Backcountry Safety, Survival &
c cou y S e y, Su v v &
Rescue
Alaska Mountain Rescue Group
Mountain Safety Education
Mountain Safety Education
" Alaskans are highly
g y
active in the outdoors
" Many new to Alaska
" Many new to Alaska
or to this area
" Refresher on winter
backcountry safety
andwhat todoin
and what to do in
event of an
accident/emergency
accident/emergency
O er ie
Overview
" Review Winter Hazards:
" Review Winter Hazards:
 Hypothermia
 Frostbite
 Avalanche
 Thin ice
" Trip Planning/Essential Equipment
" What to do in a backcountry emergency
" How to initiate/request a rescue
Hi i i /
" What to expect during a rescue response
Backcountry Hazards--Winter
" Winter backcountry travel requires MORE
SKILLS and MORE EQUIPMENT
SKILLS and MORE EQUIPMENT
" Educate yourself about the hazards
" Get additional training
" Know the weather and anticipate conditions
expected
(A) Hypothermia
(A) Hypothermia
Hypothermia Prevention
Hypothermia Prevention
" Carry, p
y sufficient food, clothing, stove/pot
g,
" Stay well hydrated and eat often
" Minimize over-exertion and sweating
e ove e e t o a d sweat g
" Dress in layers, USE SYNTHETIC CLOTHING
" Know how to build a snow shelter(s)
Know how to build a snow shelter(s)
" Learn winter survival techniques (take a class or
learn from others)
learn from others)
" Avoid alcohol, nicotine, caffeine affect circulation
(B) Frostbite: 3 Stages
(B) Frostbite: 3 Stages
Frostnip
Frostnip
" freezing of the top layers of skin
tissue
" involves only a small area, such as
y
a cheek, earlobe, fingers or toes.
Signs:
" Firm white cold areas show up on
" Firm, white, cold areas show up on
the face, ears or extremities.
Sometimes 1-3 days later, peeling
and blistering occurs.
" Occasionally, the person remains
O i ll th i
very sensitive to cold afterwards.
Treatment:
" Re- warming the affected part with
skin to skin contact, do not  rub
Superficial frostbite
" The skin feels numb,
waxy and frozen.
" Ice crystals form in
It l f i
the skin cells and the
rest of the skin
rest of the skin
remains flexible.
" Blistering may occur,
Blistering may occur,
particularly after re-
warming
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Full thickness frostbite (3rd stage)
Full-thickness frostbite (3rd stage)
" blood vessels,
bl d l
muscles, tendons,
nerves and bone may
nerves and bone may
be frozen.
" Permanent damage,
blood clots and
gangrene.
" Serious infection and
" Serious infection and
loss of limbs
frequently occurs
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Frostbite Treatment
Frostbite Treatment
Partial or full thickness (frozen)
A: Re warming should be initiated as soon as possible
A: Re-warming should be initiated as soon as possible,
but only if can keep from re-freezing Warm water
bath at 99-104 °F. Do not massage or use radiant
heat
heat.
B: If the frozen tissue cannot be protected from
refreezing, gp
g, or if re-warming not practical or will
delay evacuation, protect wound with sterile gauze
and allow to remain frozen.
C: Protect blisters and damaged tissue and avoid
C: Protect blisters and damaged tissue and avoid
constriction
D: Protect from re-freezing.
E: Pain management
F: Get person to medical care
Preventing Frostbite
" Avoid tight-fitting clothing, including footwear,
" Wear several layers of clothing when in
Wl l f l hi h i
extremely cold conditions since the air pockets
between the layers will help to retain warmth.
between the layers will help to retain warmth.
" Do not use of alcohol, caffeine and nicotine
Alcohol causes the blood to cool quickly (vaso-
Alcohol causes the blood to cool quickly (vaso
dialation) and nicotine & caffeine impair
circulation
" Stay hydrated and keep calorie intake up.
" Shield/cover face and other body parts from
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cold wind and temperatures
Backcountry Hazards--Winter
(C) Avalanches
(C) Avalanches
 Increasingly catching winter recreationists
who are unaware of or underestimate hazard
hft h
d d
ti
 Take classes, educate yourself BEFORE
Take classes, educate yourself BEFORE
venturing into mountain terrain in winter
 Carry beacon, probe, shovel & practice using
them often
© Snow Dynamics
DON T UNDERESTIMATE
The
SNOW
DRAGONS!
TERRAIN
DANGER
60º
60º
ZONE
ZONE
20-60
DEGREES
NATURALLY
SLUFF OFF
20º
20º
30-45º
MINIMUM DANGER
MEASURE SLOPE ANGLE.
WITH INCLINOMETER
Run-out Angle-
g
The MEASURED angle from
you to the potential avalanche
yp
start point.
20 Degrees or less is
g
considered safe
ous Clues of Snow Instability
Recent Natural Avalanches!
 Whoomping
 Drum
Sounds
Sound
Sound
Shooting
Shooting
Cracks
High winds
Lots of new snow = added stress
Lots of new snow
Rain on Snow
Rapidly Warming Snowpack
Indicators of high avalanche hazard
Indicators of high avalanche hazard
Evidence of previous slides on similar slopes
Recent heavy snowfall adding stress to the
Recent heavy snowfall adding stress to the
snowpack
Visible fracture lines in the snow shooting
cracks
Audible settling of the snowpack  whumping
Rapid temperature rise
R id t t i
High winds--snow plumes off peaks
Rain on cold dry snow
Rain on cold, dry snow
Slushy spring snow sinking in over the boot tops
At 35 minutes, survival rate drops to 37%
Time (minutes)
IKAR Avalanche Emergency
" Be Prepared mentally (educate yourself, take an
avalanche class)
" Be Prepared physically (go with right people,
right equipment)
" Practice Rescue Regularly get your friends to
do so as well
do so as well
 Travel as though rescue doesn t work,
Travel as though rescue doesn t work
but practice it as though it does.
