Winter is Coming. Are you Prepared?

I have been selling avalanche safety gear for ten years now. Discounts to professionals and rescue teams/ski patrol, and local free skiers/tourers and mountaineers.  I also provide Recco training as UK trainer for Recco and sell Recco reflectors. If you buy a beacon off me I am quite happy to give you some free tuition up at Glencoe Mountains Beacon training park, a bonus you will not get online. Give me a call or email/PM me for a quote if you need any avalanche safety equipment.

A few thoughts on slope assessment, avalanches and safety gear. First thing to mention is try not to get avalanched by pre depart planning and research and ongoing dynamic risk assessment during your day. We live in an uncertain world never more so than now with Covid-19. The only certainty is that we live with uncertainty and those of us who have spent our lives in the mountains accept this is just how it is on winter mountains. Sadly this uncertainty means we have all been caught out, despite making what we thought were good decisions. Me included. I count myself very fortunate having seen so many folk who didn't survive. The gear I sell is all very high quality Austrian manufactured "Ortovox" which have a long history of developing reliable technology that will not let you down. As a bonus all their transceivers also have a Recco reflector built in. We live with uncertainty, but our objective is to reduce that as much as possible. Look ahead, consult the avalanche forecast and plan ahead making decisions to avoid avalanche terrain. The mountains will be there another day so allow them to tell you to go home as well.

Winter 20/21 is predicted to be growth year in Free Touring as sales are 4 x last year. With number restrictions at ski areas and Covid, new folk will be entering terrain with avalanche risk. They need the knowledge and gear to do this safely

During travel look around you and observe what's happening under your feet and listen to the snow. Look for red flags such as avalanche activity, wind drifted snow, recent snowfall, whumping and cracking and also be wary during rapid rises in temperature as wet snow slides and cornice collapse can trigger huge slides such as occur in Observatory Gully and Lagangarbh Corrie to name but two. Based on the avy forecast (it's an area forecast and not cast in stone that its right!) and importantly what you observe, stop and do snow stability tests. ECT or shovel shear and compression.  This is to confirm what you should spatially be aware of.  Stopping and doing these tests is also an opportunity to talk and air views (and concerns) and make the critical decisions of whether your about to bet with your life or that of others. Its a fact that groups that are not hierarchical and communicate well perform better and have less catastrophic events than ones who allow experts to lead without question, or suffer peer pressure and are not equal in allowing a voice to raise concerns.    

1994. Looking up Coire na Tulaich and the main ascent descent route from the Buachaille. Three walkers under 10m+ of snow triggered from a party above.

Before making a drop in or committing to a slope up or down or across also consider these factors:

Angle. Most avalanches are triggered on slopes roughly between 32 and 45 degrees. Below 32 degrees victim triggered slab avalanches are less common and above this angle slopes purge more frequently. The "Sweet Spot" where most avalanches are triggered is about 40ish degrees with over 90% of victim triggered slides occurring in a 7 degree range bracketing that sweet spot. You can conclude from this that angle is a really important part of slope assessment and subtle changes of angle on a given slope can have major consequences, therefore route choice and awareness of slope angle is really important. Modern phone apps make judging the angle much easier.  Rule of thumb for me personally is that as the avalanche forecast risk for a given altitude and aspect goes up - then the angle and altitude of what you ski comes down. More recent research has shown convexity/concavity to be less important than angle.

Anchors. What is the snowpack connected to. Have you been following the weather and SAIS forecast. Are there weak layers within the snowpack. Tree's and rocks can hold a slope as your friend or can be weak spots as your enemy where sun heat or hoar frost has gathered. Subtle angle changes create trigger points at these places. Tree's are also natures cheese grater if you get taken into them. Also ask yourself what the slope you are on is linked into from the underlying snowpack. Unstable snowpack can often propagate a collapse into nearby slopes and draw an avalanche into lower angled terrain.

Aspect. Which compass direction does the slope you want to ski or travel face. Like angle, subtle changes in aspect can take you from a safe slope onto a loaded one. Carry a compass and learn about "slope aspect" as both a navigation and safe travel tool.  The SAIS forecast gives you the necessary hazard warning for compass direction but you need to apply it on the ground accurately. Again some phone apps can help with this, and even give you the area forecast. The new SAIS app is a must for Scotland.

Altitude. You can see by looking at the SAIS forecast that the hazard risk is most often greater with altitude, even in Scotland. The rate of snow deposition is higher with height, and the wind is also stronger increasing side loading of slopes. On dodgy days stay lower as well as skiing lower angled slopes.

