HAPE and HACE

HAPE, high altitude pulmonary edema, is the gathering of fluids in the lungs. It kills. If an afflicted person dosn’t die from HAPE, it is probably because the early signs were recognised and that person descended immediately. If you are going to go into the high altitudes you should know the signs of HAPE. Take this stuff seriously.

HACE, high altitude cerebral edema, occurs when fluids gather in the brain. I think you get the idea. Bad stuff here again. It is important to know the early indications and descend immediately at the first signs of HACE.

There are a number of drugs which may prove helpful in buying time while getting a climber stricken with HAPE or HACE down. Collectively they form the small but high octane pharmacy no high alt climber should be without.

Studies show that most people can go to 12,000 feet without difficulty. Between 12,000 and 22,000 some of us can acclimatise. Above 22,0000 feet elevation your clock starts running down. It may run down quickly, or it may run down slowly. But to be certain it is running down. We are not meant to be at these altitudes and our bodies go to great lengths to communicate this to us. Light-headedness, nausea, sleep disorders, and a ferocious caloric burn rate all become commonplace. You probably can’t eat as many calories as your body burns at high altitude, so it starts feeding on itself. Substantial weight loss, and loss of muscle mass are typical.
As a result, most high altitude attempts incorporate a strategy designed to spend as little time as possible in the thin air. A climber will acclimatise with hikes or load carries in the 12,000 to 17,000 ft elevations for many days, all the while beefing up his physiology. Then he will move into position at high camp and hope for that "Blue Bird Day," clear skies and no wind. Thats when he takes his shot and gets down. Success or not, he gets down. It is a very bad idea to linger, and being weathered in at high camp is among the least favorable outcomes one may encounter.

Strategy on Elbrus features a series of acclimatisation hikes. Each one taking me higher, then descending to sleep low that night. Two of these hikes will have us returning at days end to the comfort of a high mountain ski lodge. Nice. A great deal of thought has gone into how we will acclimatise in the most measured and sensible ways. We will also know the reassurance of having highly trained and experienced Guides leading us ..

Here we go again - Mount Elbrus - Russia

I have had 6 months to settle after Nepal, this time was spent trying not to plan or foresee any future travels to far off lands, it took a year to plan the Himalayas and I needed a rest from it. Then came the opportunity to go to Russia and climb the highest mountain in Europe, one of the Seven Summits,( basically the highest mountain on each of the seven continents.) WILL I, WONT I ???? I have a couple of options regards logistics and costings, I am not an avid fan of raising cash for a charity and using this as a springboard for my own pleasures but rest assured on this occasion I might have to.  I have been invited by a group from the UK on a large guided expedition flying through Moscow on the 11th July 2012. This costs a good bit. I have been invited to go with a guided charity group and raise 4k for a great cause. This costs little. And I am trying to blag on an expedition with an unguided crew who are doing the complete Seven Summits and would love to join as a hanger on for this leg of their journey. This costs in between the other two somewhere.  My mind has already boarded the flight..........

First of all, Mt Elbrus is tall. Compared to the better known European summits The Eiger (13,025ft), The Matterhorn (14,692ft), or Mont Blanc (15,771), Elbrus (18,481ft) is singularly monumental. I have been to Kala Patar above Everest Base Camp in the Himalayas and stood at 5545m or (18,192ft), and put my body under the stress of altitude. That altitude means thin air, cold temperatures, and nasty weather. I'll talk about each of those in this blog. The sum total of these and other considerations is illustrated in this 2005 account;
On May 9, nine people died and two more disappeared on their way down from the peak of Elbrus. Sixty rescuers, including volunteers, took part in the search, and so far, some 389 journalists have written about it. Approximately 30 people die every year in these mountains of Russia; of them, ten or so die on Elbrus. This time Elbrus has gathered its annual norm in one serving.

Kit update...

Been stocking up for forthcoming trips, have a list as long as your arm but gradually gathering bits n bobs monthly, will leave test reviews when I finally get around to using them.


Basically shaving away all possible metal to make a lightweight biner for rock, ice and alpine routes, chose DMM Prowire as my first set. Went for one of the lightest on the market to balance out my chubby ass. DMM's original lightweight quickdraw, the DMM Prowire offers all the advantages of a wiregate karabiner at a reasonable enough price. Man in shop says "If you want to lighten your rack, buy these. If you want DMM quality and design heritage, buy these. If blue is your favourite colour, buy these!" Sold!

