Crevasse Training Location

[snowboarder801]

Well first let me say hi, I think this is my first post, I have been a long time lurker soaking up info keeping to my self.

 

I now have a question though. I am begining to teach some of my buddies crevasse rescue and they now have all the book knowledge. But now I need to take them out and let them get some hands on experience. Besides taking them up to muir, where i learned, where is the quickest, easiest, safest glacier nearest the seattle area where i can train them.

[nels0891]

what do you need a glacier for? just find some kind of drop off. for example, if you go early season up to paradise, there are a few places as you go shortly up the trail towards muir, the bowl off to the right drops off steep enough in some places to treat it as if it were the edge of a crevasse.

 

This can also be a good alternative to dropping down into a crevasse because you can usually find a safe runout, and its easier to deal with than crevasse danger on a glacier.

Thats just my opinion though, feel free to try it out. I can definitely appreciate the fun of being actually on the glacier at the same time.

[genepires]

+1 of using non crevasse for practice. You can use manmade snow features as well. Not suggesting a half pipe but there can be some cut banks in ski area parking lots and along some roads. Use common sense on site choice though. We once did "crevasse rescue" on the recently cut out "trail" from hwy to the toilets up at washington pass. If you are going to a determined location for your practice, keep a eye out while driving for easy man made features. Also, non evergreen trees may have a branch that is low and horizontal enough to be able to throw a rope around (to be able to setup a regular TR) to do a good prussik practice.

 

If you need a real crevasse, not much will be available till the snow starts to melt. You could use moats near rock faces. Use common sense again in regards to rock fall into moats.

[JBC]

If you are close to Tacoma, Spire Rock in Spanaway is a good place to do crevasse rescue.

 

Jim Couch