Found a good "Mountain Survival" link? Let Us Know!

Rope Management and Knots, from Military Mountaineering [FM 3-97c4] The rope is a vital piece of equipment to the mountaineer. When climbing, rappelling, or building various installations, the mountaineer must know how to properly utilize and maintain this piece of equipment. If the rope is not managed or maintained properly, serious injury may occur. This chapter discusses common rope terminology, management techniques, care and maintenance procedures, and knots.

KNOTS: A knowledge of knots has saved many a life in storm and wreck, and if everyone knew how to tie a knot quickly and securely there would be fewer casualties in hotel and similar fires where a false knot in the fire escape rope has slipped at the critical moment and plunged the victim to the ground. Many an accident has occurred through a knot or splice being improperly formed. Even in tying or roping a trunk, few people tie a knot that is secure and quickly made and yet readily undone.

The Quaking Aspens by Paul J. Van Horn In September and October, many people flock to the high country of Colorado and other western states to view the beautiful colors of the changing leaves. The chief attraction for this pilgrimage are the vast groves of quaking aspen trees, whose oranges and brilliant yellows light up the mountains. In this case though, beauty is far more than skin deep. Aspen trees offer much more than visual appeal to the backcountry traveler. Food, medicine, and materials for a host of different tools can be found in great abundance in these forests. (pdf) [Link recovered 4/12/11 - now hosted on site!]

FM 3-97.61 Military Mountaineering This field manual details techniques soldiers and leaders must know to cope with mountainous terrain. These techniques are the foundation upon which the mountaineer must build. They must be applied to the various situations encountered to include river crossings, glaciers, snow-covered mountains, ice climbing, rock climbing, and urban vertical environments. The degree to which this training is applied must be varied to conform to known enemy doctrine, tactics, and actions. This FM also discusses basic and advanced techniques to include acclimatization, illness and injury, equipment, anchors, evacuation, movement on glaciers, and training.

Snow Sense. by J. Fredston and D. Fesler How to deal with travel in avalanche terrain.

Tech Tips - Building Snow Shelters. by H. Weiss. An overview of snow shelters.

Mountain (Altitude) Sickness To people unfamiliar with altitude and its effects on the human body, a trip from sea level to 3048mtrs (10,000 feet) may seem like no big deal. Many people can make this change without feeling ill effects, or may have only minor symptoms. However, others acclimatize more slowly and may become extremely ill.

Illustrated Glossary of Alpine Glacial Landforms This module presents basic definitions and examples of common alpine glacial landforms discussed in introductory level university physical geography, geology and earth science courses. Examples are provided as photographs with accompanying topographic maps. The module provides short descriptions of the landforms and identifying features to look for. The combination of photographs and topographic maps should enable users to identify other examples of these features either in photographs, on topographic maps, or in real life. Following the Illustrated Glossary, is an exercise on alpine glacial landform identification so that students may apply what they have learned from reading the glossary.

SURVIVAL BLANKET MODIFICATION And a modification you should immediately make to a thermal pocket blanket (when you purchase it), is to place some pieces of "duct tape" on the corners and also along the sides.

Homemade Equipment The original file for these low-cost equipment/ideas/fixes for Scouting and camping in general was originally found on a F-Net Scouting board and was reposted on Fidonet on Nov 11/92 by Steve Simmons. The file evidently originated with BSA Troop 886 in the USA.

Carabiner Basics By Steve Howe, Rocky Mountain Editor, August 2000. If I had to pick, I'd take a carabiner instead of a pocketknife when I hike. That's right, climber's hardware instead of a knife. I can always tear the bread and burn cord in half with a lighter, but how can I attach things? How am I going to make a pulley? Those versatile climber's snap-links-now there's an essential you can use to...

Choosing climbing harness A harness links you to your climbing rope, so it's important to be an informed shopper. It should fit your body shape for comfort and safety, and be designed to meet the needs of your climbing style. REI offers harnesses for alpine, big wall and competition climbing as well as general-purpose crag climbing. Construction varies among these categories to meet your specific needs. Women's and children's harnesses, for example, have special fit characteristics. 

Can a GPS Replace a Compass? When you want to know which direction you are facing–an important piece of knowledge–you must have a compass...

HYPOTHERMIA IN THE MOUNTAINS Hypothermia causes a widespread decrease in the body’s core temperature which impairs intellectual, muscular and cardiac functions. In mountaineers and walkers it can strike two sets of people. Firstly, those who are experienced and have suitable equipment who are caught out by bad weather at high altitude and secondly, those people who venture onto the hills ill-equipped to cope with the changeable conditions. This section will look at how hypothermia can be treated in a mountaineering situation where evacuation is not possible e.g. at high altitude advanced base camps. See also: FROSTBITE

THE ROLE OF THE DOCTOR IN MOUNTAIN SURVIVAL AND HIGH ALTITUDE EXPEDITIONS On the expedition a whole variety of problems will undoubtedly be encountered (see table 1) so it is important to have an extensive medical kit (see table 2).

