TRADITIONAL MOUNTAINEERING
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Steep snow climbing training in Bend Oregon


Simon says: Self Arrest grip

 


Self Arrest grip

 


Simon says: Self Belay grip

 


Self Belay grip

 


Glissade grip

 


Too fast? "Go to the Head" for the Self Arrest position

 


Sliding head first on the back

 


From head first on the back to Self Arrest position (crampons always up)

 


Sliding head first on the stomach, ready to pivot around

 


Fifty foot high half crevasse at Mt. Bachelor

 


Group gear with Josh

 


More group gear

 


Group from Portland

 


Sitting hip belay stamped into the snow

 


Tying into the rope without a harness with bowline on a coil

 


Snow bollard that needs adjustment

 


Geared up in the wind and blowing snow

 


Self belayed rappel off SERENE pickets

 


Rappel device extended away from the body on a dedicated sling

 


Sitting hip belay and two picket anchors. Belayer can also be anchored if necessary.

Copyright© 2008-2010 by Robert Speik. All Rights Reserved.

Note: Despite keeping my Nikon "point and pray" camera in an inside pocket, it was so cold and windy this particular Sunday that the camera battery stopped working before I got more or better pictures. --Webmeister Speik

 

self belay!         self arrest! self arrest! self arrest! self arrest! . . .
Illustrations from Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills

Videos by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland 
See video of the correct way to belay and arrest
See video of Roping Up For Glaciers
See video of Crevasse Rescue

  Sunday, April 20, 2008, 9 AM to about 3 PM, Free Seminar and Practice near Mt. Bachelor
Climbing and descending steep snow slopes, ice axe belay and arrest and crevasse rescue! FULL

We will meet near the Mt. Bachelor parking lot at about 9AM. From there we will a short hike on consolidated snow to certain appropriate slopes for steep snow climbing skills and ice axe belay/arrest practice, skills needed for Aconcagua, Hood, Shasta, Jefferson, Adams, and all the others. Learn about skills and gear for rope protected climbing and rappelling steep snow, rock and ice slopes on major peaks, avalanche risk avoidance, crevasse rescue gear and set-up.
Designed for basic to advanced participants.

Read the Prospectus. See the photos of Ice Axe Arrest and of Technical Steep Snow Climbing. See the pictures of this 2008 event!
Participants must have their own climbing helmet (no bike helmets), mountaineering length ice axe, climbing harness and belay device.
Participants must have the details and method of instruction for snow climbing and Ice axe belay and arrest in mind.

We are limiting this class to 10 participants. No drop-ins please! Reservations only, by April 10, 2008!
Information from Leader Robert Speik at 541-385-0445, info@traditionalmountaineering.org

 

 

 

    WARNING - *DISCLAIMER!*
Mountain climbing has inherent dangers that can in part, be mitigated

Read more . . .
American Alpine Club
Oregon Section of the AAC
Accidents in North American Mountaineering

  ABOUT TRADITIONAL ALPINE MOUNTAINEERING:
  The Sport of Alpine Mountaineering
  Climbing Together
  Following the Leader
  The Mountaineers' Rope
  Basic Responsibilities       Cuatro Responsabiliades Basicas de Quienes Salen al Campo
  The Ten Essential Systems         Los Diez Sistemas Esenciales

LATEST NEWS POSTINGS
HB 2509 mandates electronic locator beacons on Mt. Hood - climbers' views 
Oregon HB 2509 as approved on March 28, 2007
Three hikers and a dog rescued on Mt. Hood 
Motorist stuck in snow on backcountry Road 18, phones 911 for rescue
Snow stranded Utah couple leave car and die from hypothermia
What happened to the three climbers on Mt. Hood? 
Two climbers become lost descending Mt. Hood 
Missing California family found, dad dies from exposure and hypothermia 
Missing man survives two weeks trapped in snow-covered car
Missing snowmobile riders found, Roger Rouse dies from hypothermia 
Longacre Expeditions teen group rescued from the snowdrifts above Todd Lake
Lost climber hikes 6.5 miles from South Sister Trail to Elk Lake
Young climber stuck on a steep snow slope rescued from Mt. Hood
American Alpine Club's Trad Award goes to Robert Speik in 2006

