Steep Snow & Ice: 2021

Completed

Activity Notes

Mentoring in movement and leading in steep alpine terrain including steep snow and less than vertical ice (AI 1-3), including placement of protection and anchors in both snow and ice.

Class will start Wednesday Sept 1. There will be two evening sessions at the MMC, and a single weekend field session. However, as we are hoping to have double the number of participants, we are hosting two separate weekend field sessions, but with only half of the participants on each weekend. Thus, participants will only be expected to attend 9/1, either 9/8 or 9/15, and either the weekend of 9/11-12 or 9/18-19. It is highly preferable that the same students who come on 9/8, are also the same students at the field session 9/11-12 so that we can work on team dynamics and cover appropriate material.

Dates:

Wed Sep 1: MMC Session #1: Introduction, meet-and-great, review personal gear, discussion of route selection, evaluation of hazards and risk assessment, including decisions as to when to solo vs simul-climb vs belay pitches.

Wed Sep 8: MMC Session #2 for Team A (half of students/participants): mentoring on movement on artificial wall, discussion on ice and snow protection and anchors, place ice screws, make v-threads and A-threads.

Weekend Field Session for Team A (half of students/participants): Friday night - Sunday night: 9/11-12: practice movement, rope technique, leading, placing protection, efficient transitions, and rappelling on gradually steepening alpine terrain. We will camp friday night at TH in order to get an early start on saturday.

Wed Sep 15: MMC Session #2 for Team B (second half of students/participants): mentoring on movement on artificial wall, practice mixed techniques, discussing on ice and snow protection and anchors, place ice screws, make v-threads and A-threads.

Weekend Field Session for Team B (second half of students/participants): Friday night - Sunday night: 9/18-19: practice movement, rope technique, leading, placing protection, efficient transitions, and rappelling on gradually steepening alpine terrain. We will camp friday night at TH in order to get an early start on saturday.