Conditions at high altitude Today, despite advances in the field of high altitude medicine, there is significant morbidity and mortality due to high altitude. The primary cause of these problems is a shortage of oxygen available, or hypoxia. See also: The acclimatization process, Acute mountain sickness, High Altitude Pulmonary Edema, and High Altitude Cerebral Edema

Nutrition at altitude On embarking on an expedition to high altitude it is obvious why some weight loss may be expected. Increased physical exertion such as walking in and carrying heavy loads may lead to weight loss if care is not taken to ensure adequate nutrition. However the weight losses seen at altitude would indicate that some other factors come into play. Ascent would appear to be marked by anorexia and increased BMR. Increased effort accompanied by decreased food intake will inevitably result in weight loss.

Quinzee (Part 1) aka - Snow Cave By: Trigger Being able to find shelter or to make your own shelter can mean the difference between life or death in a survival situation. During winter or in nasty cold environments, shelter becomes a necessity to survive as it will protect you from the elements. Many articles have been written on this subject: from the Alpha Tent to the debris huts. These make great shelters, but when it gets -30 or -40 degrees they just don't cut it anymore.

Snow Trenches (Part 2) By: Trigger In the first part of this series of expedient snow shelters we talked about how to build a quinzee also known as a snow cave. As was mentioned in the first part, being able to make a shelter can mean the difference between life or death, especially in nasty cold environments. Depending on the circumstances, quinzees might not be the best shelter to build as it requires quite a bit of snow and several hours to build. As a matter of  fact it took my buddy and me just over two and a half hours from start to finish to build the quinzee in the first article. Whether it may be lack of time or just physically impossible to build a quinzee, many other types of snow shelters can be built. In this article we'll be covering how to build a snow trench.

Learn to Self Arrest A self-arrest allows a climber to prevent a slip on snow or ice from turning into an uncontrolled slide. While moving uphill, the climber should hold his/her axe firmly in the uphill hand, with the spike pointing into the surface. The pick at the top of the axe should be pointing behind the climber.

Dig a Snow Cave A snow cave can mean the difference between life and death during a storm, but digging one requires not just know-how but the right conditions: deep snow, a steep slope, and snow of the right consistency for digging.

Build an Igloo Igloos can withstand hurricane force winds. Start with a base area, packed down by stamping out the area with your feet. In a work area nearby, a second person should begin harvesting blocks about 2.5 feet wide, 1.5 feet high, and .5 feet deep.

Crevasse Rescue When a climber falls into a crevasse his/her partners must immediately move into self-arrest positions to prevent the climber from falling any deeper into the crevasse.

OA Guide Winter Camping - with detailed equipment list

OA Guide to Belaying Rock Climbing is an inherently dangerous activity. The information provided here is designed for educational use only and is not a substitute for specific training or experience.

OA Guide to High Altitude Illnesses and Injuries This paper is prepared to provide basic information about altitude illnesses for the lay person. Medical research on high altitude illnesses is always expanding our knowledge of the causes and treatment. When going to altitude it is your responsibility to learn the latest information.

Snow-Forecast.com has daily snowfall and temperature forecasts for the worlds mountainous regions for periods ranging from 6 hours to 72 hours

There's Weather Out There What to do when you get caught in it. READ THIS ARTICLE!

Knots Landing! 20 Different knots - Click on a knot and you will get an illustrated tutorial on how to tie it and the usage for each knot. Memorize all of this information.

Knot Enough Knots? Then try this page for an endless assortment! Good rope links, too.

Nature itself provides many clues to the potential of avalanches. We refer to these as Nature's Billboards - Do not ignore them. They are nature's way of telling you when conditions are unstable.

Remember: Weather is the architect of avalanches. Coastal, Columbia and Rocky Mountain weather conditions and snowpacks vary greatly, knowledge of one area does not necessarily work in another

ROUTE FINDING IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN ~ By Dale G. Gallagher: When traveling in back country during the winter, for work or pleasure, you must find a route that is safe from avalanches. If you are away from ski areas or highways, you must determine the current avalanche hazard. You also need to keep foremost in your mind that, when you are in the back country, help will undoubtedly be several hours away. In winter emergencies, minutes are often the difference between survival and death. (pdf) [Link recovered 4/12/11 - now hosted on site!]

The Avalanche Danger Scale The Danger Scale is used by the Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center and other avalanche centers in the United States. Except for minor changes in terminology it is also used in Canada and Europe. (pdf) [Link recovered 4/12/11 - now hosted on site!]

