Page 34 - 2002 AMA Summer

MY gil MUUirUKitt
“When God made the hills He intended them to be climbed and not to be used as glorified toboggan runs.”
Introduction
The above comment, from a member of the Alpine Club in the early 1920s, illustrates the jaundiced perspective with which many mountaineers view the use of skis in a moun­ taineering environment. This may be because skiers and mountaineers are perceived to have such different values, indeed a whole different rela­ tionship with the environment they move amongst. I would say that whilst the stereotypical mountaineer (dour, rollup smoking, self-reliant) and skier (brash, selfish, demanding) can still be found, increasingly there are more and more people who have a passion for both. These passions can be realised simul­ taneously through ski moun­ taineering.
An AMA survey in 1996 discov­ ered that ski mountaineering
was overwhelmingly the disci­ pline that the membership wished to know more about and to be developed in. Whilst the situation may have changed in the intervening few years the executive committee, meeting on 28 May 02, decided that the opportunity presented by an enthusiast to promote the discipline was worthwhile; as a result I have a year to identify whether moun­ taineering by ski is AMA business! As the Ski Mountaineering Rep' my aim over the next twelve months will be ‘to raise awareness of the possibilities offered by ski touring and mountaineering to the AMA membership'.
Specific objectives will be as follows:
To inform the membership about ski touring and mountaineering
To explore suitable links (and pos­ sible funding) with other bodies.
To promote the gaining of the relevant skills
To encourage expeditioning by ski
To act as a point of contact and advice
There is a danger that I am setting myself up as an expert here; that is not the intention. Many reading this will be better qualified than I to address all of these areas - I just happened to volunteer! I will however endeavour to further develop the information base I already possess and develop links with others able to advise more authoratively.
What is Ski Mountaineering?
As has been hinted at above I believe it breaks down into two distinct disciplines:
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By this stage in the article I would hope that readers who climb and ski are onside, but what about the climber who can’t ski, won’t ski? Why should he or she invest their time in this activity? I would argue that this is as exciting as anything comparable in winter. It provides the opportunity to get amongst it relatively quickly and economically (energy wise!), get up the hills with less tortuous trail breaking and get down quickly in a more exciting fashion than on foot (it’s also easier on the knees as you get a little
older!).
Even for the individual who decides this is not an end in itself, as a means it can still be exploited. The joint service ski scheme offers some of the best winter experience going - and it does so predominantly to piste-skiers!! The opportuni­ ty to spend time learning
about transceivers, snow holes and shelters, winter navigation etc is combined with the chance to learn or improve on ones skiing. This may be a vital skill when you're applying for that big exped in Alaska or Greenland.
As the mountains get fuller and fuller the drive will increasingly be to get out to really remote places in winter. Even if you charter that Russian Hip it is likely you will still find yourself needing to move around in deep snow when you’re dropped off; skis are the answer.
There will be more in the next Journal. Meanwhile please contact me by either of the means listed below if I can help, and if you’re even slightly interested then do look into the courses on offer, even if you are just looking for an excuse not to go back to Ballachulish or Glenmore Lodge this coming winter season..
Damien Plant damienp@btintemet.com, 01634 822377
Chatham 2377 (work)
Tim Bird ski touring on Cairngorm. By Steve Willson.
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Ski Touring
ing through a mountainous landscape in full winter condi­ tions. A tour will normally be multi-day, involve carrying all necessary equipment and may include ski ascents of peaks. In a joint service context it is a non-glacial activity.
Ski Mountaineering This is all of the above, normally involves crossing glaciers and winter mountaineering with skis carried. It requires full winter equipment and a higher level of both skill and fitness!
Both disciplines tend to use hutted accommodation, although in remoter areas tents etc may be carried or ‘pulked'. Both disciplines tend to be extremely demanding.
Over the coming year I intend to discuss these activities in greater detail, along with opportunities to gain training and suitable locations for expeditions. For now I would recommend that readers still reading may wish to check out the courses offered by either JSMTC (Indefatigable) for touring, or BAC (Bavaria) for touring and mountaineering. I
have attended courses at both (the Inde' ones are in Norway) and both centres offer superb, well resourced training in beautiful mountain environ­ ments.
This is journey­