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"The Vallee Blanche is only a red run..."

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Megamum, This is what the inside of one looks like, but they are all different.


http://youtube.com/v/QRlTK0w5odc


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 2-04-12 9:02; edited 1 time in total
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Megamum wrote:
OwenM,


Observation from uneducated onlooker - I would assume if you have fallen into a crevasse that your predicament is probably that of being wedged somehow and probably with little scope for manouvering - all the items above would seem to me to require quite a degree of 'elbow room' and dexterity - would they really be the sorts of actions that the stuck person could realistically carry out?


Realistically, no; that's why I put "the idea is" at the beginning. They're also very likely to be injured to a great or lesser extent, frightened and very rapidly becoming hyperthermic. Its more of a valid technique where someone is roped up before they've fall in and have ended up hanging free, which is more likely to happen to climbers.

Where someone is wedged and/or injured, then someone will have to go down into the crevasse and try and get them clipped onto a rope (which is where the longe comes in).
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Quote:

In practice it's not quite so straight forward


Yes, doesn't sound straightforward. It assumes that you are uninjured, can manouvre about, and there's a solid anchor above for you to bounce around on the rope as you prussik up. I can imagine that in a lot of cases skiing into a crevasse isn't going to do you much good...

Just interested, as I've used these techniques as a climber, but haven't progressed to this level of skiing yet (and hope I don't progress to the level of falling down crevasses Shocked ).
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Megamum wrote:
Mosha Marc,
I've got a partial interest as I still have visions of falling off the edge of the path when we went walking a year or so ago. If I hadn't been stopped by my elbow (which ended up some stunning colours once the cuts healed) I'd have gone another 30 + foot onto rocks. Since then, although I've walked since and it's yet another thing to carry, I've wondered if there was any wisdom in carrying some sort of rope and appropriate clips and maybe learning some sort of supporting skills. I've always taken notice of things like the dangers of exposure - and we always carry all the recommended hill walking kit, but falling taught me that even though you think you are on a well worn path one wrong step when you are tired can have severe repercussions. I know we have experienced and knowledgable folks on SH's who are contributing to this thread maybe you could tell me if this is worth doing (particuarly on walks in more exposed locations) and if so, given that I would have to lug it what sort of minimal kit (weight wise) might be useful assuming I learned what to do with it.


If you've got the skills you don't need much equipment to move heavy weights. Today we moved a massive section of tree trunk, weighing a good couple of tonnes, from where it was pinned underwater across the bottom drop of the Linn of Tummel (was kayaking - could have been a potentially fatal obstacle). We just used throwlines, slings, prussicks and a couple of carabiners and pulleys - MA systems are pretty simple but effective if you get the angles right. Especially satisfying as some local raft guides had been unable to shift it with a proper winch...
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I find a Ropeman much easier to use than a prussik loop. I now have 2.
A Touring rope is usually 30m of 8mm rope. Mine weighs 1.16kg. However if that sounds a lot of extra weight, half that is enough for most uses, except glaciers (where I wouldn't go without a guide anyway) and proper cliffs. A short length that you can tie around, for example, a rock and, if necessary, leave there is useful to have as well.

If you see a slight indentation running across the snow on a glacier it is probably a crevasse . If you need to cross it do it at right angles and keep your speed up.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
jbob, I got that to run by removing the m. It's a huge space - far larger than I expected! Lots of overhangs and quite sheer sides too, an interesting thing to see - thank you
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Megamum, they come in many sizes from little cracks to big chasms. The ones you can usually see into are big ones that the snow has failed to hide.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Quote:
Observation from uneducated onlooker - I would assume if you have fallen into a crevasse that your predicament is probably that of being wedged somehow and probably with little scope for manouvering - all the items above would seem to me to require quite a degree of 'elbow room' and dexterity - would they really be the sorts of actions that the stuck person could realistically carry out?

Also, if you don't land on your skis, it's quite difficult to release the binding while dangling mid air and/or wedging by the crevasse.
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