Sharon

....and you also wanted input re: helicopter ambulance services. A few years ago some southern CA climbers advised us that under no circumstances ever let the San Bernadino SAR chopper you out. It seems they had a hypothermia victim they evac'd strapped to the outside of the helicopter. Suffice it to say that by the time the destination was reached the victim was (ahem!), "resting peacefully". Sharon... A Trained Professional

Dennis-- Don't you also need a cell phone that works well underwater? Sharon

A friend in LA forwarded this email to us late last night: "It appears that Matt Richardson, Steve Erskine and Bill Stampfl were killed yesterday in an avalanche while climbing "Huascaran" -- a 22,000 foot peak in Peru. The American Embassy called Matt's wife this morning. At this time there are very few details except that they are almost certainly dead." Our friend then added his own comments: "I learned ice ax technique at the same time Matt did. In January 2000 he summited Aconcagua & married later. A very nice person. Steve & Bill were well known in the Southern California climbing community." Sharon

Blister & Bash advice from a competitive adult figure skater: BungaPads as recommended by IcyPeak are wonderful & many athletes use them. IcyPeak suggested the mesh sleeve that fits over the lower leg. The sleeves are lined with the cushioning "gel". I know a number of skaters who use the sleeves. It works for them but I found even the mild pressure from the elastic mesh decreased circulation to my feet. My feet kept going numb & freezing. Not especially serious at the rink, but a potential disaster on a climb. I suspect tolerance of the sleeves is highly individual. You might also consider the BungaPads alone. The pads come in a number of different configurations, including just for toes. "Sheets" are also available that you can then cut to your own preferences. I don't need BungaPads for my plastic climbing boots -- but certainly depend on them for my triple-thickness top-of-the-line leather figure skating boots, which are similar to a good leather hiking boot. You can place the BungaPad directly on the skin, then put on a pair of socks to hold 'em in place. If desired, you can sprinkle a little baby powder on the pads periodically if they get a little too "sticky". (No smart remarks, guys!) Pricey? Yes!! But I've had my BungaPads for over 8 years & they remain as good as new. They provide superior cushioning that you simply can't get from foam make-up pads, Second Skin, etc. Here's the link: http://www.bungapads.com/absolute_athletics.html As for shin bash, my dear husband tried to explain lacing boots. Unfortunately, even I had a difficult time understanding his explanation. It's simple to demonstate, but harder to describe. I hope this will add clarity: At the ankle, where the lace holes change to hooks, take the laces up *over* the top of the first/bottom hook (rather than lacing from *under* the hook, as we were all taught to do). By placing the laces the opposite direction (going from the top around the hook, then coming out the bottom...then repeating the same technique with each hook all the way to the top) you are able to lay down more lace over the tongue. This is what forms the distinct "x" pidude described. One more trick to this technique: at the first/bottom hook, go around a 2nd time, so there is a double thickness of lace at the ankle. This permits you to snug up the ankle so there is no real movement at that point. Yet, because the ankle is so well snugged in, you can tie/hook the rest of the laces quite loosely, if desired. This helps keep your feet warm as circulation in the lower leg is unimpeded. Because women have different hip angulation compared to men, these 2 lacing tricks seem to be particularly useful in preventing shin bash in women. Severe cases of shin bash can cause a nasty case of periosteal hematoma. PH can keep you from wearing high-topped boots for months until the outer bone <periosteum> damage heals. Take it from someone who knows! Hope this helps. If this isn't clear, please let me know. Sharon

The 6:00 news just showed footage of the downed 'copter. It's at about 8800' & "not in danger of rolling". The fuselage looked fairly intact. No mention on what side of the mountain/location/route. There was also footage of a 3-person rope team decending... looked like it was taken from another helicopter. Apparently, everyone was able to walk away...both climbers & rescuers. Very few details were given. No real media frenzy....yet. Sharon

A friend sent this private email earlier today (Sunday 6/9). I've taken the liberty of quoting it below. Excellent description of current conditions on Baker: "Early Friday (6/7) I went with four friends up from the Coleman-Deming trailhead (Heliotrope Ridge) to about 7,400 feet on the mountain. At times, snow squalls moved through the area as we were going up. There was about five inches of powder on top of an extremely icy base when we set up camp in a safe, protected area.That afternoon and evening, it snowed at least a foot. At that point we made a decision to come back down the mountain in the morning because of the snow accumulation. Overnight, it snowed A LOT more. Maybe up to 2 feet of powder total on top of the icy layer. We knew that it was going to continue snowing off and on Saturday, as the forecast was not as predicted when we left Spokane. (We were expecting nice weather on Saturday.) It was snowing lightly as we left camp and headed down. Fortunately, there were only short stretches of 25-30 degree slopes on the way down -- nothing to worry much about. We were the only people on the mountain, as far as we knew. When we descended to 5,400 feet, we found two parties camped in the snow trying to decide what to do. By that time, 7:30 a.m., it was too late in the day to summit. They were likely to wait until Sunday (sunny, warm weather?) to go up. Then, as we descended to the trailhead, we passed probably 50-75 more climbers, all on their way up! The weather for Sunday (today) was good and people wanted to take advantage, I guess. We tried to talk to some of them, the ones willing to listen, but no one turned around. I just hope like hell no one dies in an avalanche today..." Sharon

quote: Originally posted by slothrop: quote:Originally posted by CleeshterFeeshter: Retried in June 98 (same weekend RMI killed that dude on the slide on the DC). How did RMI kill someone? From "Accidents in North American Mountaineering 1999", pg 70: "This accident occurred as a RMI guided team was descending from the summit. Two rope teams were clipped into the same fixed line (on the DC) when the avalanche occurred. The avalanche caught the first rope team, which pulled 2 of the anchors on the fixed line. The slide continued unarrested also pulling the 2nd rope team down the hill. Finally 1 anchor (a picket) held at the other end of the fixed line as a few climbers became entangled at the top of the cliffbands... ...1 climber & 1 guide were caught on the fixed line above the cliff. 3 clients & 1 guide clung to the top of the cliff, tangled in the rocks & ropes. 3 clients dangled below them on a cliff of ice & snow, while the solo client (Nestler) hung below a 2nd cliff band in a waterall of snowmelt. Nestler died as a result of this exposure... ...The location was extremely hazardous with 40-degree icy slopes, 20-foot vertical rock bands, exposure to avalance hang-fire and a 300-ft drop to the glacier below. The danger made it neccessary for rescuers to secure the exposed climbers with new ropes & reliable anchors. One of the distressed teams was pendulumed over a refrigerator-sized rock; the other clung to the cliff or dangled on a rope which was frayed to the inner strands and pulled tight over a sharp rock held by 1 picket... ...Some of the rescuers climbed to the accident site to assist with the raising evacuation while another team headed to the base of the cleaver to assist with the lowering of 1 climber. That climber, Patrick Nestler (29), had fallen substantially farther down the cliff than the others. The fastest evacuation was to lower him off the mountain rather than raise him back to the accident site. New anchors & ropes were set to assist Nestler. However no one had heard from him for over an hour....Nestler was quickly lowered, taken across the bergschrund & evacuated to the helicopter, where he was pronounced dead..." The ANAM account & anaylysis is very lengthy -- more than can be easily posted here -- but well worth reading. Sharon