Page 81 - Wish Stream Year of 2019

short of the peak after just over an hour. With the ground underfoot looking increasingly unpleas- ant on the final approach, we called it a draw and headed home.
nearly at the bottom, we practised our avalanche recovery drills. One by one we dug out a buried rucksack with a transmitter sending out its SOS, saving the chilled sandwiches inside. A success- ful way to end a good day!
Tuesday marked our transition
from ski touring novices to ski
touring enthusiasts. At 0700hrs,
we gathered round and began
discussing potential routes and
hazards for the day. Having miti-
gated the hazards as best we
could and identified potential heu-
ristic traps, we set out to conquer Wetterkreuzkogel (2587m). A
mere 31⁄2 hours later, having navigated through dense forests and traversed a stunning valley, we were up and welcomed by a panoramic view of the Austrian Alps. After a quick bite to eat, we set about de-skinning our skis, flicked our boots to downhill mode, and prepared to descend in a fashion that Hermann Maier would have been proud of.
Thursday’s route, a snow-covered summer walking track, followed a valley, meandering its way into the mountain, passing what looked like the smallest hydro dam we’d ever seen. Pushing past that, we crossed over the stream supply- ing this dam, and started heading more seriously uphill. Having reached the top, we could see the beautiful Alps stretching as far as the eye could see in any direction. A quick sandwich later, and an obnoxiously gusty wind blowing around us, we opted to show off our downhill prowess to the group following us hot on our tail. Once
For the last day of the course, we again focused on the search and res- cue element. After finding a suitable spot we began to practise digging out snow pits to better understand the layers comprising the snowpack. This was followed by the chance to dig small individual snowholes for overnight survival on the mountain.
While cramped, it was amazing the difference in temperature immediately noticeable once inside. To conclude, we then did another run through of using our transceivers to locate an avalanche victim (rucksack) in a simulated slide.
With the course complete, we spent the final day on the freshly snowed pistes of St Anton. The overcast weather couldn’t stop our excite- ment for the fresh snow and so we set off up the mountain and started our day enjoying the slopes. Having found a safe spot for lunch, the weather cleared up and the sun started to fight through. Throwing caution to the wind, our off-piste endeavours became more and more adventurous now that we could see all the best routes. All in all, it was an excellent day, rounding off a fantastic week. It’s safe to say that all of the team members have caught the ski touring bug and are itching to go again as soon as possible.
After a busy Intermediate Term, OCdts Har- ley, Loxdale, Sullivan and Thomas took off from Gatwick on a chilly Saturday morning, beginning Ex CRIMPING CADET. Arriving at our destination in Alicante, better known for its sum- mer tourism and the proverbial ‘Benidorm’, the area we discovered was an absolute limestone- based gem for climbing. Setting up our base- camp at a very comfortable villa in Calpe, the expedition went out for supplies and surveyed the routes for the next few days.
OCdt Loxdale
Climbing commenced the following day at Sierra De Toix ridge. It was the ideal opportunity to warm up for the next few days, with varying abili- ties and experience across the group, climbing 4-5 grade top roped routes.
The following day we found ourselves in the spectacular Guadalest, a village set in the hills about an hour inland from the coast, the land- scape dominated by the Medieval castle. The day marked an increase in difficulty at the encourage-
For the last day of the course, we again focused on the search and rescue element.
Exercise CRIMPING CADET
SANDHURST 79