| Mountain climbers are just a bit crazy. They risk their | | | | last thing you know. |
| lives every moment that they're up there. More than | | | | - You may go careening down a mountainside. After |
| that, they want to do it! It makes them happy. Yup. | | | | that cruel and painful fall, hopefully there won't be a |
| Just a bit crazy, to be sure. | | | | deep hole or a crevasse to swallow you up. (Good |
| There are such extreme dangers in mountain climbing. | | | | grief!) |
| The top three are things falling on you, yourself falling | | | | - Be extremely cautious on slick ice slopes. Crampons, |
| and bad weather. Things that may fall on you include | | | | an ice axe and ice screws (pickets) become |
| rocks, ice and snow (avalanches). | | | | necessary here. One slip could mean no return for |
| - Rocks could come loose on mountains at any | | | | you. |
| moment. Furrows on the slopes and conspicuous | | | | There are snow slopes for which a potential |
| collections of rock and debris in patches are good | | | | avalanche must always be considered. At the base of |
| signs to look for. | | | | these snow slopes lies the danger of a hidden |
| - Areas prone to falling ice are overhanging cornices | | | | crevasse. Painstaking use of a snow bridge often |
| (molding below a ceiling) that you find on the peaks | | | | becomes vital. You'll want to have an experienced |
| of narrow ridges. | | | | climber with you for those instances when advancing |
| - Broken sections of glaciers, called seracs, are | | | | over snow, especially snow on ice, is a difficult |
| potentially dangerous. Ice sections could fall during, | | | | decision. If you insist on going, a straight ascent is |
| and after, the hottest part of the day. | | | | favored over a horizontal one. With this approach, |
| - Hanging glaciers on steep slopes will periodically drop | | | | there is less risk of snow movement, less to |
| ice. Ice piles in patches are excellent indicators. | | | | encourage an avalanche. |
| - Be weary of large icicles that form on steep rock | | | | Crevasses are deep chasms found in glaciers. They |
| faces. They could break loose at any moment, | | | | may be easily seen or they may be hidden from |
| especially after inclement weather. | | | | sight. It takes experience and caution to detect |
| - Before all of that, however, you are advised to | | | | them. Your best protection is to rope your climbing |
| remember that a falling climber is a very real danger. | | | | party together. Don't ever cross a crevasse without |
| More than that, even just his gear falling could shove | | | | being tied to at least one person. |
| you right off. | | | | Weather is an awesome force high in the mountains. |
| Either way, stay sharp at all times. It may not be the | | | | You can never escape it so don't think that you can |
| mountain that takes you down. Tons and tons of | | | | ignore it. You may experience a whiteout where |
| snow, ice and debris streaking down a mountainside | | | | you'd be lucky to see a few feet in front of you. In |
| as an avalanche is most terrifying. If you find yourself | | | | the summer, you may experience thunderstorms or |
| caught in one, survival is slim, at best. Avalanches | | | | lightning, even lightning all by itself. All climbers are |
| claim the lives of hundreds of people every year. | | | | advised to have an alpine start, that is, a climb that |
| Many of them were athletically skilled individuals, even | | | | starts before or at first light. It gives you the chance |
| skilled climbers. Many of them were caught out in the | | | | to return to base during daylight should the weather |
| open snow. | | | | become threatening. |
| It isn't very easy to turn back from a snow crossing | | | | Breathing is difficult high in the mountains because |
| once you've begun. So much time will be lost. When | | | | there is less oxygen in the air. The body needs to |
| in doubt, don't do it and save your life. A large | | | | acclimatize, to become accustomed to the thin air. If |
| percentage of avalanche fatalities are expert skiers | | | | you don't give yourself enough time, you'll probably |
| with avalanche training. Think on that for a bit. | | | | develop altitude sickness. If you do not descend |
| Sometimes knowing is not enough to save you. | | | | immediately when this happens, your condition could |
| Oftentimes, it is the knowing that makes a person | | | | progress to one of two forms of edema. Both |
| unnecessarily reckless. | | | | conditions could be fatal within 24 hours. I repeat, |
| Alpine (high mountain) climbers are advised to always | | | | fatal within a day. If this happens, get yourself off |
| carry an avalanche beacon, a probe and a shovel to | | | | that mountain right now! |
| help in your own rescue should you, or your party, | | | | Mountain climbing is absurdly dangerous. You really will |
| become trapped in an avalanche. | | | | risk your life, over and over. But, oh, to stand on the |
| Just as there are many ways that an object may fall | | | | summit. To be so high, to see for many miles, |
| on you while climbing, there are so many ways for | | | | possibly over many miles of mountains, to know that |
| you, yourself, to fall. | | | | you stand where few have gone before. What a |
| - As a climber, you could loose your hold and drop | | | | feeling! Very few things come close. Be careful up |
| into the air. An amazing feeling that will likely be the | | | | there! |