Crossing Snow - Ice Axe Self-Arrest - CleverHiker.com

• published: 16 Apr 2015
• views: 59

Visit http://www.CleverHiker.com for more trail videos and recommendations on the best backpacking gear. It’s very common for spring and summer hikers to encounter snowfields before they have a chance to melt, especially in higher elevations. Knowing how to cross them safely will be the difference between having a successful adventure and either risking a terrible fall or turning around to head back home early. When you first come across snow on the trail, it’s important to examine it to see what type of snow you’re going to be walking across. When traversing a steep snow slope, it’s critical to consider what would happen if you slipped. The snow might be soft and level enough for you to stop yourself by digging your knees, feet, and elbows in. But if it’s not, you will pick up speed very quickly until the either slope evens out or something below, like a cliff, jagged rocks, or a tree, breaks your fall. If you ever have any uncertainty about being able to stop yourself from sliding, you should carry an ice axe and be confident in your ability to self-arrest. An ice axe has many uses, but it is primarily a safety tool for helping you stop an unexpected fall down a slope, which is called making a self-arrest. Learning how to properly self-arrest is a life-saving skill that will take lots of practice to master, but learning the basics is easy. Because being able to self-arrest is such a critical skill, I highly recommend taking a snow skills class so you can practice it repeatedly in a safe learning environment with experts to help give you feedback. When carrying an ice axe on a snow slope, always hold the axe in your uphill hand with your thumb under the adze and the pick of the axe pointing backwards. It’s also very important to have a good grip on your ice axe at all times. Your ice axe is your lifeline and dropping it could be disastrous, so hold on tight. If you do slip down the slope, it will be important to assume the proper self-arrest position and stop your slide as quickly as possible. In the self-arrest position, you’ll bring the ice axe to your chest diagonally across your body with one hand on top of the axe with the pick facing out at shoulder level and your other hand down the shaft on the other side. Keep your arms tucked into your sides and a very firm grip on the axe. Once you’re in the proper arrest position with your axe contacting the snow and your feet facing down slope, put as much pressure on the pick of the axe as possible to stop your slide. Arch your back, keep your knees wide, lift your feet up, and keep your stomach off the snow. In this position you’ll be able to put the bulk of your weight on the pick. It’s very important to keep your feet up until you slow your slide. If you try to dig your feet in, you might send yourself into a cartwheel down the slope. This is especially important if you’re wearing crampons or traction devices on your feet, which could catch and cause you a serious leg injury. Falling down the slope on your stomach with your feet facing downhill will make it easy to self-arrest, but in an actual slip, you body could be in any number of different positions. That’s why it’s important to practice getting to the proper self-arrest technique from a variety of different falling positions, including being on your back and upside down. The most common four positions you could find yourself in are with your head uphill or downhill, and either on your back or your stomach. In any slide position, the main goal is to reorient yourself to the basic self-arrest position as quickly as possible. It’s also important to know that the self-arrest technique is an absolutely critical skill that could safe your life, but it’s not fail proof. It can be nearly impossible to stop yourself if the slope is too steep and slippery or if you get going too fast before you can self-arrest. That’ why using sound judgment, balanced footwork, and having confident skills on snow will help you to avoid falling in the first place, which is a much better goal. Before you head out on an early season trip, make sure to check on snow conditions so you know what to expect and can bring the right equipment. Remember that snow slopes will be easier to cross after they’ve have warmed up and don’t hesitate to turn around if the consequences of a fall are too dangerous. It’s always better to be practiced, confident, and safe than to take unnecessary risks that could put you or your group in danger.