High Altitude Mountaineering Section
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| Volume 8 Number 5 |
Newsletter of the High Altitude Mountaineering Section |
November 1996 |
Follow in the footsteps of Frank Smythe, famous British mountaineer, on a tour of Austria's Alps. In 1935, Smythe traversed the Austrian Alps from Bludenz to Zell am Zee. The book Over Tyrolese Hills described his climbs from the Silvretta to the Venedigergruppe. John Wallack will present an Austrian alpine sampler of these five glaciated areas which include the Silvretta Gruppe, Ötztal, Stubai Tal, Zillertal and the Venedigergruppe. These areas offer an interesting combination of snow-clad peaks, alpine huts, green valleys and friendly towns. The peaks visited will include the Dreiländerspitze (3107m), Wildspitze (3774m), Similaun (3602m), Wilder Freiger (3418m), Zuckerhütl (3507m), Hochfeiler (3510m) and Großer Löffler (3370m).
Join John Wallack for a slide show of these areas.
November HAMS Program
Colorado School of Mines - Green Center
924 16th St., Golden
(10 blocks south, 2 blocks east of AMC)
Public invited, no admission fee
The EXCOM of HAMS met on September 12, 1996. The following is a summary of topics and events discussed:
* Schools. Ken Yarcho will join existing director Terry Root in running the High Altitude Mountaineering School for this year. (see News Briefs) Terry Root proposed a new summer edition to the HAMS school. The content would remain essentially the same as the local winter version of the school, but would be scheduled as a single trip to Mt. Athebasca in the Canadian Rockies. While the logistics of travelling and blocking the time may be more restrictive for some, the Columbia Icefield would provide a more realistic training environment. Paul Wilson is organizing the next Crampon Seminar (See details)
* Expeditions. Jim Rickard presented a draft of the High Altitude Mountaineering Section Leadership Handbook. While the document should be considered a "working document" it contains a wealth of information and is currently available to HAMS trip leaders. Trips being planned are Mexican Volcanoes (November '96 FULL), Grand Canyon (May '97), Bolivia (June '97 FULL), and Elbrus (August 97).
* Research. For your planning of high altitude climbs. HAMS research has developed a list of mountains members have climbed. The list presently contains 186 entries from Everest to Zucherhutl. If you want a copy of the list send a self-addressed business envelope with $1 enclosed to Paul Wilson 39574 WCR 33, Ault Co., 80610. Please state how you want the list sorted. You get two sorts for your dollar. The options are: climbers last name, country of mountain, name of mountain, or elevation of mountain. The list will have the climbers last known phone number. If you have not responded to our survey send the info to Paul for inclusion into the list.
* Section News. Linda Griffith has taken over as the HAMS secretary/treasurer. Many thanks go to Kay Miller for the great job she has done for the last two terms!
is the newsletter of the High Altitude Mountaineering Section,
published five times annually.
Newsletter Committee: John
and Kris Wallack, Linda Grey, Terry Root
SUBMISSIONS ARE WELCOME!
Send submissions to the CMC clubrooms, 710
10th Street #200 Golden, Co. 80401. Our job is easier if you put it on a disk
in any common DOS/Windows format and include a hard copy. But feel free to type
or handwrite if you wish, make sure it's legible.
Next Thin Air Deadline : December 12, 1996
exists to promote an interest and awareness in expedition mountaineering
within the Colorado Mountain Club.Dues are $7 annually.
Chairman Ward Hobert
Past Chairman Steve Bonowski
Secretary/Treasurer Linda Griffith
Programs Committee Beth Schlichter*
Jennifer Sears
School Director Terry Root/Ken Yarcho
Social Keith Jensen
Newsletter Committee John/Kris Wallack*
Terry Root
Linda Grey
Publicity Andy White
Data Processing Paula Engel
Equipment Committee Ken Yarcho*
Craig Patterson
Expeditions Jim Rickard
Research Paul Wilson
Denver Group Council Liaison Ginger Ellis
* = Committee Chair
Congratulations to Amy Steele and Andy White for completing their requirements for graduating from the 1996 HAMS School, bringing to fifteen the number of total grads for last year.
