Crevasse Rescue on Skis

A one-day crevasse rescue course for ski tourers and freeriders who travel on glaciers, run on the glaciated terrain above Punta Helbronner in the Mont Blanc massif. Rescue on skis is a different problem to rescue on foot: you are on a light rope with a light rack, your victim is hanging with skis and a pack still attached, and the snow you have to build an anchor in is rarely as good as you want. We work with the kit you actually carry on a tour, not a full alpine rack, and finish the day on full scenarios. Outline: Roping up and running a ski rope team, arresting and reacting to a fall with skis on, securing the victim and building snow anchors, self-extraction and hauling systems, and managing the victim's skis and pack during the rescue. Full syllabus below. Who it's for: You need to be a competent off piste skier or rider, able to ski a glacier in variable and breakable snow with a touring pack on, and you should have done some ski touring before. No prior rope experience is required, but you must be willing to work with cold hands in a high, exposed environment. We are above 3000m all day, so come acclimatised enough for light work at altitude, and expect roughly 4 to 5h on the glacier plus rope work.

• Touring skis with skins or a splitboard, and boots to suit

• ski crampons

• climbing harness and helmet

• transceiver, probe and shovel

• rucksack 30 to 40 L

• waterproof jacket and trousers

• warm midlayer

• insulated jacket

• two pairs of gloves with one thin pair for rope handling

• hat

• sunglasses and goggles

• high factor sun cream and lip balm

• packed lunch and a hot drink

• charged phone

• personal first aid kit