[pct-l] Self-Arrest Clinic

[ned at mountaineducation.org]

John,

You had an excellent taste of what it takes to self-arrest during your Snow Course, 1/29. The more practice, the better the reflexes and "muscle memory." So, if you could join us, all the better, but I know what you mean about the drive!

On second thought, would there be others from the Bay Area with whom you could carpool or join, maybe some of the folks from the JMT group, that would like to take advantage of this Clinic and make the drive more fun???


What we will include, besides the S-A training, will be on-snow instruction/discussion on:

- hidden snow dangers (rocks, trees, logs, snow bridges, cornices, idiot-makers, creek-crossings)
- safe creek and lake approach for water
- environmental awareness for topographic navigation
- avalanche recognition and avoidance
- snow cave design (sorry, no time to build one--unless you're planning on spending the night!)
- over-snow navigation and safe route selection
- safe ascending and descending techniques with snowshoes or not
- post-holing vs. snowshoes
- balance control techniques while walking over icy crust on various slopes

So this 4 or 5-hour Clinic wouldn't have all the info taught on our regular 3-day weekend trips, but we'll try to teach as much as we can!

Spread the word!  What do you think?


Ned Tibbits, Director
Mountain Education
South Lake Tahoe, Ca.
    P: 888-996-8333
    F: 530-541-1456
    C: 530-721-1551
    http://www.mountaineducation.org
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: John Ladd 
  To: ned 
  Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 12:23 PM
  Subject: Clinic


  I'm thinking that I learned enuf on the Course that I could probably practice by myself when Bob S and I go up to Ludlow Hut next week.

  Or do you think I'll just develop bad habits if I don't have someone experienced giving me some feedback?

  I'm thinking

  1) chose a slope with a safe runout so I can't really get hurt
  2) try it in a variety of configurations - with and without pack, start face down/up feet forward/head forward
  3) keep at it until it's instinctual

  Let me know honestly if you think I'm better off driving up to join you Friday - I could do it, but it's 7 hours of driving for however manyhours of the clinic.

  John Curran Ladd
  1616 Castro Street
  San Francisco, CA  94114-3707
  415-648-9279