Asylum on a sea of rock: - The Mountaineers

Geoff Pegler photo
Accidents in the hills help shape course instruction
Reports of incidents in the mountains suggest better ice ax training is needed
Though climbing inherently carries some risk, examining
accidents and near-misses—by poring through accident and trip re-
ports as well as interviewing some of the principals—can enhance the
culture of safety for which The Mountaineers is recognized worldwide.
The annual Mountaineers safety Committee report not only makes
recommendations to further the culture of safety, but it is also used to
educate and train the many volunteer leaders and instructors with The
Mountaineers, according to safety Committee Chair Dan Lauren.
“The ongoing goal is to build structure around this culture of safety
such that The Mountaineers continues to be recognized as industry
leaders in outdoor safety,” noted Lauren.
The safety Commmittee just released its report for 2010, which can
be found via www.mountaineers.org under “About us” in the top menu
bar. Just select the “safety” link where the past five years of reports
and recommendations can be found.
According to Lauren, the report marks the third year in a row free
of fatalities. However, there were five major incidents, defined as
those involving search and rescue, a 9-1-1 call and/or hospitalization.
There were 11 significant incidents, defined as those involving injury
and a doctor’s visit but no search and rescue or 9-1-1 call. There were a
record number (73) of minor incidents—those in which a doctor was
not needed.
20 the mountaineer » july/august 2011
“review of accidents showed a lot of unroped falls on steep snow
where ice-ax arrest either failed or was not done,” noted Lauren, “or an
ice ax was not in hand.” The committee therefore made recommendations
to better emphasize proper ice ax usage and self-belay during
practice afield in Mountaineers scrambling and climbing courses.
For instance, he pointed out, climbers and scramblers “should have
the ice ax in hand and not in the pack, and use it for actual self-belay
and not as a cane.” He added, “The goal is to not fall in the first place,
as self-arrest is not always successful.”
These findings were integrated into “Mountaineering: The Freedom
of the Hills,” 8th Edition, Lauren noted.
recommendations on how to better keep climbing parties together
has also been integrated into course work and leader training, Lauren
said.
Lauren expressed thanks to those volunteers from all branches of
The Mountaineers who served on this year’s committee: Kirk Alm,
seattle; Helen Arntso, seattle; Harlan Brown, Everett; steven Glenn,
Bellingham; N. Michael Hansen, seattle; stephan Kleine, Tacoma; Lisa
Loper, Everett; Amy Mann, Tacoma; Miriam Marcus-smith, seattle; Jim
Nelson, seattle; John Ohlson, seattle; Thomas Pearson, Olympia; Gary
Peniston, Tacoma; Mindy roberts, Tacoma; Kenneth small, Bellingham;
Tony Tsuboi, Everett; and Gene Yore, seattle.
Lauren noted that although the report is used to strengthen The
Mountaineers’ safety curriculum it is also utilized by those outside The
Mountaineers community, such as the Mazamas in Portland and other
regional climbing organizations.
He encourages anyone with questions or feedback to contact the
committee at safety@mountaineers.org. 55
Mountaineers Mad Lib!
(continued from Playground, page 12)
One _____________________ summer day i went hiking with my
(adjective)
family and our friend, ___________________ Bigfoot. We were
(adjective)
_______________________ along the trail when all of a sud-
(verb)
den a _________________ __________________ came straight
(adjective) (name of animal)
at us. He was wearing a ______________________ and singing
(item of clothing)
_____________________. We all tried to pull out our cameras
(name of song)
_____________________, but none of us got them out in time to
(adverb)
take a picture of that _____________________ animal.
(adjective)