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Rock n Ridge

Crevasse Rescue Course

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crevasse rescue course

Mastering Crevasse Rescue: Essential Techniques for Mountaineers

Crevasse rescue course – Embarking on the journey of high altitude mountaineering is undeniably exciting. Yet it brings forth unique challenges, particularly when confronting the hazards of potentially dangerous glaciers and crevasses. Therefore learning the vital skills used for glacier crossings is essential. Because this can help climbers, and hikers make their way across this terrain with much more confidence.

Understanding Crevasse Rescue

In the realm of high-altitude mountaineering, hidden cracks in glaciers, known as crevasses, pose a serious and potentially life-threatening threat to climbers. Mastering crevasse rescue involves acquiring technical knowledge, utilizing specialized gear, and, perhaps most importantly, fostering effective teamwork.

Prevention and Recognition

Therefore preventing crevasse accidents is the first line of defence, starting with the crucial step of recognizing potential danger zones. Despite rigorous preventive measures, accidents can still occur, underscoring the paramount importance of crevasse skills.

Z-Pulley System: A Lifesaving Technique

Enter the Z-pulley system—a fundamental crevasse technique that acts as a lifeline in critical situations. This mechanical advantage system efficiently lifts a fallen partner out of a crevasse, showcasing the significance of being proficient in tying knots such as the figure-eight on a bight and the Prusik hitch.

Equip Yourself: Crevasse Rescue Kit

Transitioning to the importance of preparation, a well-equipped crevasse rescue kit is indispensable. Components like pulleys, carabiners, prusik cords, and ice screws work in tandem to create a mechanical advantage, facilitating the safe extraction of a fallen climber. When searching for ‘crevasse kit’ on the internet, you get lot’s of various items of equipment. Therefore it can be confusing on what to buy and can be expensive. we believe that our crevasse kit that we use is efficient, cost effective and reliable.

Roping up:

The crevasse roping method stands as a crucial safety protocol in glacier mountaineering. Linked by a secure rope, climbers maintain precise distances to avert falls into concealed crevasses. This approach guarantees a unified team capable of swift emergency responses. In the event of a member’s fall, the tension on the rope acts as an immediate alert, triggering a well-coordinated rescue, often employing advanced techniques such as the Z-pulley system. Emphasizing prevention, teamwork, and rapid response, the crevasse roping method is an indispensable skill for safely navigating the unpredictable terrain of glaciated environments in mountaineering.

Hands-On Training for Real-World Emergencies

As we delve into the realm of practicality, hands-on training scenarios become pivotal in mastering crevasse rescue. Simulating crevasse falls and rescues in controlled environments not only builds muscle memory but also ensures climbers can execute these maneuvers effectively in the stressful conditions of a real emergency.

Crevasse Rescue Course: Elevate Your Skills

Transitioning seamlessly into skill enhancement, consider enrolling in a crevasse rescue course to deepen your knowledge and gain valuable hands-on experience. These courses provide structured training, offering invaluable insights into crevasse rescue techniques and emergency procedures.

Conclusion: A Lifeline in High-Altitude Adventure

In conclusion, crevasse rescue is non-negotiable in glaciated terrain. Beyond being a mere skill, it acts as a lifeline, differentiating between a successful ascent and a tragic mishap in the challenging realm of high-altitude mountaineering.

Fixed Line Technique:

In addition to our Crevasse course, we also offer a half day Fixed Line technique course. This is perfect to combine with the crevasse course as half day can be spent on each. Similar to the crevasse course, we provide the equipment and show you what you’ll need to equip yourself with. Some of the kit is transferable but for this we look at and use climbing ascenders for security and safety.

FAQ’s:

How long is the course? Half day either morning or afternoon.

Do we need snow for the course to run? NO! Doing this on ‘dry land’ is a much better way of consolidating the principles. Waiting for and hanging around in snow we find can lead to cold, fatigue and general un interest. Therefore learning is less for some/most people. we will explain ‘what else’ is needed for snow.

When do your courses run? Anytime to suit you!

Do I need kit? We can supply all the kit including harness, helmet and hardware. Likewise most people coming on this type of course have some kit that they like to bring or have already. Because everyone’s kit is different, any questions feel free to ask before or during booking with us.