To a seasoned stalwart, a rope probably has a soul, a heart and a gentle touch. To me its a rope, so went for a coated 60m Beal 10.2mm jobby. Looks good in purple and feels like it will hold my weight if I decide to fall, it might see daylight come Thursday in Kerry.
From Backcountry.com:
"Representing the divine balance between durability and low weight, the Beal Edlinger II is sure to give you wings on your next project. With a 10.2 mm diameter, this cord travels smoothly over rock and through carabiners, providing a lightweight, easy-to-clip connection to the stone. So, if you're looking for a rope that's not too thin, yet not too heavy - the Edlinger is your ticket."

Was toying with going all out and buying a 4 season tent that weighed the same as my toothbrush, pure overkill with a price tag to match, for the first time ever I think I went with the sensible option. I have so far this year needed a tent on zero occasions. Birthday coming up so kids bought me the Vango Banshee 200, a lightweight tent that is designed for backpackers, trekkers and mountain enthusiasts, the tent will accommodate two people but it is a tight squeeze and a bit Brokeback Mountain if shared. However, the tent was never designed to be roomy, more to economise on weight and pack size for those needing to carry as little weight as possible.

The Vango Banshee has a couple of key features which make it such a popular choice of tent. Firstly, it is lightweight and portable whilst the small pack size is also a key component. The tent is also very stable in the wind and any other forms of adverse weather conditions due to the fact it has a low profile and a solid design structure. Picked the red one, something different and if I ever do get into trouble I gathered it would be easier to spot from a chopper than the green one. Genius.

The JetBoil Flash/Group Cooking System takes fast, light, and efficient to a whole new level in this updated version of a revolutionary camping stove. Whether you’re melting snow in Alaska, making coffee on a big wall, or boiling water for dehydrated food on a backpacking trip, this stove should be my smallest and warmest back country friend.

Have also gone for the 1.5L pot add on, to rustle up some gourmet delights. Key features include a one-liter insulated mug, piezo auto ignition, water temperature indicator, and a lock that secures the stove and pot in one stable unit. There hasn't been a lot of good options until now, so this little gem of a lightweight stove caught my eye. They could maybe partner with Crocs to offer a line of coordinated camp shoes! Would look good in any kitchen but on first impressions it needs to man up a bit for the rugged outdoors. Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

When it comes to sunnys I is worse than any woman with bags/shoes..... I had been wearing Oakley Fuel Cells for the past year but hated them, at a cost of £135  it was becoming an expensive hobby. Stumbled across Sunwise http://www.sunwise.co.uk/ , a pioneering British brand who is making cracking shades at a fraction of the price. To date the most expensive pair I have bought cost £35 and were Polarised.  Started on the Windrush, come with 4 sets of lenses and a great pair to pop in the pocket and not worry about. The Oakleys have a habit of when you sweat, it runs down the inside of the glass.... these bad boys don't. 

Windrush

Picked up the Bude Polarised in White for a steal, nice casual shades that perform well and are nice for driving in.

Bude Polarised

Next t be ordered were the Waterloos, another Polarised lens with Chromofusion, basically darkens the brighter it gets, really liked the flat arm profile that sits well below a climbing helmet or cap.

Waterloo

Macgillycuddy's Reeks - Carrauntoohil

Update: Trip cancelled, climbing buddy got in a days work with a group on Dalkey Quarry instructing. 


Shoulder still aches badly, physio is gonna rip my nuts off as she asked me to lay up for 2 weeks. Toe is on the mend and only about a week away from healing totally, but duty calls....... Leaving at early o'clock, 5ish on Thursday morning to try and drive to Kerry bag Howling and drive home all in the one day. Have been itching (pestering Pat) to come back and lead this climb for me. Its noted as the most beautiful and accessible mountaineering route on the island.....

Howling Ridge is today generally regarded as Ireland’s finest mountaineering route and is climbed hundreds of times annually by both Irish and overseas climbers. Originally it was done as an ice climb but today is best known as a summer route. It isn’t the most difficult ascent on Carrauntoohill (1039m) but is by far the most enjoyable. Indeed, Howling has become a rite-of-passage ascent for many eager to make the transition to the knee-knocking intensity of scrambling and dangling on rock faces. On sunny days, when the mountain is in friendly mood and sandstone offers excellent friction, Howling provides the heart-lifting feeling that comes with rising rapidly heavenward on a superb mountain face. In venomous mood, however, it lays many traps to snare the unwary and the consequences of simple mistakes have varied from extremely serious to fatal.