Folk need to know how to apply the forecast to trip planning by learning to understand it

Apply safe travel methods when skinning up and keep spaced and avoid terrain traps when choosing your skin line.  A slide coming from above will have the full width, breadth and depth bearing down on you. Unless its a clear runout your pretty well fecked as any stream bed or features will trap you and allow the snow to build up deeply over you. Choose your line well and with some thought.

Complexity. As mentioned above. Be aware of subtle changes in angle and aspect and that localised instabilities are hidden and like a landmine can link one triggered mine to a chain reaction and a small slide gathering surrounding instabilities into a major avalanche event. Learn to read mapping for subtleties of terrain features and how snow may be affected, and think safety by pre imagining what could go wrong. If it's a complex route then its often unsafe as there are too many unknowns. 

Commitment. Always have a plan "B" so that if conditions change or are not what you expected you have another safer option.  Commitment to a slope can mean no bale out options, i.e having no where to go.  If you look at the pro's on youtube they choose their line so they can bale out onto a spine and have good runouts and that's where the next "C" comes into play - consequences.

Consequences. If an amber light's on in your head so your in a go/no go process, then add consequence into the thought mix.  Are there crags, hollows, stream beds, tree's or any other terrain features that could shred you or trap you if there is an avalanche. Transceiver, shovel, probe and/or airbag will not stop you getting your limbs ripped apart from tree's, your head humped like mince, or with an inflated airbag under a few hundred tons of snow. Airbags are good with a save rate of between 10 and 13  more people per hundred victims - but only if the runout is good.

More up to date North American stats also show that many more people die from two of the triple "H" than was thought. Hypoxia and Hypercapnia kill quickly, even folk dug out very fast getting advanced life support don't often survive.

Triple "H" syndrome is Hypoxia, Hypercapnia (i.e re breathing your own carbon dioxide) and Hypothermia. 

Hypothermia can have a protective effect in rapid cold water immersion, but in an avalanche cooling is slow, especially as modern clothing retains heat so well. In fact its not so much the lack of oxygen as the hypercapnia that makes survival so poor in a an avalanche, and this with hypoxia is also related to snow density). 15 minutes as often shown in survival graphs is quite optimistic. You need to search fast and dig faster (which means practise  these skills more) as time is not on the victims side.

When dropping in stay next to each others tracks, go one at a time well spaced and from a safe area to safe area. What's a safe area?  Good question as sometimes there are none, but basically its somewhere out of any slide path that you can identify. Consider that if its a big slide it could encroach on your safety island so pick your spot with care.

Be prepared to carry out a rescue. You are on your own as organised rescue will be too late. Talk this over before dropping in. You should all have done an avy course and so will have the gear, done the pre checks and discussed a plan - won't you?  If you have not done an an avy course then consider why the feck are you even doing this!

Ortovox 3+. Probably the most popular and affordable 3 antenna transceiver (avalanche beacon) with a mark feature and auto revert on the market, and winner of several awards.  Easy to use and fast this is the one for Scottish winter mountaineers and skiers pro or amateur. 
https://www.ortovox.com/uk-en/shop/categories/c35511-avalanche-transceivers

Ortovox S1+. This is the best beacon for ski patrol and MR pro use with its advanced multiple and deep burial modes and a visual "game" level display of each victim. Unlike most 3 antenna beacons it calculates a direct line to the victim. Very clever!

The average depth of a buried skier is 1.5 meters. You need a good shovel and a structured method to remove the snow fast and get the victim's airway cleared. Time to dig is "Triple H" the killer triad of Hypoxia, Hypercapnia (re breathing your own Co2) and Hypothermia.

Pro Alu III shovel. This also converts to a hoe which is really important when using the conveyor method to dig a victim out quickly as it speeds things up clearing behind the diggers on point conveyor shoveling. 

https://www.ortovox.com/uk-en/emergency-equipment/advisor/avalanche-shovel-guide

320 PFA Probe. As a pro user perhaps also working with Winter ML groups you need a longer probe for picking snow hole sites and also a longer one for the deep burials common to buried mountaineers in terrain traps

https://www.ortovox.com/uk-en/emergency-equipment/advisor/avalanche-probes-guide

Ortovox 3+ Safety Set includes  Beacon, Badger Shovel and 240 alu Probe. This set saves a few £ over buying each item individually and a good option for free skiers. For those on a tight budget the "Zoom" beacon and safety set is adequate.