Ken Yarcho will join existing director Terry Root in running the High Altitude Mountaineering School for this year. Ken is excellently qualified in having had several years connection with the school, first as a student, assistant instructor and then a senior instructor. He has considerable expedition experience on Denali, Aconcagua and the Mexican Volcanoes and has run the HAMS Rim to Rim to Rim death march the last couple of years. An ex-Marine and solidly built, Ken is perfectly capable of bashing a few heads of unruly students together. He will continue in his present role of Equipment Coordinator for HAMS as well. Yarcho will probably handle most of the duties for the winter edition of the school this year and Root will look after the fledgling summer edition.
Despite a tuition increase and scrambling for venue locations, this year's HAMS Seminar attracted 58 people for its opening night, according to HAMS Chair, Ward Hobert. Because of ungoing destruction and construction at the AMC, HAMS will use both the Green Center on the Colorado School of Mines campus and the Table Mountain Inn in Golden for the remainder of the seminar.
It is with shock and sadness that we report the death of Jim Carlock of Niwot. He died in town nearly instantly of an apparent heart defect. In the last two years, Jim has been a fixture on several HAMS trips, climbing in Mexico, Canada and most recently, summiting Aconcagua. A fine climber and a terrific teammate, he was as excited about the prospect of climbing with us again as we were with him. Those climbs won't be the same without him.
Southeast Asia's tallest mountain, Khakaborazi, is located in northern Burma between the borders of India and China. It has been reported that the 19,296 foot summit was climbed for the first time on October, 1996. Takashai Ozaki of Japan and Nama Johnson of Burma reached the snowcapped summit at 3:12 PM.
On August 24th, a freak snowstorm and heavy rains left at least 113 people dead near Pahalgam, India. Thousands of Hindu pilgrims were stranded in the Himalayas as they were trekking to a mountain cave to worship an ice idol of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction. Freezing rain and snow covered lower slopes with ice and thwarted rescue attempts. It was hoped a rescue team bringing tents, blankets, warm clothes and medical supplies could reach the pilgrims within a day.
Sign ups for the 97 Tour de Grand Canyon (May 15-18) begin on December 1, 1996. For information and/or an application, please call Ken Yarcho at (303) 985-9301. Please call before 9:00 PM. There will be a limit of 15 people for this year's trip.
In July of 1995 when traveling by United Airlines, the HAMS group headed to Seattle to climb Mt. Rainier had their empty fuel bottles confiscated. (They were given their bottles back when passing back through the airport on the return trip.)Flammable liquids and compressed gasses are considered hazardous materials and, therefore, transport in commercial passenger aircraft is regulated by the FAA. However, airlines are allowed to set their own, more stringent rules. Most airlines do have their own rules and there is a significant amount of variation.
Compressed gas cartridges are not allowed by any airline. The following are rules regarding liquid fuel stoves and fuel bottles as of 10/95:
| Airline | Stove | Fuel Bottle* |
| Alaska | OK if purged** | OK if purged |
| American | OK if new*** | OK if new |
| Canadian | OK if new | OK if new |
| Continental | OK if new | OK if new |
| Delta/Valuejet | OK if purged | OK if purged |
| Northwest | OK if new | OK if new |
| Southwest | OK if new | OK if new |
| TWA | OK if purged | OK if purged |
| United | OK if purged | OK if new |
| US Air | OK if purged | OK if purged |
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*Fuel bottle rules apply to stoves with integral fuel tanks **To purge: empty of fuel and leave in the sun or a warm location with plenty of ventilation long enough to evaporate all residual fuel. ***New means that it has never had fuel in it. |
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These rules may have changed in the last year and you may find that they are not uniformly applied. If traveling by air you should check with the airline ahead of time. When discussing the matter with an agent at the airport do not argue about the rules; most airlines grant final authority to the inspecting agent. For purged items lack of odor is a good indication that it has been well purged, is not a fire hazard and should be reassuring to the inspecting agent.
I have heard suggestions of purging fuel bottles and filling them with water so that they are water bottles, not fuel bottles; and disassembling stoves so that they are not stoves but merely a collection of parts; some parts can even be transported submerged in water inside a plastic bottle. I do not know how these approaches are viewed by the airlines. Violation of the airlines' hazardous materials rules could result in a $25,000 fine.