Thin ice Escape
" Geisbrecht, Univ. of Manitoba--video
Trip Planning
(A) Leave a trip plan with family
member or friend
member or friend
 Where you are going
 When you expect to be back
 Route of travel
 Amount of gear taken + colors
 What to do if you are overdue
What to do if you are overdue
Essential Equipment
Essential Equipment
" Mapp ( y y )
p/compass (don t rely solely on GPS)
" Waterproof jacket/pants)
" Food/water
" Food/water
" Hat/gloves
" Medical kit
" Fire starting kit (lighter, tinder)
g( g )
" Signaling device(s)
" Extra clothing (season specific)
" Extra clothing (season-specific)
Essential Equipment--Winter
" Headlamp w/ spare
batteries
" Shovel (for making a
shelter)
" Foam pad
" Foam pad
" Stove/fuel & small pot for
making water
" Extra clothing
" Sunglasses (to protect
eyes)
eyes)
**Avalanche beacon, probe,
shovel if in mountain
h l if i t i
terrain.
Signaling Devices -- Daytime
" Brightly-colored fabric
" Flares
" Ground signals
" Signaling Mirror
" Sound (whistle, horn)
Sound (whistle horn)
" Fire/smoke
" Make yourself as big and
klf d
bi
bright as possible if you
want to be spotted.
bd
Signaling De ices NIGHT
Signaling Devices--NIGHT
" Headlamp
Headlamp
" Flare
" Pocket/key chain laser
P k t/k h i l
" Fire
" Light sticks, strobe
©Greatland Laser
" Reflective clothing/tape
g p
" Greatland Laser *! (www. greatlandlaser.com)
Communication
" Cell phone **
" Satellite phone
Satellite phone**
" VHF radio
" UHF radio
UHF di
" FRS radio
" EPIRB/PLBs
" SPOT Messenger
SPOT Messenger
Backcountry Emergencies
Backcountry Emergencies
" How serious are the
How serious are the
injuries/illness?
" Terrain?
" Terrain?
" Size/strength/resource
s of party?
f?
" Distance to trail/
trailhead/road
" Other factors
When to request a rescue?
" Severe injuries or medical emergencies
requiring immediate medical attention
requiring immediate medical attention
(severe trauma, heavy bleeding, head injuries,
HACE heart attack/stroke)
HACE, heart attack/stroke)
" If evacuation requires long stretches of
lifting, lowering, carrying AND:
" Party size/condition terrain distance to
" Party size/condition, terrain, distance to
trailhead combine to make transport
difficult
difficult
What to Do
What to Do
" Stabilize subject(s)
" Call for help
" Signal others for help
Signal others for help
" Send others for help
" Contact AK State
C t t AK St t
Troopers!!
" 911
When reporting an emergency
pg g y
" Make sure  backcountry emergency
" Give name and location (be specific)
" Number of persons in the party
" Describe nature of emergency/medical condition
" Describe nature of terrain/situation
" Remain in contact with rescuers
" Make yourself as visible as possible ( g g
yp (signaling
devices!!)
What to Expect
" Response highly
weather/terrain
weather/terrain
dependent
" Will take some time
Will t k ti
for rescuers to arrive
" Often will arrive via
helicopter
" Rescuers will approach
cautiously
When to request a rescue?
(B) If A family member, friend, co-worker is
overdue from a backcountry trip:
overdue from a backcountry trip:
Was there a trip plan?
Wh t did it b t t d ti ti t
What did it say about route, destination, return
day/time?
Do NOT wait to initiate rescue unless trip plan
Do NOT wait to initiate rescue unless trip plan
indicates potential for being late/overdue.
Call 911 or AK State Troopers to notify of
Call 911 or AK State Troopers to notify of
backcountry emergency and need for rescue
make clear that this is a backcountry
y
emergency not a missing person!
7 Lessons for Survival
7 Lessons for Survival
" Perceive and believe
" Stay calm
" Think, analyze, plan
Think analyze plan
" Take correct, decisive action
" Believe you will succeed
B li ill d
" Do whatever is necessary
" Never give up
Local Resources
" Alaska Avalanche School www.alaskaavalanche.com/
" Alaska Snowmachine Association: www.aksnow.org/
g
" Alaska Outdoor Source: www.akoutdoors.net/
" Arctic Orienteering Club:
" Mountaineering Club of Alaska www.mcak.org
" Knik Canoers and Kayakers: - [phone]
" REI monthly clinics on a variety of topics
REI monthl clinics on a ariet of topics
" Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game: fishing, hunting, wildlife
information
 Planning, caution, training, and good
decision making skills are the essential
decision-making skills are the essential
tools of adventure.
--Drew Leeman, NOLS
www.amrg.org
g g
Th h li 
That others may live
 No one is immune to backcountry
accidents& Admit that it can happen to you.
--Simon Priest
References
Wi t /A l h
Winter/Avalanche:
 Snow Sense: A guide to evaluating snow
avalanche hazard
lh h d
 Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills
Th M t i S ttl WA *
The Mountaineers, Seattle, WA.*
 Wilderness Survival Guide, M. Alford. 1987
Al k N th t P bli hi C
Alaska Northwest Publishing Company,
Edmonds, WA.