Mountaineers might also want to consider carrying Recco reflectors either as sewn in by the manufacturer or aftermarket. £50 gets your searchable with two reflectors. While this is not companion rescue it at least helps organised rescue such as MR find you as several MR teams and Scottish ski patrol have the Recco detector.

Avalanches, Beacons and Being Searchable

1. Learn How to Interpret the Avalanche Forecast. Don't get avalanched ......

The Avalanche Danger Scale uses five progressively increasing danger levels: Low, Moderate, Considerable,  High and Extreme. It indicates the likelihood of avalanches, how they might be triggered and recommended actions in the back country. However, the wording is very brief and does not include a meaningful indication of risk. Below is an explanation of each danger level, including the transitions between levels, signs of instability at each level and the implications of slope angle, aspect and elevation.

Understanding the SAIS forecast as acting on it could save your life

Low

Travel is generally safe. The snow pack is well bonded and natural avalanches will not be seen except for small sluffs on extremely steep slopes. Human-triggered avalanches are unlikely except in isolated locations in extreme terrain. The danger will usually be from wind-driven snow in gullies and chutes or deposited across very steep open slopes near ridge lines. Ski or board one by one as smoothly as possible without falling if you suspect the formation of wind slab. Be aware of shaded, north to east aspects where the danger may be transitioning to Moderate. There are few fatalities at this danger level.

Moderate
This is the most difficult danger level for back country skiers and boarders to assess snow stability. Many of the usual indicators such as cracks, settling, whumpfing and signs of recent avalanche are absent, especially at the lower end of the moderate level. Key indicators are any recent snowfall, and wind deposition. Snow pack tests may help assess stability.

Conditions are generally favourable for travel providing routes are chosen carefully. The snow  pack is only moderately bonded on some steep slopes. Areas of danger are usually restricted to certain types of terrain such as bowls and gullies. The altitude, aspect and type of terrain where danger can be expected are usually detailed in the Avalanche Forecast. Remote triggering is unlikely, so you only need to be concerned about the steepness of nearby terrain features.

Human-triggered avalanches are possible. Ski or board carefully, one by one, in suspect terrain and avoid high loading of the snow pack by spreading people out on the uphill track. Carefully evaluate the stability of very steep slopes (steeper than 35°) and aspects identified as potentially dangerous in the Avalanche Forecast.

Be especially careful if the higher elevation band in the forecast, or the danger on other aspects, is Considerable. There is a significant difference in instability between Moderate and Considerable. Don’t get sucked onto higher, steeper and more dangerous slopes. Although naturally triggered avalanches are not expected, ice climbers should watch out for the sun warming steep collection zones above their climbs. If deep-slab instability due to a persistent weak layer is mentioned in the Avalanche Forecast, you need to pay careful attention to the terrain. Avalanches from such a layer are not only likely to be large and extensive, they are completely unpredictable. Unless you have specific local knowledge, keep off large open slopes at this danger level if the forecast warns of a persistent weak layer.

29th March 2013 using the older SAIS Graphic for localised considerable hazard

Persistent Weak Layer March 2013

Click pics to enlarge

Large Slab Triggered off persistent weak layer 30th March 2013
Fatal Avlx x 1 Skier Glencoe

Considerable
Conditions have become much less favourable. The snow pack is only moderately or poorly bonded over a much larger area of the terrain. Human triggering is possible by a single skier on steep slopes and aspects mentioned in the Avalanche Forecast. Remote triggering of avalanches is possible, so the maximum steepness of the slope above you should be used when deciding if you want to continue.

Instability indicators mentioned in Moderate danger above will likely be present. Back country touring at this danger level requires good route finding skills, and experience in recognising dangerous terrain and evaluating slope stability. Keep to slopes of less than 35°, especially slopes at the altitude and aspect indicated in the Avalanche Forecast. Remember that remote triggering is possible. Typically the scree fans at the bottom of gullies start out at around 30° and the slope steepens as it gets higher. Keep off such slopes at this hazard level. The remarks about persistent weak layers in the previous section on Moderate danger level also apply to this danger level.