Graded a straightforward V Diff (in summer conditions), the Howling Ridge climb begins at the Heavenly Gates, which is a narrow notch in the cliffs on this north-east face. It’s about 400m of scrambling and climbing on old red sandstone, and approximately eight pitches if you rope the entire route. The real challenges are loose rock, exposure and the level of commitment needed. There is no easy way out once you are some way into this climb. In proper winter conditions it’s a Grade 2 to Grade 3 winter climb.

Rotator Cuff Tear

Howlin Ridge

Shoulder banjaxed for a few weeks now, seen the physio and am for a Cortisone Injection today. Rotator Cuff Tear am told, lay low for a few weeks and it should heal. Have been itching to have a go at Howlin Ridge in Kerry and have booked a weeks family holiday in Kenmare mid August to have a crack at it.... For somebody not that bothered about rock climbing & more into the mountaineering side of it, I have been thinking and googling nothing else! Bought a new Beal 60m rope and have started piecing a rack together. Toe still playing up also, nail growing every direction but the right direction. Sitting around eating, drinking and smoking means getting fat and lazy, will drop down to the climbing wall this week for a pick me up and inspiration. 

Midsummer Day's Dream

Knockdrinna

No flippin way

 Supposed to hit The Mournes for another spell on the granite today but was easily swayed into a full day in Kilkenny on two limestone quarries instead. It was a scorcher and the thought of two hours in the car either way to Co. Down was replaced with the enthusiasm of trying a bit of sports climbing. First stop Knockdrinna, not an easy one to find, but a beaut of a small isolated seldom climbed slab. Pat led the way as The Squirrel was well into hibernation this morning and wasn't to be roused. Well I never, the climbs were a tad hard, sports climbing is basically a pre-bolted route, it eliminates the focus on placing protection/gear and relies on strength and endurance. These grades were about 3 above my level at best, I got about two foot of the ground for the whole morning, Pat managed a cracker of a route West Fork F6a+, admittedly he ponced about it for a good hour previous but when it came good he sailed it. I was still throwing myself at it like a Jack Russel trying to mount your leg! This was the easy one and a lack of gym work showed up many weaknesses. We walked across and had a look at the harder sections of the quarry, no flippin way, it was like a brick wall 15m in height. I learned a good bit of roping techniques though so the morning was not a waste.

Amphitheatre

Ballykeefe

 
I was so glad to hear Pat say, "lets hit Ballykeefe Quarry, you might have a chance there". Another limestone terror, with an amphitheatre built within it, Pat is going to see a production of Midsummer Night's Dream there tomorrow night, cool spot to hang. And that's what I did, hang all day, zero strength, zero friction and zero success, bagged only one route (dont even think it had a name, a makey up job), looked the easiest on site. Pat marched up everything he chose as usual and was graciously trying to build me up by explaining the differences in difficulty in climbing lime compared to granite. Bit of soul searching pre the next outing, more gym work, rope work, quickdraw placing and a trip to the chiropodist. I will be back Ballykeefe, sleep with one eye open biatch........

Dalkey Quarry

Pat making it look way too easy

Great Gully Route, Fraughan Glen, Wicklow

Was hoping to pop up and do an Alpine route in the Wicklow Mountains this morning, Pat had located a cracking looking gully that would incorporate all the skills required for alpine rope work and technical slogging. This was changed to a morning on the famous Dalkey Quarry. Pat and Ciaran had arrived early, I was hoping to give them a head start and go for a few biggies before holding them back in the afternoon with my constant questioning and slow pace.  Not to be, first up a nice little top rope called Paradise Lost VDiff, felt a good warm up before abseiling down to have a crack at half of Moonlighter a VS. Its been a while since I was out on rock, I dont aspire to be a rock climber but I was sucking this up...... The boys were tops as usual, pulling moves an aul lad like me could only dream of. Ciaran took time to show me the location of his 70 foot fall that broke his back in 3 places, a nice little confidence booster!!!

The boys steamed up Thrust HVS, Ciaran took a tumble here last week and needed this, he ace'd it and in style. Pat humbly was the "Dope with the Rope" today, its nice to see him step back and give Ciaran the reigns to boost his climbing head for the summer months, but we were all sucking in the buzz Ciaran was having.

Distrust VS

Next up was myself again and I was to try a nice little VS next to Thrust called Distrust, a cracking looking Flake of granite that eventually tops out onto a grassy ending. This was a peach of a climb, only once or twice did I hesitate but the training kicked in and although not graceful it was some accomplishment for moi. Both lads are climbing instructors and the information volunteered is invaluable to a grommet like myself.  The lads are considering Spain again this autumn to do a few weeks mixed climbing but the sports climbing in Siurana sounds really appealing, better get saving so.

Motivated Squirrel in full flight