Information presented here is from Backpacker Sept '95 p. 19 and Sept. '96 p. 20; Rock and Ice vol. 72, Mar/Apr '96 p. 117; and fact sheet from American Hiking Society, P.O. Box 20160, Washington, DC 20041- 2160, (703)255-9304 or amhiker@aol.com.
The highest peak in Europe is our goal on this second HAMS trip to the spectacular Caucasus Mountains, forming the natural border between Russia and Georgia. Mt. Elbrus (18,541') offers strenuous, but not difficult, climbing that requires basic knowledge of crampons, ice axe and perhaps roped team travel. We'll climb on the "normal tourist route" from Baksan to Priut (Hut) located at approximately 13,800'. From here, we'll summit, with extra days allotted for acclimating and weather. There will be opportunities for sightseeing in St. Petersburg, learning about various ethnic groups of the region and interacting with climbers from around the world.
The cost of $2,750 may vary depending on final airfare and number of participants. The fee includes airfare, ground transport, lodging, group food, climbing fees, group equipment and a CMC outing fee. Up to 12 participants will be accepted, not including leader and guide. Participants should have recent BMS experience, including crampon training; possess a Denver Group "D" classification or have equivalent experience; have glacier travel experience; and be able to attend all team meetings and training exercises.
The team will be led by Steve Bonowski of the Denver Group. Steve was the co-leader of the 1994 HAMS trip to Elbrus and has participated in several other high altitude climbs. He will be assisted by Mike Shifman from Kansas City, who has climbed extensively in the Elbrus region. To obtain a trip application, itinerary and equipment list, contact Steve at 303/914-8255 or write to him at P.O. Box 280286, Lakewood, CO 80228-0286. The team will be assembled in late February. At that time, a $200 non-refundable deposit made out to CMC-Elbrus Trip will be required.
Climb Broad Peak! At 8047 meters Broad Peak is the 12th highest mountain on earth. Situated across the valley from K2, Broad Peak has the most spectacular summit view on earth. This trip is scheduled for June 15 through August 10, 1997.Trekkers to Base Camp are also welcome. For information call Thor at Condor Adventures 303/456-1439.
In May of 1997 a team of dedicated climbers will attempt the Southwest Ridge of Gasherbrum II (8035m/26355'). G2, in the Karakoram of Pakistan, is one of the fourteen 8000 meter peaks of the Greater Himalaya.The goal of the Expedition is to raise awareness of cancer and to secure funds for the CU Cancer Research Foundation in Denver and the Islamic Cancer Foundation in Pakistan. The money raised in Colorado will go directly to the Division of Medical Oncology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center to support basic and clinical cancer research.
The Expedition is based in Boulder, and is led by Fred Barth, expedition leader, Gary Neptune, owner of Neptune Mountaineering, and Stan Havlick, co-founder of the CU Cancer Research Foundation and an inductee in the Special Olympics Hall of Fame. Other team members include: Bob Ader, with over 200 ascents in the western U.S.; John Goggin, Former Director of the CMC Boulder Mountaineering School and currently Coordinator of the Boulder Group ice climbing program; Eric Havlick, Aconcagua summitteer with Denali experience; Gerry Roach, second man to climb the Seven Summits (the first without guides); Clyde Soles, Product Editor for Rock & Ice Magazine; and Kevin Volz, manager of Eastern Mountain Sports in Boulder.
There are four opportunities for you to participate:
* The first is as a trekker, traveling with the team to basecamp. This trek will journey from Skardu along the Karakoram Highway, then follow the Baltoro Glacier to Concordia, and finally follow the Abruzzi Glacier to basecamp. (A return to Skardu via a different route is being investigated.) We will pass Mustagh Tower, the Trango group, K2, and Broad Peak. There may also be a chance to climb a 20,000' trekking peak. This is a 30 day adventure, starting in mid-May, with an all-inclusive cost of approximately $4500, a portion of which will directly benefit the Foundation. If interested, please contact John Goggin at (303)499-1640 or alpinist@worldnet.att.net .