New SAIS graphic as stripes for localised "considerable"

Reports such as the above showing stripes as areas of  localised "considerable" risk  to North and South within a moderate NW to SW aspect and considerable risk NE to SE. This is the sort of thing that it's easy to become complacent about as its a common feature of the Scottish winter. You might very obviously if you have any sense, stay well clear of the NE to SE aspects but wander into a high risk situation on descent on the N to S aspects.  The majority of avalanche incidents in Europe occur in these moderate to considerable forecast days as they occur most frequently in the season and folk become complacent (the familiarity heuristic) and that's why route choice approaching a climb and thinking about descent options prior to leaving and during a trip as wind and weather change should become part of your thinking.

High
Conditions have become dangerous, most often as a result of significant amounts of new snow, snowfall accompanied by wind or the snow pack becoming isothermal and threatening wet-snow avalanches. The snow pack is poorly bonded over large areas and human triggering is likely on steep slopes (steeper than 30°). Remote triggering is likely and large natural avalanches are to be expected.

Stay on slopes that are flatter than 30° for any part of the slope and be aware of the potential for avalanches from slopes above. If you do decide to walk ski or board on less steep slopes, be very aware of the surrounding terrain to avoid inadvertently crossing the bottom of steeper slopes or cutting down a steep convex rollover.

Usually this level of hazard is only present for a few days at a time. The smart back country traveller will stay in simple terrain until conditions improve. If you are caught out on a multi-day trip you may have to dig in and wait for travel conditions to improve and the avalanche danger to lessen.

These stripes in the avalanche forecast. My take is to think of them as landmine strips blown by the wind, lurking in eddies from cross loading when the wind blows across as well as down or over a slope, the colour of them is the sensitivity of the pressure plate to you the trigger. If there are enough of them the explosion will propagate setting of others, or if the surrounding slope is weak enough then it will slide with it. As you can see there are areas of High on slopes with a localised "considerable" and a"considerable" risk to the South.  A lethal combo of  narrow safe travel options making for events that will take lives if you don't tread warily and navigate with extreme care.

Extreme
Extreme danger levels are rare in Scotland as usually this level is associated with buildings and roads or alpine villages under threat, and usually the result of unusually large amounts of new snow. The snow pack is weakly bonded and unstable. Numerous large avalanches are likely. The weight of the new snow can trigger avalanches on layers buried deep in the snow pack. Natural avalanches can release on slopes of less than 30° Back country touring is not recommended and often impossible. Avoid all avalanche terrain and keep well away from avalanche path run outs.

Avoid Groupthink

In psychology "Groupthink" or "Risky Shift" behaviour is well known in groups and most of us will be aware that we have given in to it or even encouraged it. I strongly believe that in avalanche incidents in Scotland this groupthink or risky shift has become the biggest education issue and maybe why we see large group incidents or group events as occurred in the Cairngorms when two separate groups were avalanched last winter. Much has been made of the quick response from folk training in the corrie who helped.  And good on them. What I am about to say is not a reflection on these helper folks choices, as I am sure they stayed in safe terrain.  The  "however" bit though is that just by being there and numbers increase with lots of MRT's training, and groups under instruction, then a larger "Groupthink" takes place. Groups less experienced or not under instruction maybe feel safe, what McCammon labels  as Social Facilitation.  I would call this a  "risky shift". It's often this way in the climbing and skiing honey pots such as the Northern Corries where folk gather. Aonach Mor or ScRL in Glencoe are other places. Even if the waggon wheel of death shows Red on these slope aspects, they are still the places to be seen by the instructor masses who are now at the height of their annual gatherings with paying students. These are the places instructors are familiar with, and therefore where less experienced folk feel safer with an apparent safety in numbers. They maybe went there when they were on a course. Group thinking on a large scale perhaps.

Better minds than mine have already written about risky shift and here's an excellent article on it The Risky Shift Phenomenon and Avalanches. This kind of stuff has been getting applied to avalanche instructor training for a while by AAA.  Do current winter mountain training schemes  include enough if anything on this sort of thing?  I put this as a question, as I am certainly not in a position to know, and maybe it is already covered. What I do know is that there is nothing that can change the pretty piss poor odds if buried and that pretty universally all of us involved in avalanche education are trying to jump forward and get to "no rescue".

No matter what we do, mountains and people are unpredictable. As a keen off the piste skier I have to accept that luck is also in there as well, as on good snow days I am first in the que and having gone through the forecasts, stability tests you are only left with how the snow feels under you ski's and gut instincts. Sometimes it's a very subtle thing where in the morning it feels wrong, and by afternoon the snow "feels" safe.  I don't know how the feck that would stand up in court! I also know its taken 40 years and I still can't always be sure it all won't go tits up one day. I also know that it pays to voice your opinion when in a group, and make your own choice, not getting swept along by the group and it's most vocal leader. Beware Risky Shift!

