Glacier fieldwork safety and crevasse rescue techniques

About the training

Our Cryosphere Initiative is collaborating with the Nepal Mountaineering Association to organise a refresher training on glacier safety and mountaineering rescue for our researchers and partners in Nepal.

Data collection on glaciers and rugged mountain terrain is a core activity for our Cryosphere Initiative. Fieldwork on glaciers often involves researchers dealing with the challenges of snowstorms, crevasses, and steep and slippery glacier terrain. It is essential for researchers and partners on expeditions to understand how to avoid accidents and to be self-sufficient in dealing with such challenges given the remoteness of the work. The safety of researchers and the data collection team is paramount for the sustainability of fieldwork and long-term cryosphere monitoring.

This refresher course will reacquaint participants with basic mountaineering safety skills and rescue techniques such as knowledge of different knots, walking safely on glaciers and crevasse crossing techniques, self-rescue from crevasses, and rescuing another person from a crevasse.

Participants

Along with our research team, we have invited officials from the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation, Tribhuvan University, and Kathmandu University, who are our regular collaborators in field data collection. The training will also include members of the Langtang community.

Objectives

• Ensure that those working on and around glaciers have current knowledge of safety techniques
• Improve self-confidence of researchers under challenging situations and ensure reliable glacier measurements
• Build confidence in performing crevasse self-rescue and comrade rescue

Instructors

Lakpa Sherpa, International Federation of Mountain Guide Association/Union Internationale des Associations de Guides de Montagnes (IFMGA/UIAGM)

Gyalje Sherpa, IFMGA/UIAGM

Suvash Dawadi, CIWEC

Session summary

Day 1 (Monday, 8 August 2022) – Basic mountaineering safety skills

• Share training objectives and record participants’ expectations
• Familiarise participants with the fundamentals of mountaineering safety, including how to use a rope and various knots, perform rescues and use command systems, and use an oxygen and portable hyperbaric bag

Day 2 (Tuesday, 9 August 2022) – Basic mountaineering safety skills

• Basic high-altitude medicine and first aid + CPR (CIWEC)
• Avalanche safety and precautions include communicating, using weather apps for forecasts, and using the RECCO device to find victims
• Walking technique on snow/glacier
• Communicating for heli emergency rescue

Day 3 (Wednesday, 10 August 2022) – Mountaineering rescue

• Wall climbing technique: ascending and descending stance (belay)
• Tying figure eight knot on harness, climbing practice, and team building

Day 4 (Thursday, 11 August 2022) – Mountaineering rescue

• Familiarise with climbing gears, climbing, and belay practice
• Team building, different ways to store ropes known as ‘coiling’, carry backpack packing system

Day 5 (Friday, 12 August 2022) – Mountaineering rescue

• Using harness on the body and gear rigging system
• Mountain climbing: ascending by jumar and descending by rappelling with belay device using Prusik knot rope, lowering client or victim using Italian hitch with a Prusik

Day 6 (Saturday, 13 August 2022) – Mountaineering rescue

• Walking in the team and following group leader
• Ascent on multi-pitch fix line
• Self-rescue on crevasse or cleave: Making anchors on a rock or tree, pulling up from crevasse or on cleave by using z pulley, active rappelling down belay device with a Prusik

Day 7 (Sunday, 14 August 2022) – Mountaineering rescue

• Setting up ropes for glacier traverse system
• Self-rescue practice on tree river crossing technique
• Multiniche ascent and descent on a fixed line
• Setting up a river crossing system and using radio handsets for communication