Climbing Hazards - Olympia Mountaineers
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Climbing Hazards Olympia Mountaineers Basic Climbing Course 2012 Lecturer: Jeff Foster Objective vs. Subjective Hazards More Objective More Subjective Less Control Over Occurrence Objective vs. Subjective Hazards Attitude Assume there will always be hazards Cavalier vs. fearful Experience Planning Encountering hazards on the climb Learn from your and others' mistakes Hazards Common to All Climbs Conditioning If you are out of shape, you put everyone in your party at risk, at least of disappointment, if not life and limb Engage in a pre-season conditioning regime This is why we require conditioners Start a climb well-hydrated More on this later Let the climb/MOFA leaders know about health conditions Hazards Common to All Climbs Weather Elevational gradients Temperature lapse rate Westside annual mean = 1.4-1.9oF per 1000 ft elevation Eastside annual mean = ≈ 1oF greater If it's 50oF in Olympia, what's the temperature on top of Mt. Rainier? Hazards Common to All Climbs Weather Elevational gradients Temperature lapse rate Effects of humidity High specific heat of water means that humid air takes more energy to warm than dry air ↑ humidity = ↓ lapse rate Effects of clouds Clouds reflect solar radiation and contain lots of water vapor→ reduce lapse rate More common at high elevation Hazards Common to All Climbs Weather Elevational gradients Temperature lapse rate Effects of frontal systems Frontal systems bring cooler, warmer, more humid, and/or more dry air than the seasonal norm also often bring more cloudiness Hazards Common to All Climbs Weather Inversions Elevation → Elevational gradients Temperature lapse rate "undercast" Temperature → Hazards Common to All Climbs Weather Elevational gradients Precipitation lapse rate At a given temperature, air can hold a maximum amount of water vapor before condensing into liquid water Air rises → air cools → air can hold less water vapor → relative humidity increases → when RH = 100%, clouds form, then precipitation begins Frontal systems bring clouds and rain that affect the lapse rate Hazards Common to All Climbs Weather Elevational gradients Windspeed No simple lapse rate Rule of thumb: windspeed increases 0.35 mph for every 100 ft in elevation So windspeed of 10 mph in Olympia → 60 mph at top of Mt. Rainier Hazards Common to All Climbs Weather Elevational gradients Windspeed Compression of air flowing over ridgetops increases windspeed (Venturi effect) maximum windspeed calm air lenticular clouds Hazards Common to All Climbs Cold and Heat Injuries Hypothermia Drop in core body temperature below 95oF First degree uncontrollable shivering lethargy, apathy, confusion lack of motor coordination rapid heart rate Second degree shivering stops delirium slowing heart rate Third degree coma ventricular fibrillation Hazards Common to All Climbs Cold and Heat Injuries Hypothermia Can happen at surprisingly warm temperatures if you become wet and it is windy Treatment get patient out of environment causing hypothermia into warmer, dry, non-windy location remove wet clothing rewarm as rapidly as possible offer warm liquids if patient conscious may require healthy person sharing sleeping bag with patient Hazards Common to All Climbs Cold and Heat Injuries Frostbite Freezing of exposed tissues First degree ("frostnip") superficial, quick recovery Second degree blistering but tissue recovers permanent loss of sensitivity Third degree tissue death and loss Hazards Common to All Climbs Cold and Heat Injuries Frostbite Frostbite and hypothermia often go together! Treatment remove patient from source of frostbite first degree place injury next to warm body part second/third degree keep injury frozen give plenty of fluids evacuate to where thawing can be done properly by medical professionals Hazards Common to All Climbs Heat and Cold Injuries Heat Exhaustion Cause: profuse sweating coupled w/ inadequate hydration Symptoms nausea, dizziness, thirst, headache Treatment get patient into cool, shady location administer fluids, slowly at first replace electrolytes Hazards Common to All Climbs Sunburn Caused by UV-A and UV-B rays Burning of exposed tissues Mild sunburn pink or red skin pain swelling Severe sunburn blistering headache, fever, fatigue Hazards Common to All Climbs Sunburn Watch-out situations prolonged exposure to bright sun in absence of shade (overcast does not constitute shade!) reflected sunlight off snow or water Hazards Common to All Climbs Sunburn Prevention Cover up exposed tissues Use sunscreen SPF 30 adequate use lipbalm also Hazards Common to All Climbs Sunburn Snowblindness Burning of cornea of eyes by UV-B severe pain swollen eyelids headache temporary blindness symptoms take 6-12 hours to develop Prevention Wear dark glasses transmit 5-10% of visible light block 90-95% of UV-A and UV-B sideshields if there is reflected light Hazards Common to All Climbs Dehydration Physiological effects Hard on kidneys Increased risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke Increased risk of hypothermia and frostbite Staying hydrated Drink one water bottle (32 oz) every 4 hours Water bottles vs. hydration packs Hazards Common to All Climbs Contaminated Water Sources of contamination Humans Animals Types of contamination Bacteria Viruses Parasites Giardia - very widespread now in backcountry cysts resist heat, cold, dessication cysts trophozoites Hazards Common to All Climbs Contaminated Water Water treatment Heat bring to boil over stove Chemicals iodine chlorine Filters passive active UV light Steri-pen Hazards of Snow and Glacier Climbs Avalanches Natural triggers collapsing cornice or serac rain saturating snowpack Artificial triggers skiers, snowmobilers, explosives Hazards of Snow and Glacier Climbs Avalanches Loose snow freshly-fallen snow on steep terrain powder cloud Slab look like a block of snow cut out of a snowslope by fracture zones chunky debris in runout zone Hazards of Snow and Glacier Climbs Avalanches anatomy slope angle for slab avalanches = 30 to 60 degrees greatest risk at 38 degrees Hazards of Snow and Glacier Climbs Cornices Hazards of Snow and Glacier Climbs Crevasses Hazards of Snow and Glacier Climbs Crevasses Hazards of Snow and Glacier Climbs Avoiding crevasses Travel at right angles to crevasses, if possible Probe for hidden crevasses Do end runs around crevasses Crossing crevasses Jump across narrow crevasses Large crevasses: use snowbridges Boot-axe belay recommended Hazards of Snow and Glacier Climbs Icefall Hazards of Rock Climbs Rockfall Watchout situations consequences Avoiding Rock and Ice Fall minimize risk of injury prevention avoidance Avoiding Rock and Ice Fall minimize risk of injury prevention avoidance Hazards of High Elevation Increased risk of: Bad weather Hypothermia Frostbite Sunburn Dehydration Retreat and evacuation more difficult Lower partial pressure of oxygen On top of Mt. Rainier, air pressure 40% less than at sea level Hazards of High Elevation Acute Mountain Sickness Cause: rapid ascent to higher elevation 50% of folks ascending to 8,000 to 14,000 ft Symptoms insomnia listlessness appetite loss nausea & vomiting lightheadedness or dizziness Treatment rest and hydration if it gets worse, descend Hazards of High Elevation Pulmonary edema (HAPE) Cause: body fluids leak into lungs Symptoms can develop rapidly breathlessness labored breathing with bubbly noise Treatment of HAPE & HACE Cerebral edema (HACE) Cause: blood vessels leak fluid into brain Symptoms headache loss of coordination confusion → hallucination coma Descend!