MOST RECENT EXPERIENCES OF OTHERS
A climb of Three Fingered Jack in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness
Ten high altitude deaths on Everest confirmed for 2006 climbing season
On Being and Becoming a Mountaineer: an Essay
Climbing Mount Hood in April with Arlene Blum and friends
AAC Report - Accident on Mount Washington ends with helicopter rescue
AAC Report - Fatal fall from Three Finger Jack in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness
Three Finger Jack - OSU student falls on steep scree slope
Mount Huntington's West Face by Coley Gentzel ©2005 by AAI. All Rights Reserved
Solo climber falls from Cooper Spur on Mount Hood
Climber dies on the steep snow slopes of Mount McLaughlin
Warning!! **Climbers swept by avalanche while descending North Sister's Thayer Glacier Snowfield
Mt. Whitney's East Face Route is quicker!
Mt. Whitney's Mountaineer's Route requires skill and experience
Report: R.J. Secor seriously injured during a runaway glissade
    Mount Rainer . . . eventually, with R.J. Secor by Tracy Sutkin
Warning!! ** Belayer drops climber off the end of the top rope
Runaway glissade fatal for Mazama climber on Mt. Whitney
Sierra Club climb on Middle Palisade fatal for Brian Reynolds
Smith Rock - Fall on rock, protection pulled out
Mount Washington - Report to the American Alpine Club on a second accident in 2004
Mount Hood - Solo hiker drowns while crossing Mt. Hood's Sandy River
Mount Hood - Solo climber slides into the Bergschrund and is found the following day
Notable mountain climbing accidents analyzed 
Mount Washington - Report to the American Alpine Club on the recent fatal accident
Mount Washington - "Oregon tragedy claims two lives"
Mount Jefferson - two climbers rescued by military helicopter
North Sister - climbing with Allan Throop

 TECHNICAL MOUNTAINEERING
What is the best traditional alpine mountaineering summit pack?
What is the best belay | rappel | autoblock device for traditional alpine mountaineering?
What gear do you normally rack on your traditional alpine mountaineering harness?     Photos?    
What is the best traditional alpine mountaineering seat harness?    Photos?   
Can I use a Sharpie Pen for Marking the Middle of the Climbing Rope?
What are the highest peaks in Oregon?   Alphabetically?

 CARBORATION AND HYDRATION
Is running the Western States 100 part of "traditional mountaineering"?
What's wrong with GORP?    Answers to the quiz!
Why do I need to count carbohydrate calories?
What should I know about having a big freeze-dried dinner?
What about carbo-ration and fluid replacement during traditional alpine climbing?   4 pages in pdf  
What should I eat before a day of alpine climbing?

 ALPINE CLIMBING ON SNOW AND ICE
Winter mountaineering hazards - streams and lakes
Is long distance backpacking part of "traditional mountaineering"?
How long is the traditional alpine mountaineering ice axe?
What about climbing Mt. Hood?
What is a good personal description of the south side route on Mount Hood?
What should I know about travel over hard snow and ice?
How can I learn to self belay and ice axe arrest?   6 pdf pages  
What should I know about snow caves?
What should I know about climbing Aconcagua?

 AVALANCHE AVOIDANCE
Young Bend man dies in back county avalanche
What is an avalanche cord?
Avalanche training courses - understanding avalanche risk
How is avalanche risk described and rated by the professionals?    pdf table 
How can I avoid dying in an avalanche?
Known avalanche slopes near Bend, OR?
What is a PLB?
Can I avoid avalanche risk with good gear and seminars?   pdf file

 SNOWSHOES AND CRAMPONS
Why do you like GAB crampons for traditional mountaineering?
What should I know about the new snowshoe trails
What are technical snowshoes?
Which crampons are the best?
What about Boots and Shoes?    

 YOUR ESSENTIAL SUMMIT PACK
What are the new Ten Essential Systems?
What does experience tell us about Light and Fast climbing?
What is the best traditional alpine mountaineering summit pack?
What is Light and Fast alpine climbing?
What do you carry in your day pack?      Photos?    
What do you carry in your winter day pack?       Photos?    
What should I know about "space blankets"?
Where can I get a personal and a group first aid kit?      Photos?

 YOUR LITE AND FAST BACKPACK
Which light backpack do you use for winter and summer?    Analysis   pdf  
What would you carry in your backpack to climb Shasta or Adams?   
What is the best traditional alpine mountaineering summit pack?
Photos of lite gear packed for a multi day approach to spring and summer summits
Backpack lite gear list for spring and summer alpine mountaineering    4 pdf pages

 ESSENTIAL PERSONAL GEAR
What does Steve House wear for light and fast climbing?
What clothing do you wear for Light and Fast winter mountaineering?
What do you carry in your winter day pack?       Photos?   
Which digital camera do you use in the mountains?
What about Boots and Shoes?    

 TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE
How did you become interested in traditional mountaineering techniques?
Who is Conrad Messner?
What is traditional slacklining or highlining?
What are some of the comments you have received?
Who was Peter Starr?
Who are the Mazamas?
What is an avalanche cord?
Who were the notorious Vulgarians?
How was top rope climbing practiced in the 1970s?
What is a Whillans sit harness?
What is a dulfersitz rappel?
How do I self-belay a rappel?

 BACKCOUNTRY NAVIGATION
How accurate is the inexpensive hand-held GPS today?
Can you get me a $30 rebate on your favorite GPS: Garmin's Legend?    pdf form
What are some good Central Oregon Geocaches?
What is the Public Land Survey Grid?   pdf
What is the UTM Grid?   six pdf pages
Which GPS do you like?    
Which Compass do you like?   
How do you use your map, compass and GPS together, in a nut shell?
How can I learn to use my map, compass and GPS?
Do you have map, compass and GPS seminar notes?   six pdf pages

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