Mountain Rescue Aspen Avalanche Seminar

Here’s an announcement about a great clinic going on this weekend at the top of Ajax Mountain. Even if you’ve taken a level one avy course, this is a great refresher. Most folks would probably rather be out enjoying all the snow we’ve been getting, but take one day and on your knowledge so if something does go wrong out there, you know what to do.

Mountain Rescue Aspen’s 30th annual community avalanche seminar is open to the public and all are invited and encouraged to attend. January 11-12, 2008 at the Aspen District Theatre in Aspen at the elementary school. There is no limit on registration. The cost of the class is $30 per person, and includes a lecture on Friday night and all day field studies on Saturday on the backside of Aspen Mountain. (A one ride gondola ticket is included with your registration). The class will end with a group problem on Saturday afternoon at the Mountain Chalet.

Schedule: Avalanche awareness workshop January 11 &12, 2008

Friday (participant must attend Friday to participate Saturday)
5:00 – 6:15 pm registration at the Aspen District Theatre
6:15 – 9:30 pm Classroom session

Saturday
9:30 am – 2:20 pm Field day, top of Aspen Mountain
3:00 pm Group rescue problem, Mountain Chalet

$30 covers 2 classroom sessions, 1 field snow evaluation day, one-ride
gondola ticket, and CAIC avalanche booklet.

*REGISTRATION IS AT THE DOOR ONLY! There is no pre-registration!

What you will need:

Friday: Pen and paper (lecture is mandatory to receive your gondola pass for Saturday.)

Saturday: Ski’s with skins, or snowshoes. Warm clothes including hat, gloves, and appropriate winter gear to be outside all day.We strongly recommend you bring your lunch. Also if you have an avalanche beacon, probe and shovel, please bring them to practice. Note: All details for Saturday will be announced at Friday nights lecture.

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Speaking of avalanches…

Coming down from the Redstone Slabs, I got hit by a small wet slide. As I mentioned in the previous post, the route we climbed was safe from slides, but for the descent we had to utilize a large tree that sat near a gully with some steep, cliffy terrain above it. The same kind of terrain we’d seen slide earlier in the day. We belayed over to the tree, as you had to cross a steep section above a 70′ drop off. I was the last to cross, and as I went, I thought to myself that the snow down here was getting really wet, and probably dangerous. No more than 10 seconds later, I was getting pummeled by a slide. I knew it could easily carry me over the ledge, and even though I was belayed, I was done with big falls for the day. I dug my shoulder hard into the side of the slope, under a rock outcrop, as the slide passed over. It was done in a couple of seconds, and my legs were buried under a foot of snow, Bob and Chris couldn’t believe I managed to hold on. My already fragile nerves were shot after this, and I just wanted to go down. After some jiggery-pokery with the rappel, I was standing at the base, looking forward to my couch and some beers.

Despite all the crap, we still had fun, and I learned a lot. Seeing as how two out of the three times I’ve climbed in Redstone in wet conditions I’ve been in avalanches, I think next time I’m just going to sleep in, throw on Transformers, and wait for colder weather.