Mountain Technique

 by Natalie

 5 LESSONS LEARNED THE HARD WAY AS AN OUTDOOR WOMAN

I’m sharing these five lessons that I have learned in my 20+ years working as an outdoor guide, educator, risk manger, search and rescue team member, park ranger and wilderness medicine course provider.  Suffice it to say that I’ve been around the block.  Working the desirable and undesirable jobs.  Always along side men, rarely with any others. I always wished I could have had a female mentor. I’ve learned a lot, the hard way.  Let me spare you some challenges with these key lessons:

 

DON’T TAKE THE BACKSEAT

BELIEVE IN YOUR INSTINCTS

LEARN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHADOW AND REAL FEAR

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE

DON’T DO THINGS LIKE A MAN

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in Mountain Technique
 by Natalie

My Traverse to the South Pole

Let’s just call this a long road trip. Though the length isn’t what makes it so interesting but rather the location (The South Pole!), mode of travel, and reasons behind the trip. 

 

How: Tractor traverse 

Where: Across multiple Ice Shelves, up the Trans-Antarctic and onto the Polar Plateau, eventually reaching the Geographic South Pole. 

Why: Delivery of fuel and other essential supplies for science projects at the South Pole. 

My job: Field Safety Coordinator for the US Antarctic Program

What made this stint of contract work so interesting is the unique mix of skills needed. My work was a mix of traditional mountaineering, tractor rigging, white-out navigation, field medic, tractor operator, and science tech.  

 

I actually spent the first part of my season training the team in crevasse rescue. Then I went on a special trip to prepare one section of the route, before actually starting this traverse. 

 

Sounds like a lot?? It was! It’s hard to share the scale of this journey but below are some great insights. 

 

Mt Beazley- one of the most stunning sites along the way. I wish we could have stayed here for days.

The Route

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in Mountain Technique / Trip Reports
 by Natalie

Treating Hypothermia

I’m just snuggled up by my fireplace on a cold rainy day which is inspiring me to talk about the cold, specifically hypothermia.

 

Problems with the cold have been on my mind a lot lately. I did just return from working in Antarctica where it was quite cold. Since being back in California, it has been raining and snowing, a lot. We are being hit by the “atmospheric river,” and while these are relatively warm storms, it is still colder and damper than most people are used to – especially in sunny California. On top of that, I recently attended a lecture by the renowned cold physiology scientist, Dr. Giesbrecht aka Dr. Popsicle, on hypothermia and crevasse rescue[i].

 

All of this led me to write this article. Let’s talk about what’s going on physiologically when we get cold, discuss the decision process needed to determine when it is causing a problem, and the actions to take to prevent it from becoming something significant (AKA hypothermia).

 

So, first things first, cold will always be a problem when we are losing heat faster than we can replace it.

 

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in Mountain Technique / Wilderness Medicine
 by Natalie

TRIP REPORT: White Mountain to Boundary Peak

This was an ultralight overnight traverse from White Mountain and Boundary Peak in the White Mountains on the California/Nevada border.  It covers 30 miles. There’s 7 miles of trail on either end and 16 miles of cross country travel between each peak.  It was one of my favorite hikes of the season.  The traverse across this range was easier and more beautiful than I had anticipated.

Cowboy camping on White Mountain

Our bivvy spot for the night

I did the traverse in early June in a low snow year.  There were very few patches of snow.  The creek at our mid-point was running and provided our water resupply.

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in Adventure / Mountain Technique / Trip Report / Trip Reports
 by Natalie

TRIP REPORT: Norman Clyde Peak – Northeast Ridge

Norman Clyde Peak has a huge striking arete and summit pinnacle.  It’s visible from Temple Crag and is found along the Palisade Traverse.  However, it doesn’t get that much traffic as it’s a long approach and stiff scrambling.  I found this trip to be a solid day effort.  It could be more pleasant as an overnighter. 

I’ve had this peak on my mind since I was a park ranger at Devils Postpile and gave campfire talks about Norman Clyde.  It was good to finally get a day on my own in these wild and beautiful mountains as I climbed the Northeast Ridge of Norman Clyde Peak.

 

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in Mountain Technique / Trip Report / Trip Reports
 by Natalie

TRIP REPORT: East Arete of Mount Humphreys

This peak is a part of the Bishop skyline.  If you spend enough time here, eventually you’ll want to climb this picturesque peak.  The East Arete of Mount Humphreys is considered a classic route for those inclined to rock climbing.  It’s a big day with a lot of elevation gain and ridge climbing.  I enjoyed the climb, and found it to be a full day’s effort of mountain climbing.

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in Adventure / Mountain Technique / Trip Report / Trip Reports
 by Natalie

The Beginners Guide to Climbing Mountains

Getting to the top of a mountain and capturing the surrounding views can be an incredibly rewarding experience!  In fact, the physical challenges and feelings of accomplishment are so great that you may find yourself wanting to climb more peaks and bigger mountains.   For some this can lead them on a journey that culminates on Mount Everest!  But, nobody starts with climbing the highest mountain in the world.  We start with a dream of a mountain.  This blog post is full of mountain climbing basics to turn your dream of a mountain summit into actionable steps to get you up the mountain. 

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in Adventure / Education / Mountain Technique / Nutrition / Strength and Endurance