Mountain Climbing Safety
| simple guidelines to prevent acute mountain sickness |
| rate of ascent |
above 10,000 feet the average rate of ascent should not exceed
1,000 feet per day. During the progression up the mountain it is good practice
to hike to higher altitudes and return to lower camps for sleeping. ("Climb
high, sleep low.") |
| drink plenty of water |
During acclimatization to high altitude the human body needs to process
more water than normal. Consume enough water to keep urine clear, not yellow. |
| food consuption |
At high altitude most people are not able to eat and process enough food.
Force yourself to eat if necessary. Consensus is that a diet high in complex
carbohydrates works best. |
| avoid overstressing yourself |
Do not overextend yourself and become exhausted. Adjust clothing to avoid
becoming overchilled. Try to get plenty of sleep. |
| watch for symptons of AMS |
Typical symptoms of mild AMS(Acute Mountain Sickness) are headache, nausea,
sleeping problems, and fatigue. Symptoms of more advanced AMS are a headache
that does not respond to aspirin, vomiting, shortness of breath that is
not relieved upon resting, intense fatigue, loss of coordination, apathy,
and disorientation. |
High Altitude Mountaineering exposes climbers to the various
forms of altitude related illnesses, and safety issues. It also requires extensive training.
In addition to the hazards associated with all mountain and wilderness activities
are the unique hazards present on climbs of high mountains. High altitude almost
always makes for low temperatures, therefore frostbite and hypothermia are issues.
The dangers of becoming lost or exhausted are present, and the climber must
deal with hazards of technical climbing and crevasses. In remote mountains the
risk of an incident involving these hazards can be much worse since rescue help
may be very slow, unreliable, or totally unavailable.
There is much more to contending with high altitude mountain climbing safety
than can be covered on this web page, or in the news articles below. There are
many books dedicated to mountain-oriented safety available at most mountain
shops. Anyone seriously considering climbing to high altitudes should make an
effort to learn as much as they can, and consult with experts.
Altitude sickness (also: acute mountain sickness (AMS) or altitude illness)
is a pathological condition that is caused by lack of adaptation to high altitudes.
It commonly occurs above 2,440 metres (8,000 feet). The symptoms are headaches,
fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, unsteadiness and dizziness, loss of appetite,
insomnia, weakness and sometimes even seizures and coma.
Different people have different susceptibilities to altitude sickness. Diets
high in carbohydrates may make people suffering AMS feel better. The carbohydrates
seem to liberate more energy and oxygen compared to their lipid counterparts.
The most serious symptoms of altitude sickness are due to edema (fluid accumulation
in the tissues of the body). At very high altitude, humans can get either high-altitude
pulmonary edema (HAPE), or high altitude cerebral edema (HACE). These syndromes
are potentially fatal. The physiological cause of altitude-induced edema is
not conclusively established. For those suffering HAPE or HACE, dexamethasone
may provide temporary relief from symptoms in order to keep descending under
their own power.
HAPE occurs in ~2% of those who are adjusting to altitudes of ~10,000 feet
or more. It can be life threatening. Symptoms include fatigue, dyspnea, headache,
nausea, dry cough without phlegm, pulmonary edema, fluid retention in kidneys,
and rales. Descent to lower altitudes alleviates the symptoms of HAPE.
HACE is a life threatening condition that can lead to coma or death. It occurs
in about 1% of people adjusting to altitudes above 9,000 feet. Symptoms include
headache, fatigue, visual impairment, bladder dysfunction, bowel dysfunction,
loss of coordination, paralysis on one side of the body, confusion, and slowed
reflex response. Descent to lower altitudes may save those afflicted with HACE.