"Destiny is a good thing to accept when it's going your way. When it isn't, don't call it destiny; call it injustice, treachery, or simple bad luck"   Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

For backcountry travel, side stash/off piste, or indeed anything out of ski area and uncontrolled, always carry the three essentials of transceiver, shovel and probe and do a pre depart group beacon test and practise.

If you need an airbag you have fucked up but might survive. If you need your transceiver you have fucked up and probably won't!

2. Get a Beacon, Shovel and Probe. Some Transceiver Observations:

Some findings and observations from using these popular avalanche beacons on the last avalanche training courses in both shallow to very deep (3m+) burials. They are all adequate with the exception of the original tracker which although it might work is old. The newer version of the Tracker DTS/Tracker 1 is a bit better and still on sale. The T1 is a 2 antenna beacon and suffers from null points/signal spike unlike the excellent Tracker 2 (not being reviewed here) which is super fast. These 3 antenna beacons are all good purchases, but like all technology when used for scenarios that are not simple then their effectiveness is challenged and quirks come out. Only realistic practise with the beacon you own will make you the user aware of what these are, and work arounds.  What this means is practise and realistic scenarios to challenge you the searcher. That's what Beacon training parks are there to help you with. I have attempted to be non biased but declare a conflict of interest as I am an Ortovox retailer.

Auto revert or random transmit from rubber-neckers is the curse of the avalanche search. Be aware of it when on a long search, and be aware if its preset on or you have to activate it as part of the pre trip beacon check.

These beacons were used at the Glencoe BCA beacon training park and on scenarios created on ski 's and off piste in the ski area while searching for an analog Ortovox F1, analog SOSF1ND (re boxed F1), old Tracker 1's and 2's and a Tracker 3. All students were taught the primary basic search patterns of searching in series, in parallel, and micro grid, and only after lots of practise was marking used, and then only in the context of relying on a basic reliable search method should marking fail. All the three antenna beacons looked at here that show multiple burial icons did at varying times show multiple victims when only one was present and most often in deep burials. After group auto revert and radio/phone checks this still occurred when only one beacon was transmitting. This was from the very long pulse cycle of the old F1's getting the processor confused, but it also occurred in the deep burials with newer beacons and I wondered if each side of the deep beacon flux line was seen as a separate signal. Solving these issues is why we all need to practice.

I do a special offer of the pro level Ortovox S1+ to SMR and Ski Patrol. For professionals I recommend folk wanting an upgrade to consider this very advanced Beacon with its unique visual games type display. It takes you straight to the victim, has a very reliable "mark" feature and a host of other built in pro features such as actually displaying visually where each victim is with distance, a longer range (55m) than other digital beacons (most are 25m) and of course the smart antenna that gets you found faster. It has lots of programmable extras and via the menu in extremis the 3 mark feature can be overridden to 4+>. Also incorporated is a Recco reflector inside as back up and the smart antenna to get you found. In testing the unique "deep burial" mode solved the conundrum that less experienced users find in the Glencoe BCA park when some of the units are 1.5m+ buried. I have to teach the BCA "pinpoint in a line" and other advanced techniques to solve these usually, but the S1+ does them very well. If you are a pro or take groups this has other features that are useful, not least the partner check. https://www.ortovox.com/uk/shop/avalanche-emergency-equipment/avalanche-transceivers/s1-/

Ortovox 3+

I  sell a lot of these to ski patrollers and some MRT's (Killin MRT have 30). Very simple to use and reliable. The marking function on the 3+ is reliable but of course like all beacons marking gets problematic beyond marking 3 beacons.  The 3+ on deep burials suffered occasionally from null points and a signal was then re-acquired after switching back to transmit briefly, then back into search so easily solved. Students like its speed, simplicity and very clear display. Default auto revert is ON.  This would be my beacon of choice as value for money for most folk. It has the right balance of speed, ease of use and simple but reliable features including smart antenna orientation helping a victim be found more easily and a built in Recco strip so the victim is more searchable from a longer distance by the Recco system on organised rescue.  