Survival In Bosnia. This guide is designed to help unit leaders accomplish the mission by providing information on how to sustain soldiers' health and fitness while deployed to the Former Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). It provides an aid to identify anticipated health hazards and describes some actions which can be taken to minimize the effects of these hazards. Because it is designed to meet the needs of non-medical units, it does not provide detailed medical information. [Link updated 4/12/11]

Ecological Processes in the Timberline Ecotone. (c)1996 by Harry White. Permission to freely distribute and reproduce the intact document. Kind of interesting. Worth a read. (pdf) [Link recovered 4/12/11 - now hosted on site!]

"Climbing Movement" Excerpt from the NOLS Wilderness Mountaineering book - with short article on handling fear and moving on steep icy terrain.

"Rope Systems: A Progression" Excerpt from the NOLS Wilderness Mountaineering (Phil Powers) book - covering Free Soloing, Glacier Travel, The Running Belay, Fixed Lines, etc. Good read, but sometimes technical.

Links to knot tying pages Weed it out for me folks! I browsed a couple but can't handle them all!

"FM 5-125: Rigging Techniques, Procedures & Applications" [PDF] The Complete FM 5-125 Rigging US Army field manual. Still a work in progress, but what a work! Huge, informative, detailed, and written for Army grunts to understand (I were one, so I can yak!).

"The Expedition Rescue Guide" by Gavin Lowe. The Guide describes self-rescue techniques for a caving expedition, precautions, and gear lists included. Should have some value for mountaineers, as well.

Rope Designation There are three main rope techniques used in climbing today: single, double and twin rope. All have different uses, some overlapping, some not. This article briefly explains them all. 

Care of Climbing Ropes From the moment you uncoil your new rope the process of deterioration starts. Independent tests (note 2) have shown that a rope stored from new, preferably in the cool and dark, will retain its performance for up to eight years (although this figure should be treated with caution). It is important to note that if a rope is used only once with no falls occurring and then put back in storage, deterioration will have started.

Climbing Technique: The lizard Next time you see a lizard climbing up a wall, check its technique carefully: It always uses opposing legs to force its body upwards - push left, pull right; this creates an axis that can be drawn diagonally through its body which allows it to freely move its right "foot" and left "hand" upwards against the wall.

Survival Of The Fittest Wish you could leap tall mountains in a single bound? Here’s an exercise program designed for backpackers. By Therese Iknoian, April 200.

EDIBILITY TEST FOR FOOD For possible and/or suspect food sources.

Mountaineers essentials recommended by experts of all types.

Mountain Survival home made fire starting kits Here's four quick and easy ways of making homemade firestarters.

Start a Knee Routine By Jesse Wilson, ACSM Certified Personal Trainer. The first thing to do with a knee injury is to figure out how badly you've been hurt. If there is only the twinge of pain and a little bit of discomfort and swelling, consider yourself lucky. You may only have a grade one sprain. But if there was a "pop" and the knee is swelling, you've probably got a grade 2 or possibly grade 3 sprain. What should you do next? Tom Harrer is a licensed physical therapist, professor at the University of Hawaii and a former-professional beach volleyball player. As you can imagine, Tom's no stranger to knee injuries. He says that it's important to understand your options.

Emergency Pulley Systems Mechanical pulley system will be very important in a survival situation. With them you can increase your power in moving large items, building shelters and building traps for food and protection. This article shows how to construct a crude pulley system using a climbing Jumar and a Petzel Device.

Take Lightning Seriously! If you feel your hair stand up, this indicates that a strike in about to happen near you. READ THIS ARTICLE!

Make a snow shelter & Make emergency snowshoes Pretty good article

How to Sleep and Survive Outdoors in the Winter. If possible try to find a site protected and out of the wind. Dig a trench in the earth the length of your torso (hip to shoulder), making it a foot wide and eight inches deep. Line the bottom with rocks…

The Attitude of Survival A brief guide to the mental side of dealing with unexpected survival situations

FM 3-25.26 Map Reading and Land Navigation. 20 July 2001.

FM 3-97.6 Mountain Operations. 28 November 2000.

FM 8-10-6 Medical Evacuation in a Theater of Operations Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures. 14 April 2000.

FM 21-76 Survival. 05 June 1992. DA Form 2028 Recommended Changes to Publications and Blank Forms. 01 February 1974. DA Form 5752-R Rope History and Usage. May 1989. CTA 50-900 Clothing and Individual Equipment. 01 September 1994.

GTA 05-08-012 Individual Safety Card. 25 February 1999.

STP 21-1-SMCT Soldier's Manual of Common Tasks, Skill Level 1. 01 October 2001.

STP 21-24-SMCT Soldier's Manual of Common Tasks, Skill Levels 2—4. 01 October 2001. USAF TO 00-75-5 Use, Inspection and Maintenance Stokes Rescue Litters. 01 April 1979.

Please Read The Website Disclaimer!
Copyright 1986-2012, The Survival & Self-Reliance Studies Institute (SSRsi), All Rights Reserved
Site conceptualized, designed, created & maintained by MEG Raven
Snail Mail: SSRsi, PO Box 2572 Dillon, CO. 80435-2572

Page updated
4/12/11