3. Build an anchor
Transfer the load
Back ourselves up
4. Communicate
5. Pull the person out
Pad the lip of the cravesse
Trakker built
Progress capture in

Our guides showing us how to set up crevasse rescue and how to perform it near our camp

We hiked up 1,400′ to a crevasse world and took part in real life crevasse rescues.
We practiced in a three person rope team. Last person goes in the crevasse, second and first person does self arrest, first person performs rescue, while middle person stays in self arrest position until the anchor is set up, s/he then stays attached to the anchor. We all took turns.

Crevasse Rescue Training

Crevasse Rescue Training

The crevasse that everyone had a chance to go inside and being rescued from

Day 5 Thursday 08/17/2017:
Summit Mount Baker via Roman Wall on the Northside of the mountain.
I decided to stay put in the camp. My big toes were hurting and I figured it may be an issue on the descend if I went up.

Day 6 Friday 08/18/2017: 
Guides talked about Navigation in the concept of mountaineering
Map
Compass
Altimeter on watch
GPS
Download topo map Or Gaia used on iPhone

Map and navigation training

We broke down the camp in accordance with Leave No Trace principles, and hiked back down to the trailhead, and returned to Seattle. On the way we stopped at a restaurant to have a group dinner.