Do I need a PHD in rope skills? Certainly not (knot) no pun intended! We use simple tried and tested methods and break it down for you.

Course Content:

  • Personal kit check / Chat about goals/groups plans
  • Rope and roping up
  • Kit for rescue – What, why when to use?
  • A ‘dry run’ breaking things down
  • Practice makes perfect
  • Extra methods/conversations
  • The real thing! Optional depending on group, conditions etc

Pricing:

Price per person: Half day course

1-1 £125.00

1-2 £70.00

1-3 £60.00

1:4 £50

Larger groups enquire.

Full day’s course combined with Crevasse – Rescue and Fixed Lining:

1-1 £190

1-2 £95.00

1:3 £80.00

1:4 £70.00

A £50 deposit is required to book a place. See our Contact and Pricing page for more details.

For larger groups please get in touch for pricing.

Links:

Rock n Ridge Alpine Training page: Here

Crevasse Rescue Wiki – Here

Rock n Ridge

Training for Alpine Climbing

Training for Alpine Climbing:

We offer a variety of alpine training courses throughout the UK. Our ‘Training for Alpine Climbing’ days are just the thing if your planning an alpine climbing holiday. crevasse rescue course

Various Locations:

We work throughout the UK, so therefore the venue can be changed to suit your requirements and or location. We are based in the Lake District, which is a perfect playground to practice essential Alpine skills. That said we often work in Snowdonia, and the Scottish highlands/Cairngorms, which equally have their fare share of quality terrain!

Course suggestions:

Training for Alpine Climbing – Techniques & skills used in an Alpine environment.

Crevasse Rescue Course – How to rope up and what to do if your buddy or yourself falls into a crevasse! Usually combined with ½ day Ascending/Descending fixed lines course. Course can be found – here

Self Rescue – A look at the basics and more in depth climbing problems & scenarios.Course can be found at the bottom of the page –  here

Ascending/Descending fixed lines – Equipment used and how to rig it. Not just as simple as you may think. Usually combined with ½ day Crevasse Rescue Course. Course can be found – here

4,000m Peak Training – A specifically designed program written for yourself & or team to get you prepared for your trip.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Skills covered:

Depending on the course duration, expertise, and fitness level then. We will look at some of the following techniques on you’re Alpine training course: crevasse rescue course 

  • Rope work used in the Alps
  • Moving together
  • General rope maintenance/Taking rope coils
  • Body belays/Selecting and using direct belays
  • Rock protection
  • Route finding/navigation
  • Descending
  • How to prusik
  • Crevasse rescue training
  • Ice axe and crampon techniques/movement (winter only)
  • Abseiling – easy – serious terrain

In addition to what’s on offer,  you may already be planning an alpine holiday? If so we can arrange the whole trip for you. Get in touch for more information.

Classic Alpine trips include:

Gran Paradiso – An iconic mountain rising to 4,061m, and is the only mountain whose summit reaches over 4,000m that is entirely in Italian soil. See more

Cosmiques Arete – AD – A technical ridge climb situated in an amazing location/situation. Not far from the drop off point of Aiguille du Midi cable car. The route itself is a mixed terrain climb and incorporates rock climbing, snow and ice techniques, rope techniques and route finding. See more

Aig D’Entreve traverse – For an Alpine route this isn’t a particulary ‘big day’ but none the less it’s a spectacular ridge climb with plenty of interest. Short rock pitches and exposed knife edge ridges make this a day out to remember! See more

Useful Links:

Preparing for an Alpine trip – Here

Alpine kit – Here

Rock n Ridge Alpine Courses – Here

Climb a 4km peak:

If you are interested in climbing a 4km peak and need the help to do this? We suggest you head on over to our climb a 4k peak page here. Our package offers a truly memorable experience, and includes online PT consultation and fitness program. In addition to this we incorporate training weekends to prepare for your trip. And finally the fully guided trip itself out to the Alps.  First, second, third.

crevasse rescue training - training for alpine climbing

Training for Alpine Climbing Course:

Fitness Levels:

Fitness levels are subjective. Some people’s perceived ‘high level’ of fitness is actually quite different when out in the mountains…
To get the best out of our Alpine training days you should be ideally between Silver and Platinum. Although if your in the Bronze category then depending on the day you’ve requested can be fit around your current fitness level. For example our Crevasse rescue course isn’t as demanding say as a day’s scrambling on a big ridge. That said if your concerned about your fitness, get in touch and a ‘pre Alps’ training schedule can be arranged.