* Other opportunities to participate are by contributions made in two different ways. The team can be supported by sending a check to:
Hands-of-Hope, International
1945 Vassar Circle
Boulder, CO 80303
These funds will be used to offset the costs of food and equipment. Contributions in excess of costs will be presented to the Foundation.
* Alternatively, a direct, tax deductible contribution may be made to the Foundation by sending to:
The CU Cancer Research Foundation
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Campus Box A-065
4200 East 99th Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80262
* Finally, you can attend our First Annual "Fourteener Plus Club", a benefit event for the Foundation and the Expedition, including a buffet, dancing, and a slide show by Tom Hornbein, (1st ascent of West Ridge and 1st traverse of Everest in 1963). Plus, a drawing for outdoor gear. Admission of $18 includes buffet and drinks. Tickets are available at all Eastern Mountain Sports, all REI, Neptune Mountaineering, or by mail: CU Cancer Research Foundation, 5350 Manhattan #103, Boulder, CO 80303 (checks payable to Hands of Hope, International). Tickets will not be available at the event. For further info, contact Gary Neptune (303)499-8866 or Stan Havlick (303)499- 6008.
Fourteener Plus Club, a benefit event
Monday, Feb. 3, 1997; 7 p.m.
Glen Miller Ballroom on CU Boulder Campus
Upon joining the CMC in the winter of 1981, I began using snowshoes almost immediately and took an instant liking to snowshoeing fun and convenience. It was effective, easy and I was in control. In short, it was the most pleasing form of winter exercise I could experience.While snowshoeing to many spectacular destinations, I had discovered that an uncoordinated individual such as myself could ambulate through the deepest of the white stuff. I could really get a great workout, and have fun to boot. As my interests evolved, I used snowshoes exclusively as my mode of travel to reach the peaks I desired to climb in winter.
Oh, I had tried cross-country skiing several times and made the vital comparisons. On one occasion, while lying splattered against a tree, face down in the snow, with skis akimbo, I intuitively decided that I preferred snowshoeing to skiing. Snowshoes are maintenance free- no wax required. They can be donned and removed with ease and speed, and can be carried on a backpack without problem. I realized that wouldn't move as quickly on those downhill runs, but since I wasn't a speed freak anyway, this was not a concern. Polling my mountaineering friends led me to realize that snowshoes are a good alternative to using skis.
Although not as glamorous as skiing, snowshoeing popularity is definitely on the rise. One need only look over the wide variation in snowshoe sizes, functions and features to realize that this mode of snow travel has advanced leagues since the days of the bearpaw shoe and wooden frames with leather straps. Today's equipment is a veritable finery of neoprene bindings, aircraft aluminum frames and lightweight crampons which are almost indestructible. In fact, several of the newer snowshoe styles sport not just one set of crampons but two, in order to add to one's stability when crossing angled slopes. The binding attachments have also come a long way. They can be tightened and will stay put without slips or breakage, using toe clips and side clips for adjustment to all sizes and shapes of foot gear.
Snowshoes come in sizes to match up with every type of wearer. The petite, 90 pound woman will find a suitable snowshoe, as will the 250 pound man. Whatever you like to do for winter sport can be accommodated by some type of snowshoe. Snowshoe racing now has equipment specifically designed for this event, giving this old sport a new dimension. Wow, these new fangled snowshoes even look cool! Designer colors of teal and pink and attractive logos add pizzazz. Personally, I moved up to black bindings with matching lacings last year, giving my old sport some sex appeal.
Choosing the best snowshoe for yourself involves some self-examination. What kinds of activities will you be selecting this winter? Are they even tougher and more strenuous than last winter? Do you plan to explore the high peaks or do you prefer the deep powder of twisting creek beds and valley bottoms? Will your outings be day trips or multi-day backpacks? What is your weight and height? Is your backpack light or a heavy "mondo" pack? Can you carry extra weight on your feet or must you have a lightweight pair only? And speaking of feet, think about your winter footgear. Many climbers use plastic boots, while others stick with leathers or Sorrel boots. These are all worthy of consideration when planning a snowshoe purchase.
