UKH

In this video series on UKClimbing, we have teamed up with Arc'teryx and mountain guide Peter Mason, to cover a range of basic Alpine and Mountaineering skills. In this video, Peter Mason explains a useful knot for walking on glaciers.

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In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

If you have stopper knots won't that interfere with a hauling system to get the person out of the crevasse?

In reply to Red Rover:
Yes stopper knots will make a hauling system considerably more difficult (but not impossible) as you will have to by-pass the knots, alternatively you can set-up a haul on the clean part of the rope, i.e. the rope in coils around your body if rope length etc allows.

Knots on the rope are really important if you are travelling on gnarly terrain as a team of 2 as your hauling system is completely irrelevant if you can't hold the fall in the first place!

In reply to scott webster:

OK thanks. I get it now, you hold the fall then transfer the weight onto an anchor, then take some coils off and use that rope to set up the Z rig? I'm trying to learn glacier stuff so I can do more stuff (might hire a guide for a lesson next year).

I've no idea what im talking about but I'm a bit skeptical about somebody holding a fall if the partner disappears down a crevasse, especially for me as I'm 17 stone with kit on. There's a video somewhere of people jumping into a crevasse (with a separate safety rope) and their partners try and do the textbook stuff and they're all just dragged over the edge. Does it really work with 2 people or is it a case of just doing your best in a dicey situation?

In reply to Red Rover:
There are lots of factors at play when travelling on a glacier, such as snow conditions, comparative weights of the people, angle of slope you are travelling on etc.

The system does work but with mis-matched weights you are on the back foot straight away. It's not easy and holding the fall is just the first step - in the worst case scenario where there are only 2 of you and you need to perform an unassisted haul you will then need to create an anchor, while your partners weight is hanging off you, escape the system and so on.

I would definitely recommend hiring an IFMGA guide to teach you how to deal with crevasse rescue, don't try and learn it from a forum

In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

I recently had the formative experience of getting my friend out of a deep crevasse in Alaska. He fell 5-6 m down, wearing skis, a 20kg pack and attached to a 10kg pulk haulbag. The two of us on the surface held him quite easily - we knew it was dangerous and were proceeding very carefully. Thankfully he wasn't injured, bar a few scrapes and bumps, but getting him and the gear out took the best part of two hours. Z pulley? Even with two hauling? Not a chance - we ended up with a 9:1 pulley system and up he came. Passing knots through the system needs enough equipment and a cool head and is not easy in the heat of the moment. Familiarity and technical competence with the sort of ropework required and knowing what to do, even in theory, will get you a long way. You can practice most of it at home. Our rope was a 6mm Petzl Rad static line, which I reckon made the hauling significantly easier.

In reply to scott webster:

OK thanks. I'm definately getting proper instruction if I do get round to glaciers etc, the forum is just for daydreaming and wasting time. I'm a bit worried about the weight, I have a similar problem in caving where I do a lot of jumaring and if I was knocked out on a rope I doubt people could rescue me in time. If I had a pack on and some kit I'd be over 100 kg so would I just be stomping around demolishing all the snow bridges? Its not a question of eating less either I did loads of carrying and jumaring over the last 10 years so I just bulked up a bit.

In reply to Red Rover:


There was a good thread on this recently: https://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/t.php?t=668327