Safety concerns lead to new Yosemite permit system for Half Dome cable accessLos Angeles Times Feb 28 2010 2:43AM GMT
Sliding to safetySuburban Journals Feb 23 2010 11:59PM GMT
Climber Killed by Fall into Mount St. Helens' Crater<p><img src="http://z.about.com/d/climbing/1/0/5/A/-/-/JosephBohlig_Ecuador_PhScottSalkovics_2.jpg"hspace="5"align="center"></p>
<p>The body of a climber who plunged 1,500 feet into the crater of Mount St. Helens in Washington was recovered yesterday afternoon. On Monday afternoon, 52-year-old Joseph Bohlig, an experienced mountaineer had reached the summit of 8,365-foot (2,550 meter) Mount St. Helens for the 68th time with his usual climbing partner Scott Salkovics. Bohlig took off some clothes and his pack and then asked Scott to take some photographs of him on the crater rim.</p>
<p>Salkovics told news reporters that Bohlig told him to make sure that he got <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://climbing.about.com/od/usstatehighpoints/a/MtRainierFacts.htm">Mount Rainier</a> to the north in the photo. A second later the massive overhanging cornice or wind-blown snow shelf that Bohlig was standing on gave way, dropping him 1,500 feet down steep snow slopes in the crater.</p>
<p>Scott Salkovics, an Army Reserve helicopter pilot, recounted the event: "Boom, it busted off and I saw him clawing for the edge with a startled look on his face and then he disappeared. I was looking right at him, he was only 10 feet away." Salkovics, realizing there was nothing he could do, tossed Bohlig's parka, an emergency beacon, and food and water down the slope to his friend and contacted rescuers. The supplies, however, did not slide all the way down to Mr. Bohlig, essentially marooning him without a warm jacket.</p>
<p>Rescuers, including helicopters from the U.S. Geological Survey and the Coast Guard, attempted to reach Mr. Bohlig, who was still alive and blowing an emergency whistle. Deteriorating weather conditions, including wind, snow, and fog kept rescuers from reaching him, although one climbed 500 feet up steep snow slopes above the crater floor but he turned back because of rockfall. Bohlig apparently died during the night. His body was recovered on Tuesday afternoon by a Navy helicopter. The Skamania county coroner Peter Banks says an autopsy will not be performed since there was no foul play and it appears Mt. Bohlig died of injuries from the fall or from <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://climbing.about.com/od/dictionaryofclimbing/a/HypothermiaDef.htm">hypothermia</a>.</p>
<p>Cornices, unsupported overhanging shelves of snow, are one of the greatest dangers that mountaineers face in the high mountains. Cornices usually build up on leeward sides of slopes where the wind sweeps over a mountain ridge. The cornices on Mount St. Helens are large, overhanging the crater as much as 20 feet. Experienced climbers almost never venture onto cornices without first checking how much they overhang and without a rope. The <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/mount-st-helens/climbing-safety.shtml">Mount St. Helens National Monument website</a> warns climbers about cornices: "The crater rim is precipitous with drops of more than 1,000 feet to the crater floor. A snow cornice develops in winter and often lasts well into summer. <b>Take great care, as portions of the rim may be unstable year-round. Stay off the snow cornice!</b>"</p>
<p>Joseph Bohlig's accident is indeed tragic. The best climbing lesson to be learned is to always be alert and never get lulled into complacency. The mountains are harsh and bad things can happen to good people at any time. My condolences to his friends and family.</b></p>
<p><b>More About Mount St. Helens</b><br /></p>
<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/mount-st-helens/">Climbing at Mount St. Helens National Monument</a><br /><br />
<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/mount-st-helens/">Real-Time Mount St. Helens Volcano Cam</a></p>
<p>Photograph above: <i>Joseph Brolig, killed in a fall from the crater rim of Mount St. Helens, in happier times in Ecuador a few months ago.</i> Photograph courtesy Scott Salkovics</p>
