Risk assessment and sleep deprivation

[Rad]

The science of risk assessment

 

This article suggests that sleep-deprived climbers are more likely to make high risk/high reward choices (e.g. run it out, descend unknown gully, untie prematurely) they would not make if well-rested.

 

Does this reflect what you have seen?

[ivan]

sounds similiar to the study that smoking pot makes you crave twinkies...

 

duh!

 

when very tired and driving i often have to fight the urge to swerve into on-coming traffic just to make the pain go away

[skykilo]

Proof that big one-day trips are ideal to crush the sicker descents.

 

[Dannible]

Between taking a long time to pack up my stuff and having to drive for a long time to get to the mountains I don't think that I've ever slept more than a few hours before an alpine climb. I would say that sometimes sleep deprivation slows me down on the walk in, but most the time I feel pretty on top of things when I'm climbing.

[crazy_t]

In my own experience, I tend to be more conservative with regards to risk at that stage (sleep deprivation) in the hills. I usually am pretty good at noting that I'm on the edge, and take appropriate action to curb my or my partner's more risky impulses (if there are any).

 

This, though, is in a good part due to experience. I.e. all of the late-night epics where I pushed it and paid: descents w/o headlamp, right clothing, unplanned bivies, freaking out people on the home front when I don't show up. Fun when you are younger, more free and are still newer to climbing, but as I became older and more experienced it's a sign that I didn't plan well or make good decisions along the way. At that point I take note of my errors and do the right thing. Which, usually at that stage in a climb (higher up, with you and your partners near-spent) will still be a good bit of work. If I'm off route (or don't know if I'm on route) I definitely don't push ahead (i.e "unkown gully") until I get oriented again. Rookie mistake that can cost big.

 

The other part is tuning into your instinct/gut. If it doesn't feel right, I know it and don't mess with disrespecting that information, wherever it comes from. You may pull a "victory" out of your butt, but it usually doesn't feel right.

[crazy_t]

Yeah, I've learned that these days I can operate at a fairly high level with very little sleep for up to 2-3 days, but there has to be an end in sight after that.

[Norman_Clyde]

Proof that big one-day trips are ideal to crush the sicker descents.

 

 

As of today I've made the final step to leave my sleep-deprived working life behind. Among the anticipated results: more nights in my own bed, more total sleep, AND more memorable sleep-deprived sick descents.

[genepires]

Now that I have a baby and therefore get little real sleep, will I send sick alpine routes?

[John_Scurlock]

Perhaps the folks that made these tracks were sleep-deprived?

 

http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/78523369 and http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/78523370

 

This was from today around noon.

[wfinley]

Perhaps the folks that made these tracks were sleep-deprived?

 

http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/78523369 and http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/78523370

 

This was from today around noon.

 

 

Interesting... I'm not familiar with the area -- is there a reason for climbers to walk under that icefall rather than just go downhill?

 

Sometime back I read an article about the military testing a drug that would reverse the effects of sleep deprivation on soldiers. Here's an article: http://www1.wfubmc.edu/News/NewsARticle.htm?ArticleID=1655

Edited May 10, 2007 by wfinley

[Chad_A]

Funny, if I'm sleep deprived....I'm more likely to want to stay in the sleeping bag.

[chris]

I think that's the last "bowl" before gaining the saddle and starting up Pumice Ridge on the C-D route. That icefalls is constantly calving, and I often notice a high route traversing the bowl, often right through the debris. If you look closely in John's photos, you'll see another track crossing the very toe of the debris field.

 

I think people use the upper side of the bowl as a "handrail" in adverse weather instead of a compass bearing, either (a)ignorant of , or (b) ignoring the hazard hanging above their head. A third option is that they're taking a "calculated risk", but I can't speak very highly of their math.