MOUNTAIN HAZARDS

Introduction

Hazards can be termed as natural (caused by natural occurrence) and man-made (caused by an individual, such as lack of preparation, carelessness, improper diet, equipment misuse). There are two kinds of hazards people face while operating in the mountains i.e. subjective and objective.

Subjective Hazards

Subjective hazards are created by humans; for example, choice of route, companions, over exertion, dehydration, climbing above one’s ability, and poor judgment.

(a) Falling. Falling can be caused by carelessness, over-fatigue, heavy equipment, bad weather, over estimating one’s ability, a hold breaking away or other reasons.

(b) Camp Site. Bivouac sites must be protected from rock fall, wind, lightning, avalanche run-out zones and flooding (especially in gullies). If the possibility of falling exists, rope in, the tent and all equipment may have to be tied down.

(c) Equipment. Ropes are not total security; they can be cut on a sharp edge or break due to poor maintenance, vintage, or excessive use. You should always pack emergency and bivouac equipment even if the weather situation, tour, or a short climb is seemingly low of dangers.

Objective Hazards

Objective hazards are caused by the mountain and weather and cannot be influenced by a person operating in mountains. Objective hazards are further classified as:-

(a) Snow Group Hazards.

The difficulties offered by snow in snow bound and glaciated areas are called snow group hazards. Different snow group hazards are as follows:-

(i) Avalanche. Avalanche is a massive mass of unstable snow and / or ice that can come hurtling down a slope and brings with it snow, ice, rocks, soil, trees etc. Avalanche is a dangerous and life threatening hazard in mountains, the chances of survival of an avalanche victim are estimated at 85% percent, if rescued within 15 minutes, 50% within 30 minutes, 20% within one hour

(ii) Soft Snow. Excessive snow fall makes movement very difficult. Movement on soft snow is very slow and tiring. Trugger shoes or skis can be used to move easily on soft snow (iii) Glaciers.

Movement on glaciers is difficult especially while climbing the slopes. Ice axe and crampons are used to move in glaciers (iv) Crevasses. Crevasses are formed when a glacier moves over a slope and makes a bend, or when a glacier separates from the rock walls that enclose it. They can be very wide and deep making movement very difficult on glaciers. Crevasses can be crossed by constructing rope bridges or by launching a ladder

(v) Hanging Glaciers and Seracs. Are pinnacles or tower of ice. Avoid them if possible. They will fall without warning regardless of the time of day or time of year. One cubic meter of glacier ice weighs 910 kilograms. If one needs to cross these danger areas, do so quickly and keep an interval between each person

(vi) Cornice. A consolidated snow bank projecting over the edge of a ridge, plateau or corrie, and formed by prevailing winds. They may be temporary which are very likely to avalanche, or they may be permanent. While selecting a route in snow bound areas avoid moving below and over a cornice

(vii) Snow Bridge. A bridge formed over a crevasse or a stream which is not very strong is always a hazard for people moving in snow bound areas. To avoid these bridges team should probe the route along which they are moving.

(viii) Snow on Trees. After fresh snow fall some snow gets accumulated on the trees which become hard after some days. This snow can cause harm if falls on somebody sitting under that tree. One should avoid camping under trees having snow accumulated on them

(b) Weather Hazards.

Weather conditions in the mountains may vary from one location to another as little as 10 km apart. Approaching storms may be hard to spot if masked by local peaks. A clear, sunny day in July could turn into a snowstorm in less than an hour. Always pack some sort of emergency gear. The types of weather hazards are enumerated below :-

(i) Wind Chill. Winds are stronger and more variable in mountains. The effect of low temperature is compounded by the heat extracting effect of the wind and the two in combination should be taken into account when considering the weather. (ii) Low Visibility. Fog, rain, darkness, and / or blowing snow cause poor visibility which can lead to disorientation. Take note of your exact position and plan your route to safety before visibility decreases. (iii) White Out. A dangerous condition in winter when falling and drifting snow, or poor visibility cause the horizon to merge with the ground and the sky. It is difficult to then orientate oneself and very easy to walk over an edge. If one has to move under these conditions, it is best to rope up. The point man should move at the end of the rope. Use a route sketch and march table. (iv) Altitude. At high altitudes (especially over 6,500 feet), endurance and concentration is reduced. Cut down on smoking and alcohol. Sleep well, acclimatize slowly, stay hydrated, and be aware of signs and symptoms of high-altitude illnesses. Storms can form quickly and lightning can be severe.

(v) Lightning. Lightning is frequent, violent, and normally attracted to high points and prominent features in mountain storms. One should stay away from big trees and metal objects.

(vi) Dry air. Air is dryer at higher altitudes, so dehydration is of greater concern. Intake of adequate liquid is necessary.

(vii) For each 300 m rise in altitude, the temperature drops approximately one degree Celsius. This can cause hypothermia and frostbite even in summer, especially when combined with wind, rain, and snow. Always wear or pack appropriate clothing.

(c) Rock Hazards.

Three types of rock hazards are as follows:-

(i) Scree or Loose Slate. Loose rock eroded from a mountain and found in steep slopes below cliffs. Can be very awkward to climb and descend over scree

(ii) Verglas. Cold combined with fog can cause a thin sheet of ice to form on rocks is called verglas. Presence of verglas on rock face makes climb very dangerous.

(iii) Loose Rocks. Loose rocks on the rock face make climb difficult as it becomes difficult to find natural anchors and to put pitons in the rock. Loose rocks are very dangerous for climbers following the lead climber. Avoid selecting route along the rock faces having loose rocks and everyone should wear helmet while climbing.

(d) Health Hazards.

People operating in high altitudes and snow bound areas face following health problems:-

(i) Hypothermia. It is generalized cooling of body caused by exposure to extreme cold.

(ii) Chilblains. It is a cold injury which occurs due to excessive exposure of body parts to extreme cold.

(iii) Frost Bite. It is caused by localized cooling of a body part. Tissue exposed to extreme cold can begin to freeze over time, often causing permanent damage

(iv) High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema (HAPO). High altitude pulmonary Oedema is not a disease, it is an acute, dramatic and sometimes life-threatening condition seen in un-acclimatized persons. This sometimes happens suddenly and without warning to a person.

(v) Acute Mountain Sickness(AMS). AMS is caused by diminished oxygen pressure in the atmosphere, and hence in the blood, and strikes those falling to adapt to high altitude.

(vi) Snow Blindness. It occurs due to overexposure to sunrays and ultraviolet rays reflected from snow.

(vii) Sun Burns. It occurs due to overexposure to sunrays and ultraviolet rays over high mountains. Sun burn can be of two types i.e. superficial and deep

Conclusion Lack of knowledge about mountains can be cause for mishaps and failure of operation. Therefore, it becomes imperative for a mountaineer to know all the problems he is likely to face while in mountains.