<p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://climbing.about.com/b/2010/02/17/climber-killed-by-fall-into-mount-st-helens-crater.htm">Climber Killed by Fall into Mount St. Helens' Crater</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://climbing.about.com/">About.com Climbing</a> on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 15:23:11.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://climbing.about.com/b/2010/02/17/climber-killed-by-fall-into-mount-st-helens-crater.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://climbing.about.com/b/2010/02/17/climber-killed-by-fall-into-mount-st-helens-crater.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://climbing.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://climbing.about.com/b/2010/02/17/climber-killed-by-fall-into-mount-st-helens-crater.htm&zItl=Climber Killed by Fall into Mount St. Helens' Crater">Email this</a></p>
Rock Climbing How To -- Climbing Safety HarnessSuite101.com Feb 6 2010 7:21PM GMT
Health and safety in the workplaceUPublish.info Jan 23 2010 12:16AM GMT
Climbing SafetyTree Services Jan 16 2010 2:16PM GMT
Climber with Broken Leg Rescues Himself off Spanish Peak<p><img src="http://z.about.com/d/climbing/1/0/k/9/-/-/Mulhacen_Spain.jpg "hspace="5"align="center"></p>
<p>Climbers can be a pretty tough bunch, as 44-year-old British climber Sean Moore proved this past Sunday. Moore headed up to solo climb 11,243-foot (3,482-meter) Mulhacén, the highest mountain in continental Spain, in the Sierra Nevada above <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://gospain.about.com/od/granada/qt/granadapicindex.htm">Granada</a>.</p>
<p>While climbing, he fell and broke his leg and was marooned for two freezing nights below the snow-covered summit. When Moore failed to show up at the hotel in Pradallano on Sunday evening, his wife alerted authorities who sent out rescuers for two days in high winds and blowing snow. They failed to find Mr. Moore.</p>
<p>Meanwhile Sean Moore self-evacuated, dragging himself and his broken leg down the mountain. After stumbling into a bar, astonished locals alerted the Civil Guard. He was transported to Hospital Clinico in Granada and treated for his broken leg. A Civil Guard source said, "It's incredible that he survived two nights on the mountain. The conditions were horrendous."</p>
<p>They also warned, "We urge people never to go climbing alone, it's not a sensible thing to do." As if most climbers have that much sense anyway!</p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1241015/British-climber-broken-leg-survives-freezing-nights-snowy-mountain-hobbling-11-400-feet-safety.html?ITO=1490&#038;utm_source=feedburner&#038;utm_medium=feed&#038;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailymail%2Fworldnews+%28World+news+%7C+Mail+Online%29">Daily Mail Online</a>.</p>
<p><b>Facts about Mulhacén:</b><br /></p>
<ul>
<li>Elevation: 11,243-foot (3,482-meter)<br />
<li>Highest mountain in continental Spain and the Iberian Peninsula.<br />
<li>Third most prominent peak in Europe after <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://climbing.about.com/od/mountainclimbing/a/MontBlanc.htm">Mont Blanc</a> and Mount Etna and 64th most prominent peak in the world.<br />
<li>Named for Abu l-Hasan Ali or Muley Hacén, a 15th century Muslim King of Granada who is supposedly buried at the foot of the mountain.</p>
<p>Photograph above: <i>Mulhacén , the highest mountain in mainland Spain, was the scene of Sean Moore's successful self-rescue.</i> Photograph courtesy Andulsia.com</p>
<p style="background:#f5f3ef;border: 1px solid #d5d0bf;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://climbing.about.com/b/2010/01/07/climber-with-broken-leg-rescues-himself-off-spanish-peak.htm">Climber with Broken Leg Rescues Himself off Spanish Peak</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://climbing.about.com/">About.com Climbing</a> on Thursday, January 7th, 2010 at 00:03:35.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://climbing.about.com/b/2010/01/07/climber-with-broken-leg-rescues-himself-off-spanish-peak.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://climbing.about.com/b/2010/01/07/climber-with-broken-leg-rescues-himself-off-spanish-peak.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://climbing.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://climbing.about.com/b/2010/01/07/climber-with-broken-leg-rescues-himself-off-spanish-peak.htm&zItl=Climber with Broken Leg Rescues Himself off Spanish Peak">Email this</a></p>
British climber with broken leg survives two freezing nights on snowy mountain before hobbling down 11,400 feet to safetyMail Online UK Jan 6 2010 12:52PM GMT
Climbers should be responsible for safetyStatesman Journal Dec 29 2009 11:46AM GMT
Kerry Mountain Rescue issue Christmas safety pleaKerryman Dec 26 2009 12:22AM GMT
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