No doubt, snowshoeing has evolved dramatically. Presently there are at least five brand names from which to select. Within these brand names are several categories from which to chose. You may become partial to one brand as I have done. I have used this same brand for fifteen years, upgrading and improving as my skills and requirements dictated. If you are a complete neophyte and have never before worn or purchased a pair of snowshoes, it would be prudent to shop around at several mountaineering stores before plunking down your money. Demo the snowshoes at first. Many shops have "try and buy" plans to help you decide. Weekend rentals are inexpensive. Talk to the store employees and compare their shop talk.
Better still, talk to the manufacturers themselves. They will be happy to send you brochures. I even went so far as to call my local Sherpa representative in Denver, Tony Cullen. He was knowledgeable and answered all my questions. I have gotten repairs and upgrades on all three pairs of Sherpas I own. Sherpa has four snowshoe designs with a diagrammed brochure to explain each design and it's intended use. Beware of the "cheapo" alternatives, such as plastic and thrift store snowshoes. Will they hold up to years of back country abuse? Ask your friends and fellow climbers on winter outings about their snowshoes. Call me! I'll fill your ears on what I feel is the best brand of snowshoe and why they have survived many years of battering across the mountains of Colorado. Here is the ultimate testament to "snowshoe survival" stories.
In June of 1995, I climbed Mt. Sanford in the Wrangell-St. Elias Range of Alaska. The four member team did virtually all snow travel on snowshoes. In fact, we wore them right to the summit of the mountain. Three of us wore the same brand with the same type of crampon binding. The fourth member wore another type of binding and paid dearly. He slipped and slid constantly on steep declines, slowing the team's progress greatly.
My personal advice to you snowshoers is to select a binding that you can deal with quickly and efficiently. The last thing I want to do is fiddle with a binding when my fingers are cold and wet. Remember that you may have to put on and remove your snowshoes several times a day. Ideally, a binding should undo quickly, so that you may bungee cord your snowshoes to your pack in just a few minutes and continue your climb. The binding should be removable for later upgrading. For steep grades on hard pack, look for a binding with durable claws for efficient climbing.
Snowshoeing opens up the back country and all it's secretive winter beauty. I have cut many a snowshoe trail up through the trees and above timberline to the summit of a fine peak, enjoyed the vistas, and then had the pleasure of cruising down my path so arduously cut hours before. With a good selection of snowshoe, you will too.
The HAMS school is offering a short seminar to cover the use of crampons on hard snow. This course is intended for experienced mountaineers, and / or as a refresher for those who haven't used their snow travel skills much. The course is applicable for those persons wanting to continue their training for high altitude climbs and preparation for taking the HAMS School. Prerequisites for the course include graduation from any CMC BMS or equivalent training to include the use of the ice axe and roped climbing on rock. Apply at the CMC Golden office with a fully completed registration form and your check. Call the Golden office for a detailed info sheet. Call them to verify your acceptance for the field trip.
Cost: Lecture: $ 7 members of CMC, $ 10 Non-CMC members, Field trip & lecture: $20 Denver Group CMC members or $25 non-Denver Group CMC members (You must be a member of the CMC to attend the field trip.)
Schedule: Lecture 7 PM 1 / 8 / 97, Field day 1 / 11 / 97
You must be a member of CMC before submitting the application. Prerequisite is graduation of BMS or permission of the seminar director. If you have questions after calling the CMC office please contact the director, Paul Wilson (970) 834-2825
On October 4, the collapse of a tent in unusually heavy snow claimed the lives of Deborah Marshall, 32, and Richard Davidson, 46, on the expedition to the 24,715-foot Annapurna IV. The following is a summary of a phone conversation between Jordan Campbell (in Boulder), Expedition Coordinator, and Cleve Armstrong (in Katmandu), Expedition Leader. Provided by the Expedition's Technical Advisor, John Goggin.
Prior to the storm the team had excellent weather and was making excellent progress. Mark Michelltree and Nick Cofman, two strong young climbers from Boulder, had already established camp II at 20,000 ft (6100m). They had fixed line in sections between base (14,500ft) and camp I (17,800ft), apparently over 5.5 rock and ice. Even before the storm there was deep snow above camp I, so they had to work hard to get to camp II. The night before the storm, Nick and Mark descended to camp I and spent the night. They descended to base the next day. As they were descending, Rich, Debbie and Cleve moved from base up to occupy camp I for acclimatization and a planned carry to camp II the next day. The storm hit that night. This all seems quite logical to me.