BCA Tracker 3

The Tracker 3 is small, and can easily be carried in an inside pocket.  Its very fast processor is good, but the advertised range which is 40m is a little optimistic and I would say in most cases its only 30m necessitating a narrower search strip and a little more work from last seen point to signal pickup. The T2 is still faster IMHO and has a slightly longer range. The T3 doesn't mark a victim but will "suppress" one beacon in close proximity for 1 minute allowing the searcher to get away and lock onto another victim. I didn't always find this very reliable. However, it's "big picture" mode was useful in showing directions and distance to other beacons and did what it says, give a bigger picture but with the mark feature so much more reliable in newer beacons its just not as good as marking IMHO. Auto revert is default OFF.  Worth upgrading to Firmware 3.3 if you have one as it definitely improves the beacon. Its a great beacon for single searches or if you are better trained in avalanche searching. 

Mammut/Barryvox Element

The Element and its more expensive brother the Pulse are very popular beacons from Mammut with the internals from Barryvox a company with a long pedigree in avalanche beacons.  The one used had the latest software and had a very good range. The analog in the Pulse version is superb for an experienced searcher as the search distance increases to 60m (I got a signal at 67m on one). The Pulse in analog is also good acoustically as you can hear the pulse tones of different beacons.  The Element is purely digital and does not have the rescue send or unmark features of the Pulse. The Element like it's big brother suffered a lot from the "STOP" icon, requiring the user to stop and wait while the processor updated. On a couple of scenarios this got too long and only by switching from search back to transmit quickly and back to search was the signal eventually reacquired. Of the ones used here it seemed slower than previous models with the older software. Auto Revert Default ON

The original digital beacon, the Tracker DTS.  Plenty going 2nd hand as folk upgrade. These should be retired due to age IMHO. Save your dosh for a 3 antenna model. 

Tracker DTS 2nd edition. Also getting on a bit and only 2 antennas

The ubiquitous Tracker 1. Still on sale and probably the most common beacon carried for years.  It still works and is quite fast even if it only has two antenna's. I want to slag it off as we recommend that everyone these days has the more accurate 3 antenna beacons. However, the damn thing still works quite well. The additional training requirement of teaching how to overcome signal spikes is no big deal, most of the time. But, when it is it's time consuming. It is a lot less effective in deep burial scenarios and students must be taught to spiral probe, or probe in a grid to locate a deep victim, which takes a lot more time. Like its superior big brother the Tracker 2 the T1 has "SP" or spotlight mode which I have always liked as it narrows the search angle directionally and spotlights the next victim so you can then get away from the found victim, move to the next signal and allow it to lock onto it as it becomes the closest. Sometimes it's possible to jump from continuing with a micro grid search having used the SP mode and get a lock on the next victim. I tell my students get an upgrade to 3 antennas as its much better.  But, the T1 is still ok (only just - but consider an upgrade!) and it shows how far ahead of its time is was, but now there are better options IMHO. Auto revert default OFF

Tracker 2

Whats not to like. The Tracker 2 is a real workhorse. Reliable and easy to use. The first 3 antenna Beacon. If this had a "mark" feature it would be tremendous. Sadly it hasn't but, if you learn to search properly, along with using the SP mode you can be just as fast, therefore a slightly longer training requirement and its less out the box usable for multiple burial scenarios but is tremendous for a single victim search.

Mammut/BarryvoxS

This new transceiver looks excellent and hopefully I will have one to review at some point. Coming from a company that has a good track record this should be an excellent beacon. I will write it up after a test

Your money would be well spent on any of the ones listed apart from an old version T1 or old out of warranty Tracker DTS. Even the 2nd edition ones are not worth your money, even though there are lots 2nd hand. Most often its from folk upgrading to a 3 antenna one so why be cheapskate and buy one off them. Get a 3 antenna one. These are just some thoughts from trying lots of beacons on the market and this is just one review. There are no bad ones and they all have quirks, so get out and practise as its really important you are slick as someone is depending on you.

Note. If you use old analog beacons to practise you may find the multiple victim icon coming on intermittently. These old beacons have much longer signal pulse and digital beacons sometimes interprets this as two signals.

3. Get some Training and Practice Digging

Learn how to interpret the days SAIS forecast and some basic snowcraft

Learn how to use your transceiver effectively

Learn how to find, digout and take care of an avalanche victim

Learn how to dig effectively as time is oxygen and your shovel is the key to living or dying. Can you resuscitate your friend or provide first aid if they are injured ?

4. Recco. Mountaineers are not Searchable - most of the time ...............

Don't get buried! But if you do you want to be searchable 

and found FAST!

