Survival Gear for Winter Routes

[JayB]

After reading through Pax's summary of the accident in Guiness Gulley, it seemed like that the fact that they had certain pieces of equipment - foam pads, belay jackets, a sleeping bag, etc - may have may the difference for their injured partner.

 

The amount of equipment that I bring along for 1-day routes in the winter varies from trip to trip - but I make it a rule to bring along enough to survive a night out. In addition to the clothing that I use during the climb, this normally means bringing a pocket rocket, a small fuel cannister, a small titanium pot, a lighter, a piece of closed cell foam big enough to insulate my torso, a down half-bag, an epic bivy sack, and a bit of extra food. If there'll be enough snow on the route to dig a shelter, I generally bring a shovel as well. I imagine the combined weight is between three and five pounds on most trips.

 

I've heard the speed is safey mantra over and over, and try not to bring the kitchen sink - but the reality for me is that keeping up on my training, choosing an appropriate route, studying the route and the descents in advance, and trying to wait for good conditions have all made way more difference in terms of speed than anything else.

 

It doesn't take much of an injury to guarantee that you'll be stranded a long way from your car or any help whatsoever - as even rescues from sites relatively close to roads most often take hours and hours to complete.

 

What do you take with you in the winter to insure that you survive?

[Winter]

rasta bivy kit.

[Cobra_Commander]

elle mcpherson (she folds up nicely in an andinista)

[Squid]

That's so 'Swimsuit Issue 1991'.

 

It's time to get hip, C-Commando.

[Cobra_Commander]

throwback

[catbirdseat]

Enough. Jay made a thoughful post. Time for some moderation here.

[ivan]

mp3 with tunes that can transcend time and space and coax the body into accepting the most inhumane horrors - this in combination w/ the aforementioned rasta bivi gear is damn near invincible

[Cobra_Commander]

Enough. Jay made a thoughful post. Time for some moderation here.

 

he's the moderator of this thread. hopefully he'll delete your useless post.

[DirtyHarry]

Enough. Jay made a thoughful post. Time for some moderation here.

 

What the fuck do you know? How long have you been climbing anyway?

[cj001f]

Insulating mattresses and belay jackets are useful in emergencies close to the road as well.

 

Heidi Klum comes preAlaska prepared, probably a better choice.

[Winter]

I bring moderators on winter trips so my threads dont get hijacked by assholes.

[Ireneo_Funes]

I'm always impressed by how the smallest injury (twisted ankle for example) can turn a walk in the park into something near-epic. I probably take too much stuff, but like Jay I'd prefer to be prepared should it become necesary to bivy.

[Alpinfox]

After reading through Pax's summary of the accident in Guiness Gulley, it seemed like that the fact that they had certain pieces of equipment - foam pads, belay jackets, a sleeping bag, etc - may have may the difference for their injured partner.

 

Actually we didn't have a sleeping bag with us on the climb. Dave hauled up two sleeping bags (and a COLEMAN STOVE!!! ) after the accident. The stove ended up not being useful because Dave didn't bring the propane-canister-to-stove connector, but we didn't end up needing it. Sam stayed warm without the stove.

 

I think a down jacket with hood, food, water, and a headlamp are the bare essentials. A small piece of foam pad cut to fit nicely inside your pack is a great idea and doesn't take up much room/weight. A cell phone (if it works in the area) is a really nice thing to have too.

 

Basic self-rescue and first aid knowledge are worth getting as well.

[Cobra_Commander]

If the weather is clear to fly and choppers are out looking for you, a signal mirror is solid gold. It's amazing how hard it is to see climbers on a mountain from an aircraft.

 

And something to separate you from the snow/rock is pretty much essential if you're going to be there for any length of time.

[Squid]

**posted moved to appropriate thread**

Edited December 13, 2005 by Squid

[DirtyHarry]

Emrgency beer.

[Dru]

... a lighter and some firestarter. Most places in the PNW you can make a pretty good raging fire in the subalpine or below and that will keep you a lot warmer than a thin puffy jacket and foam pad will. Also it's lighter and you can smoke or torch your TP or melt ice out of ice screws with it too.

 

I usually carry a few shake and heat pads too. Pretty much never a stove unless planning to bivi, maybe not even then.

[catbirdseat]

... a lighter and some firestarter. Most places in the PNW you can make a pretty good raging fire in the subalpine or below and that will keep you a lot warmer than a thin puffy jacket and foam pad will. Also it's lighter and you can smoke or torch your TP or melt ice out of ice screws with it too.

 

I usually carry a few shake and heat pads too. Pretty much never a stove unless planning to bivi, maybe not even then.

You can't get by without the foam pad even if you can manage to build a fire. The guy was flat on his back on snow.

[Squid]

Last night I went skiing for the first time this season up at SnoCrummy. It was very mellow stuff- a slightly tilted parking lot- but I had great because I was out with a friend (Snugtop) and was teaching her how to ski.

She was doing great, blossoming from a lowly snowplow to lovely s-shaped turns with parallel skiis. Everything was going great until a snowboarder bombed down the empty slope, slamming into Snugtop from behind. They both went down.

 

Snugtop tried to get up, and collapsed straight down. The collision hadn't been that bad, but she'd fucked up her knee. I sent the boarder down to get the ski patrol, and we waited in the snow for the sled. Snugtop went into shock, and was shivering violently. A lift attendent put his jacket underneath her, and I put her in my jacket, but the girl in bad shape, and didn't stop shivering until she'd been in the first aider's hut for twenty minutes with hot water bottles packed all around.

 

This happened within sight - hell, with throwing distance- of the ski lodge.

 

I've generally carried a small sleeping pad (butt-sized), insulated nalgene w/ hot water, and belay jacket for b/c stuff, but after watching Snugtop's sufferfest I think I'll supplement that with a jetboil stove & fullsize sleeping pad.

[Dru]

That is absolute BS, CBS.

[cj001f]

That is absolute BS, CBS.

supine victim well be kept real warm by a victim for the hour it takes you to get a warm fire going.

[DirtyHarry]

What do you take with you in the winter to insure that you survive?

 

A sharp knife to cut the rope.

[Dru]

There are plenty of other ways to keep victim warm. The claim here is that supposedly "even with a fire, you can't keep someone warm without a foam pad", which is false.

[catbirdseat]

My turn to call BS Dru. Let's do a test. I'll have you lay down in the snow while I spend an hour making a fire. Sure I could get a rope under you or a pack. But if you have a broken back, which would you rather have under you, a nice flat foam pad, or a rope?

[DirtyHarry]

I'd rather have a seely postrapedic and a jelly donut, but I usually don't pack either.