10 July 2007

Training: GSAR

It was nice this morning to go for a walk on the glacier and practice a bit of search and rescue. First we had a refresher where we practiced some knot tying in the lounge (figure eights, rewound eights, and prussic knots,) and then we all walked up to the glacier to practice together. I wore snowshoes for the very first time, instead of boots and crampons. The snowshoes are much more comfortable, if a bit awkward, but I think I may have to switch to them from now on. The glacier is pretty torn up lately, and the ice is very brittle, so it can get slippery without some good foot wear. We went up the glacier to practice a 3:1 Z-Pulley system which is used to pull victims out of crevasses. Pictured below (l-r) are Phil, Lana, Red, Karen, and Dan traipsing along with a consummate 3:1 Z-Pulley system which we practiced a couple of times before we achieved perfection in Ground Search and Rescue.

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