They went to bed with light snow falling. Cleve was in one VE-25, and Rich and Debbie were in another 20-25' away. They had a Megamid set up as cook tent, and all the stoves were in it. Cleve awoke in the middle of the night and found his tent partially collapsed under snow load. It was snowing incredibly hard, and the snow was wet and heavy. He got up and dug out, woke up Rich who also shoveled his tent out. Then they got back into their tents. I'm not sure, but I think Cleve may gotten up again during the night to dig again.
Both tents had radios, but Rich and Debbie didn't sign-on for the 8:00 radio call to base camp. Cleve yelled over, but no reply. He had to tunnel out of his tent, and when he did he found Rich and Debbie's tent collapsed under the snow. According to Jordan, Cleve described a gut-wrenching tale of tunneling down to find the bodies. They were sleeping with their feet to the door. At first he couldn't find the tent opening but finally did, and eventually reached Rich's foot, pulled off his boot, but found his foot was cold with no pulse. Finally he reached both their heads, and concluded they had died of asphyxiation (black blood coming from their mouths).
It's tragic, but it sounds as though Rich and Debbie's tent simply collapsed under heavy snow load sometime during the night while they were sleeping. Cleve said there were no signs a struggle -- they probably didn't even know what hit them. I suppose it's easy second guess, but it's not hard to see how this may have happened. Rich, having spent an hour digging at about 3:00am, probably felt (quite reasonably) that their tent would be OK till morning. They were probably very tired from a long climb from base, perhaps somewhat hypoxic, and probably fell into a deep sleep. Cleve said it was a storm beyond their wildest imagination -- you just don't expect to get that much snow that fast. I think what happened to Rich and Debbie could have happened to anyone.
Cleve said both tents performed as well as could be expected under the circumstances. One difference he noted, however, was that on his version of the VE-25 the door zipper started from the top, while Rich's started from the bottom. He felt his zipper design allowed easier exit and ventilation when snow was stacked against the door, and this may have been a contributing factor.
Cleve then spent two more hellish days at camp waiting for rescue. Avalanches were going off all around him, but they had an excellent site location and nothing hit the camp. The Megamid had also collapsed under the snow, and he couldn't find or reach it (not clear here), so he had no stove, and could not melt water. He survived by mixing warm urine with snow. He spent most of the time digging. He said his jacket leaked like a sieve, and that nearly killed him. He was able to retrieve Rich's North Face jacket, and that saved him.
Cleve told Jordan he thought he was dead. He had no hope of plowing through the deep snow or finding the fixed line to descend. He wrote a final letter to his girlfriend, Carol Ann. Finally, a helicopter arrived. It couldn't get close to camp, so it hovered 50 ft away, unable to land in the snow. Cleve said he climbed out of a 10 ft hole leaving the tent -- it had snowed over 3 meters in the last couple of days. After wading through 50ft of chest deep snow, he finally reached the hovering chopper, and was pulled aboard, apparently vomiting blood by this point. The Nepalese Army pilots are being considered for medals of valor for the daring rescue. Cleve lost 17 lbs in the ordeal.
Meanwhile, the other four members of the expedition (Tom Walker, Chad Alber, Nick, and Mark) were pinned down in base camp, along with a German party attempting Annapurna II, by over 5 ft of snow. When Cleve radioed down about the deaths, Chad asked a Sherpa to try to snowshoe out for help. Apparently, the Sherpa made it to Hongde, the nearest town. As of last night, the other four were still trapped at base camp. By now they have a helipad stomped out, and the Nepalese were to make a decision that day (Friday, the 11th) whether or not to evacuate the rest of the team, and the German party, from base camp by chopper. Apparently, teams are pinned down all over the Himalayas by snow from this storm, and the snow is not consolidating quickly. Two other climbers (Japanese, I think) were also killed on Manaslu by the same storm. Both the Germans and the Sherpas have volunteered to help retrieve the bodies when (if?) the snow consolidates.
Return to High Altitude Mountaineering Section.
Last Modified March 15, 1997 by Keith Jensen .