They’re Tough!

The Alps are physically demanding on the body, and mind, and therefore you can never be ‘over fit’ for the Alps. That said a rest period before you go is essential to give your body chance to recuperate and get itself ready for the ‘main event’. The saying “train hard fight easy” applies.  Here are a few guidelines to fitness levels; this will help check your current level.

Bronze

Bronze –

You’re participating between 1-2 cardiovascular activity per week. Running, cycling, circuit training etc. As a rule of thumb you should be able to get to the top of Snowdon from Pen y Pas in about 2 hours, or Scafell Pike from Wasdale in 2hours 15 minutes.

Silver

Silver –

3-4 hours of cardio per week. A longer hill walk is undertaken reasonably regular, and your not phased with being out for 4 – 5 hours out on the hill, stopping infrequently. Or you mountain bike for 4 hours and not feel totally knackered on your return.

Thinking of hill accomplishments, the Langdale horseshoe 20k’s of walking starting your first peak on Pavey Ark and ending on Pike O’Blisco should take you around 8-9 hours. Perfect for an Alpine training day. You should feel like you’ve ‘had a day out’ but still have a bit of juice left in the tank.

Gold

Gold –

As a rule of thumb you should be training around 4-5 hours per week, again CV work. So running, cycling, swimming cross training. You should be walking bigger hills/rounds at a weekend, so a 15+ mile hike isn’t out of the question. Maybe you’ve competed in or training towards a marathon or a triathlon. Looking at the hill side of things, bigger Scottish Munro days appeal, taking in 3-4 peaks in one go, or even 2 solitary and separate Munro peaks are attainable.

Platinum

Platinum –

5-6+ hours of training per week. Marathon’s or Tri’s are on the calendar regularly. The same hill walking as Gold is applied to Platinum, but maybe your jogging some of the peaks as you go having reserves left in your tank when returning to your vehicle.

Technical Level:

Like the Fitness levels, we’d like you to be operating around the Silver mark, but don’t fret if not, we all have to learn and every day’s a school day, even for us guiding and teaching brings up different situations/circumstances. The key thing here is to be keen, and come with a willingness to learn new techniques and principles.

Bronze

Bronze:

You’re solely a hill walker, and you’ve been out once or twice with ice axe and crampons. Maybe you enjoy jogging and the mentioned cardio in the ‘Fitness level’s’ category. You’ve no rock/Alpine experience but fancy having a go at Scrambling and a friend has mentioned an Alpine trip that has sparked your interest and so you’ve started the first steps looking into it. Therefore an Alpine training course is the logical next step.

Silver

Silver:

At Silver level, again you’re a hill walker and have been scrambling and generally look for this type of terrain when your out in the hills. Exposure still hits you, but you enjoy it and although apprehensive you love the thrill of it! You’ve been to your local wall climbing, and have basic belaying and rope work skills. Maybe you’ve tried Via Ferrata and have a few days under your belt using ice axe and crampons, and have wild camped in the mountains occasionally.

Gold

Gold:

At Gold technical level, you’d class yourself as a competent scrambler and keen hill walker (stating you’re a scrambler before a hill walker!) You’ve tried Rock Climbing, have a small rack of equipment, no how to set a belay up, have abseiled and enjoy the sport. You’ve probably been to the Alps and done some 4,000m peaks and have dozens more that you want to tick off before it’s too late! You know how to use ice axe and crampons, possibly seconded or led some ice routes, but you still feel apprehensive going solo into the mountains in a winter environment.

Platinum

Platinum:

You love the hills walking, scrambling etc, but climbing is at the forefront of your passion. Whether that’s rock or ice you just want to do more! You lead rock climbs comfortably between HS – VS and have seconded into the early E grades. Your climbing rope work is reasonably slick, competent at setting up and using outdoor ‘real life’ abseils. You move around in crampons well and have practiced and maybe used for real ice axe braking! You’ve been to the Alps on Via Ferrata and or Alpine excursions, again have climbed with a friend some 4,000m peaks, have had a couple of ‘epics’ under your belt and have been caught out in a lightning storm before now. Basically you have a few stories to tell the grand kids.

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings”
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