Backcountry Guide Demonstrates The Dangers of Operating Close To Crevasses

A certified guide demonstrates how crevasses can be dangerously structured beneath snow and ice. A probe can penetrate the overlying material to reveal that the uphill side of a crevasse is frequently more overhanging. Skiing or traveling near crevasses requires extreme caution when approaching and verifying the crevasse lip when possible. Avoidance skills are emphasized over rescue skills, especially for glacier travel where unroped margin for error is very small. Training should occur in realistic environments, ideally on real glaciers, because understanding crevasse formation and planning rescue placement on the downhill side are essential. Until someone has intentionally experienced a real crevasse, readiness for accidental entry is not assured.

"Using his probe, Markhart punched fully through the snow/ice structure to show how uphill side of crevasses are often more overhanging and why it is critical to use extreme caution when approaching one."

""If you want to ski on glaciers I recommend leaning about glacier safety on real glaciers as the margin for error skiing unroped is very small. We don't want to focus on rescue skills in this context but avoidance skills. While the skills on these programs are very transferable to a ski context don't think they replace supervised milage on real glaciers.""

"Most often the uphill side of the crevasse will be far more overhanging. Here we see Brian being duly cautious approaching the uphill side and even using his probe to verify how overhanging it is. In general we always want to get eyes onto a crevasse lip before we approach, but it's not always realistic. I'm far more cautious when approaching from the uphill side to try to get eyes on in the first place."

"I'd also try to place my rescue site on the downhill side as well if possible, even if the skier went in coming from the uphill side. This subtleties of how real crevasses form are essential to effective rescue, this is why I always recommend learning about crevasse rescue in a realistic environment. Ideally on real glaciers. Until you've been in a real crevasse on purpose don't think you're ready to go in on accident."

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