Mountain Rescue

Proprioception

This post is based on the article "Developing your Sixth Sense" by Eddy Meechan in TGO magazine (March, 2010). In it, Eddy highlights the importance of proprioception - the sense of body position - to hill walking. This can help prevent stumbles and slips on gnarly ground and is something that can be practiced by exercising standing on one leg... with your hands in your pockets... with your eyes shut. Or you could use a wobble board or get into slack lining.

Another point that Eddy makes is that thin soled foot wear can help you feel the ground and contribute to balance. This runs counter to the traditional view that big boots are safest in the outdoors and adds another perspective on the advantages of thin soled fell shoes. (Please see this post for other arguments.)

Finally, it's also worth bearing in mind that you can lose your sense of balance if you don't use it. And it's worth considering its deterioration with altitude: you may want to factor in extra time and protection for those airy alpine ridges, if you aren't acclimatised, you're ill or hung over.

Knotty Problems

If you are looking to learn to tie a knot, try this site. The photo series animations are excellent.

Footwear Experiments

A recent trip to the Cairngorms provided another opportunity to try Inov8 MudClaws, Magic Spykers and B2 boots in varying snow conditions. Wearing one Magic Spyker on a pair of MudClaws showed no noticeable benefit on fairly firm, old snow. Even more surprising was that they provided more traction than B2 boots when stamped into very hard snow and at one point I was cutting steps for Rox who was wearing her mountain boots. However, stiff boots are far better for kicking into steeper snow.

It's also worth mentioning that snow conditions can change day by day. Wind and freeze/melt cycles may have converted soft snow to ice overnight and may make an ascent route difficult to retreat. So good mountain sense is an essential ingredient if you want to wear light footwear in winter.

Record Number of Lakeland Rescues

LFTO reports that there were a record 425 Lake District callouts in 2007, though fewer deaths.

Route Card Downloads

Please follow these links to get a download of a basic or advanced routecard from Live for the Outdoors.

http://www.livefortheoutdoors.com/upload/531605/attachments/Basic%20Routecard.pdf

http://www.livefortheoutdoors.com/upload/531605/attachments/Advanced%20Route%20Card.pdf

Terminal Velocities on an Icy Slope

The following results show the percentage of the speed attained falling down an icy slope of various angles, as a percentage of "free fall". In these results friction is assumed to be negligible, though soft snow offers much greater friction and slower velocities, especially at lower angles. More details can be found here, in a study of short rope techniques.

Angle of slope	20°	30°	40°	50°	60°	70°	80°	90°
Percentage of freefall velocity	95%	96%	98%	99%	99%	99%	99%	100%

This link takes you to a number of other interesting reports on short roping and snow belays published by Alpine Recreations.

Thanks to Alpine Recreations.

Magic Spikers & Shoes or Crampons & Boots

We recently tried some Magic Spikers on Inov8 shoes on an ascent of the Marmolada in the Dolomites. They worked well on firm snow but weren't effective on crumbling glacial ice, so we backed off. The next day someone wearing just trainers fell 20m into a crevasse and was lucky to escape with superficial head wounds.

The Magic Spikers have metal studs under the ball of the foot and not at the heel which could make descents difficult. We experimented attaching them back to front but it may be better to descend flat footed or facing in.

Our conclusion was that Magic Spikers could be used just in case of hard snow, but are not appropriate for glacial ice... far less verglas.

Degrading GPS

According to this post the accuracy of GPS (Global Positioning System) is likely to degrade over the next few years as the original satellites age. This will especially effect GPS in environments such as mountain valleys where fewer satellite signals are detectable.

If you are new to GPS you must ensure that it is set up correctly before use. After switching on you also need to give most units time to detect a number of satellites before relying on the position they give (my unit has at first positioned me a couple of kilometers away before correcting its mistake!). In my experience GPS units that mark your location on a moving map display (using Memory Map or similar) offer faster and far more intuitive navigation that is less prone to human error. However, I'd encourage you to develop good map and compass skills: they are less prone to technical failure, and learning the art of navigation (getting lost) can be entertaining in its own right.

For detailed information on how GPS works and its accuracy, click here.

"999...Mountain Rescue Please"

I'm just itching to get my hands on a copy of this book. Having been a member of GMRT I suspect I know a few of these stories and I'm sure you'll enjoy them. To get your copy follow this link. All money goes to Glossop Mountain Rescue Team.

Here's some more info. about it from Outdoors Magic.

Boots or Shoes for the Hills?

Shoes offer very low weight and more sensitivity than boots, which were traditionally seen as essential for the hills - providing good traction, protection and ankle support. I find that I use fell shoes for most mountain trips, except when crampons may be needed, however not all shoes are the same.

Look out for:

• A deeply lugged sole with good grip on mud and wet grass
• A chassis that keeps the heel close to the ground to prevent twisting the ankle
• A close fit to prevent movement of the foot in the shoe, especially when traversing steep ground
• Quick drying materials that don't become heavy when saturated (as most leathers do)

Shoes can lead to difficulties that may not be experienced with boots:

1. I find that occasionally I kick a stone that clouts the other ankle bone, causing pain but no lasting damage.
2. They are very poor if you come across hard neve (though some models have metal spikes, special crampons or YakTraxs may be carried).
3. In snow, wet grass or boggy terrain your feet are inevitably wet and sometimes cold. Overboots are available for snow or you may opt to use waterproof socks. This is far less of a problem than traditionalists would suppose, but should you need to bivouac, plastic bags over wrung out socks will help retain heat by preventing evaporation. And you may be able to use your sack to add extra protection.
4. The uppers and soft soles don't last as long as sturdy boots.
5. It's harder to take care when placing your feet at the end of a long day, increasing the risk of accident.

However,

1. I find that I am less likely to twist my ankle in fell shoes than in my 3 season walking boots! (It's essential that the sole unit keeps the heel close to the ground.)
2. It is likely that new users of fell shoes will take extra care in placing their feet and manufacturers claim that their shoes strengthen the foot and ankle. (Click here for biomechanics.)
3. 1kg off the feet is worth 3 to 5kg off the back and this contributes to being able to cover more ground with less strain.
4. By accepting wet feet in quick drying fell shoes I can ford streams without a thought, use shorts in warm rain and do away with gaiters. In wintry conditions a waterproof sock helps to keep the feet warm.

You may also be interested in this review of lightweight footwear at OutdoorsMagic.