Recco is another important part of the organised rescue strategy. Education and avalanche avoidance is primary, being found early by companions if it goes wrong is vital and prior practise makes this work. Organised rescue requires a triple response: Dogs, Recco and Probe Lines. Until now Scotland has only been able to apply two of the three unlike alpine rescue avalanche search where for years all three have been used. Survival is time critical. Much has been made of trauma being the main factor in poor survival in Scottish avalanches. Largely based on recent tragic avalanche incidents where trauma has clearly been the dominant factor.

These anecdotal observations and opinions make easy it to forget the victims where triple "H" syndrome has been the killer of which there have been many over the last decades. Anecdote though is not enough, and there is no recent data set from necropsy studies in Scotland, (if there is its not readily available). One thing is sure, being searchable and getting found quickly increases survival. Some Scottish MR teams already have Recco as part of their search strategy (Tayside, Glencoe, Cairngorm MRT's) and Cairngorm, Glencoe and Nevis Range Ski Patrol. A good thing. I can imagine nothing worse than a victim recovery delayed because a search team did not have a detector and the victim is found to have either a Recco reflector or a harmonic on them. Recco is of course for "organised rescue". Everyone including Recco and the clothing manufacturers endorse the view that not getting avalanched through education and training is better than needing any search devices which may be too late. However, in the real world shit still happens and unless someone is "searchable" a rescuer cannot find them readily even if the poor victim has bottomed out of the survival curve. We should not forget Robert Burnett's remarkable 22 hour survival in the Southern Cairngorm's. All victims surely deserve the benefit of the doubt and rescuers throwing all resources at an attempt for a live recovery.

Small sticky reflectors that can be attached to boots or helmets

As "off piste" and "Backcountry" skiing grows in popularity there is every reason to imagine that being more searchable can save lives.  Nothing can replace education and prevention, or fast effective companion rescue with beacon, shovel and probe, but as ski patrols and MR teams take up Recco and the reflectors can be bought and carried then the chance of getting found alive by organised rescue if on scene quickly increases. I would recommend two reflectors to mountaineers, One front top and one back bottom.

Sewn in reflector

So Recco is here in Scotland and its great to see the take up by enlightened Scottish rescuers adopting alpine best practise. Who knows when Recco will save a life, but if it does it's job then its been donation money well spent.

Live recovery of a victim located by her Recco reflector from 3m burial

Glencoe Ski Patrol doing a precautionary combined 457mhz transceiver search and Recco harmonic search. The R9 detector searches both, and at close range can find many other harmonic devices such as mobile phones.

The reflector for Harmonic Radar or RECCO

Some Glencoe Trad and Stuff

As Summer has gone, Autumn a Covid shit show, and bike hire closed because we don't want to risk folk bringing the virus into our community, not much else to do but Blog. The two local walls are open but being old gits we have to pick our time when we go, and be extra careful. I am quite strong from training and a fairly good summer working my way through the 7a Max book list of top routes as the goal. Its given me a good progression, but mostly harder routes left, I know I can project some 7a and send on sight most but not all 6c's but the odd 7b indoor and out is past it seems as I just don't have the power or maybe they were just easy for the grade. Another year older next year, so even more training just to stand still as it gets harder each year. 

We are lucky with two quite different but equally good local walls. I like the social at 3WM and bouldering and the new training room is superb, but more college students use it and a smaller space makes us circumspect about when we go. Ice Factor, I particularly like the harder routes as projects or just because its nearer to climbing hard sport outside. 

7A Max *** "

No Respect for your Elders" 6c+ and "High Voltage" 6b+ Robs Reed, a cracking route and venue with bouldery fingery starts.

The training pays off more leading routes at Ice Factor, a  bit like Ratho does for Kalymnos but shorter and punchy so needs power. Training the "pump out" is the easy bit if your a lifelong trad climber and Ratho does this by route length so a 6b might just be a long 6a. Anyone can crush a dozen or more leads in the 6a/b - but for me I like the IF route setting (its particularly good at the moment) that uses my training and pushes my "power out" so better for harder routes. It's what I like about hard sport. I have done my share of A/E time with injuries some quite debilitating, and I suffer from a long term chronic illness that's a bugger but doesn't stop me trying - at least until it hits hard most often when tired and the bugs invade. Gone is the gallus youth, so sport offers achievable goals, technical challenge and relative safety. Crushing hard is satisfying, and even some easier routes catch you unawares as they need thought out. A long winter is ahead so these walls to me are an important part of my mental health management, and probably to some of the folk reading this. It's not like it was pre Covid, but it can be ok if we follow the rules.

