Glacier Travel

Rob Jagnow

What makes glacier travel different from above-treeline

travel?…

Crevasses!

Anatomy of a

Glacier

MoatMoat

BergschrundBergschrund

Firn line

Firn line

Terminus

Terminus

Terminal moraine

Terminal moraine

Medial Moraine

Medial Moraine

Lat

eral

Mor

aine

Lat

eral

Mor

aine

Gear• Everything for above treeline

travel, plus…

• Rope

• Harness

• Helmet

• Prusiks

• Anchors

• Slings

• Belay device

• Carabiners

• Wands

Roping Up

Route Finding

• Avoid Likely Crevasse Locations

• Avoid Potential Pendulum Falls (keep the rope perpendicular to crevasses)

• Wand you way

• Probe camp area

• Belay climbers in an out of camp

Oops!

Rescue Options

• Self Rescue

• Team Rescue

Self Rescue

• Drop Backpack (2-to-1 advantage)

• Prusik up rope

Team Rescue

• Set anchor– Snow picket– Fluke– Deadman– Bollard

• Self-belay to edge• Check on climber• Pad lip

Team Rescue

• Brute Force (Only with lots of haulers)

• Single Pulley (2-to-1 advantage)

• Z-Pulley (3-to-1 advantage)

• Other systems (x-to-1 advantage)

Single Pulley

Z-Pulley

End