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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
ConditioningIf you are out of shape, you put everyone inyour 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 abouthealth conditions
Hazards Common to All ClimbsWeather
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
WeatherElevational 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
WeatherElevational 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
WeatherElevational gradients
Temperature lapse rate
Ele
vatio
n →
Temperature →
"undercast"
Inversions
Hazards Common to All Climbs
WeatherElevational 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
WeatherElevational 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
WeatherElevational gradients
Windspeed
Compression of air flowing over ridgetops increases windspeed (Venturi effect)
maximum windspeed
lenticular cloudscalmair
Hazards Common to All Climbs
Cold and Heat InjuriesHypothermia
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 InjuriesHypothermia
Can happen at surprisingly warm temperaturesif 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 InjuriesFrostbite
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 InjuriesHeat 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
SunburnCaused 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
SunburnWatch-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
SunburnPrevention
Cover up exposed tissues
Use sunscreen SPF 30 adequate use lipbalm also
Hazards Common to All Climbs
SunburnSnowblindness
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
DehydrationPhysiological 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 WaterSources 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 WaterWater treatment Heat
bring to boil over stove
Chemicals
iodine chlorine
Filters
passive active
UV light
Steri-pen
Hazards of Snow and Glacier Climbs
AvalanchesNatural triggers collapsing cornice or serac
rain saturating snowpack
Artificial triggers skiers, snowmobilers, explosives
Hazards of Snow and Glacier Climbs
AvalanchesLoose 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
Avalanchesanatomy
slope angle for slab avalanches = 30 to 60 degrees greatest risk at 38 degrees
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
Avoiding Rock and Ice Fall
minimizerisk 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 oxygenOn top of Mt. Rainier, air pressure 40% lessthan 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 ElevationPulmonary edema (HAPE)
Cause: body fluids leak into lungs
Symptoms
can develop rapidly breathlessness labored breathing with bubbly noise
Cerebral edema (HACE) Cause: blood vessels leak fluid into brain
Symptoms
headache loss of coordination confusion → hallucination coma
Treatment ofHAPE & HACE
Descend!