Clachaig Gully 1973  16 years old. Single Rope, hardly any gear, big boots and the then ubiquitous "Compton Climber" Helmet. More like a motor bike helmet!  Niave and ended up rescued in November off the N. Face Aonach Dubh by the cave when rope ran out, denims froze to legs and in a blizzard. Hypothermia, but walked off after Walter, Hamish and Wull came up and sorted us out.

Polldubh 1978 (guess the route - later went back and FA climbed the awfully named "Dying Crutchman" up over the middle of the overlap to join it. At least some gear, but it wasn't great. Whillans ball wrecker harness that caused some serious injuries to the groin. The MOACS however were brilliant. EB's and Levi or Wrangler flares were the thing then ......

Dunkeld 1976. The Needle in the early doors, 4 pints in Newtonmore then a wee solo of Ivy Crack in big boots before heading down to Wales for a week to meet Fell and Rock climbers in the pass at Ynys Ettws Hut. Bonkers - soloing and after beer. Soloing a mugs game as  eventually you die on something easy.

1980's sticky rubber - not! Chouinard "Canyons" and the original Friends from Wild Country. On "Cayman Grooves E15a/b. An excellent first pitch but the top up the side of the chimney a bit run out although easy. For two great pitches "Walk with Destiny" E2 5b/c is one of the best evening routes in the Glen.  Watch out in spring as there is often a Peregrine Falcon nesting behind the tree that can be used to abseil. Its good fun to do the first pitch of Piranah VS, Cayman and Walk with Destiny and rap off for an evening hit. 

Carnivore pitch 1. One of Glencoe's classic routes when combined with the "Villains Finish" an airy pull out right above the Whillans peg and then  a runout up steep ground to the top. A 500ft route on a 150ft crag.

Line Up pitch 1

On "Line Up" about 1983. (Pictures Alan Thompson). One of the best HVS routes on BEM and Glencoe, F.A local Ian Nicholson. Rannoch Wall delivers a mountain feel in spades, there are no duff routes (well maybe route 1 but its good in winter). The left side higher up the gully is a bit neglected as its a bit steeper and shorter. Give "Wappenshaw Wall" a go, its steep with lots of thank god holds, and "Peasants Passage" is amazing and quite technical for a VS. Spare a thought for the guys who ran them out on the F.A's way back. Imagine Ogilvy & Speakman in plimsoles pre WW2 putting up "Red Slab" with the quite intimidating crux on pitch 2. To enjoy many of these locations its worth knowing a bit of the history. Ken Crockets "A History of Scottish Mountaineering" is a good place to start.

Line Up pitch 2

As Tom Patey remarked about the Scottish climber: "How does he climb, solo and briskly, on 20 fags a day and Scotlands good malt whisky".  "big Ian" having a tipple on an ascent of Valkyrie E2 Etive slabs. Picture scan from slide taken on an OM1 by Fiona Gunn 

Finishing up "Wappenshaw Wall" VS  Then I was climbing on twin 9mm ropes but they were 45m (150ft) long a far cry from todays ropes and often pulled up short if used to build a belay.

Andy Macdonald on "Bludgers/Revelation" HVS, a classic outing skirting the left edge of slime wall. We did "Shibboleth" E2 that day then Bludgers Revelation the next weekend which was late September and unusually hot and dry. "Bloody Crack"  is IMHO (as well as "Pontoon" pitch 2) the best crack lines in Glencoe. Bloody Crack has good pro but its a fight to the finish as thuggy. Patsy Walsh was a strong man! As good as Shibboleth is "Apparition" E2 and Lechers/Superstition is tremendous. "Ravens Edge" is a well worthwhile adventure with unique situations. Great Gully buttress upper and lower can be climbed after doing a slime wall route. All the upper routes are tremendous with Yam, Yamay and May cracks particularly good. June and July cracks are the better of the lower buttress routes, and "The Whip" is a sandbag and quite serious. August crack isn't a patch on the others IMHO

Not to forget the lower Glen which is another post. "Rainmaker" is a fantastic VS mountain route with a bit of an adventure to get to but well worth it. climber Dave Hannah with a big smile on a fine route that for once was dry. Going over the top get the excellent and not so often climbed "Nirvana Wall" in on the way down.