The Guide's Trip

It's the time of the year when the students get to go on their own trip without teachers, and this time a fellow classmate and I was had the responsibility. I want to use this post as a reminder for later by writing down all the different games we have been through so far.

Baby shark, mama shark, papa shark bapaba..

Pinne/kniv leken

penguin dansen

Happiness around the campfire. Photo: Andreas

Looking down on camp and the new snow in the back. Photo: Andreas

Sea Kayak and Traditional Boating Trip

We went on the boat headed out to the islands of Solund the 10th of september. The course contained rowing and paddling for 4 days. I learned a couple things on the course that I might want to further develop on. Like my paddling skills that I cant really brag about having yet. The way of traveling by a kayak is amazingly beautiful. Combining that with the setting of Solund islands and you just got to love it. Anyways.. I want to use this blogpost as an opportunity to learn more about nature based tourism and their products.

The three Levels of a Product

The harbour at Little Færøy. Photo: Andreas

Mehmet claims that there are three levels of a product in the nature based tourism industry. The main one is the core product which is what the tourist actually is buying. The actual product is what the tourist believe his buying. The last level is everything combined around the core product which is called the extended product. It increases the products total value (Mehmetoglu, 2007).

Some goats on the island. Photo: Andreas

To create a successful product its important to assess the needs among the tourists. They all have different reasons for choosing a product. Some might want to relax while others want to strengthen their relationships with friends and be physically active. These wants and needs represent the core product. Its important to further develop and define these components to make the customer aware (Mehmetoglu, 2007).

The actual product represents what the customer have paid for that can be seen and touched. The core product affects the decision of choosing the product while the actual product comprehends the quality of what is being sold. The company works optimal when both products interact in a good way (Mehmetoglu, 2007).

An evening in the boathouse. Photo: Andreas

The extended product is more or less the service given during the customer relationship. By doing a good job this can be used to emerge among the competitors (Mehmetoglu, 2007).

It depends on the situation if the core, actual or extended product determine whether or not the customer  chooses your company. The core should be the predominant product, but at last it is the whole package that attracts most customers.




References:

Mehmetoglu, M. (2007). Naturbasert Turisme. Fagbokforlaget, Bergen.

Climbing Course

We had a climbing course from the 27th to the 30th of August focusing on the basic skills. Knowing how to safely maneuver the crags, sport climbing methods and conveying these methods to others were key subjects this week. I want to use this blogpost to recall how to efficiently ascend a rope by prussics.

Colin showing how. Photo: Andreas 

Ascending Ropes

If the rope has to be ascended and you don't got a couple ascenders in your rack,  using two prussics would be an efficient alternative. It's also possible to use only one ascender and a ratchet. However the redundancy of two makes the system not only more secure, but also versatile. The length of slings varies from situations and size of person (Klassen, 1999).

Colin, my instructor on a climbing course a few years ago showed me his best way of ascending a rope.  

Colin ascending. Photo: Andreas

His method was using two long prussics as shown on the pictures. In this case we used two 5meter prussics. It's not hard to improvise with other equipment. Tie the first prussic ends into the harness with a figure eight. Do the same procedure with the lower prussic, but leave one of the ends for a foot loop (Moorhead, 2010).

When ascending you don't want to pull on the prussic because it can slip when loaded. A point to pull on can be made by tying a normal overhand knot beneath the prussic (Moorhead, 2010).

How efficient the rope ascending would be depends on the range you can move for every pull. The distance between the foot loop and lower prussic plus the distance between the harness and the higher prussic is crucial for speed.

The methods and whats best is pretty much individually. What matter is to practise so your ready when the situation occurs.



References:

Klassen, K. (1999). Technical Handbook for Professional Mountain Guides - Alpine, Rock, and Ski Guiding Techniques. ACMG, Canmore.

Moorhead, C. Personal announcement. 09. 13. 2010. Squamish.

Jostedalsbreen Glacier Trip

I had quite a few thoughts during the long days of glacier travel. One of them considering the "sun watch" we learned earlier, and my realization of remembering only few details. In therms of this happening, I will now explain how it works for future incidents of my short time memory decease.

Sun Watch

Skiing on Jostedalen Glacier, Second day

In November we learned how to use a compass and the sun's position to locate the time of the day. Odd Lennart, one of our teachers, explained this winter that the sun would be 90 degrees at 6 in the morning. It will move 15 degrees for each hour. By noon the sun would be at 180 degrees directly south, and by midnight point directly to the north.

The Northern and Southern Hemisphere

If used in the southern hemisphere it's an important detail to remember that it's completely opposite compared to the northern hemisphere which means that noon will be directly north and midnight 180 degrees south.

This can be handy to keep track of the time when outdoors without a watch or interesting "fun facts" to teach students.


References:
Vikene, O. L. Personal announcement. 11. 07. 2011. Kaupanger.

3 day Ski Touring in Hurrungane

It's a while since I last studied glacier rescue now. Feeling a bit rusty when we practised on course, I figured freshening up a bit with a short blogpost in the subject would not hurt.

Picture 1,  Two Team Haul

Crevasse Rescue Systems
There is several systems that can be used for different situations.

Two Team Haul
If two teams are available, a two team haul can be used. If the second team can get a rope relatively quick to the victim it would not be necessary for the first team to build an anchor. Meanwhile the second team approaches the edge and drops down a rope with a locking biner, the first team belays the victim in self arrest position. Remember to secure the edge with a backpack, ice axe or something else before lowering the rescue rope.

Picture 2, Droop Loop Raise

Drop Loop Raise
Low friction system that moves the rope quickly.
It has minimal mechanical advantage so it suits a light victim or two or more rescuers available to haul.

Picture 3, Z Pulley

Droop Loop with Z Pulley
This method is the most common when there is only one rescuer. It has greater mechanical advantage, but the increased friction and rope stretch reduces efficiency.

Picture 4, Z Pulley with added advantage

Z Pulley with Added Advantage
The difference from drop loop to z pulley as you can see on picture 2 and 3, is the ratchet and another prussic. To add advantage to the system use another prussic as shown in picture 4. This system has such an high friction, rope stretch and slow raise, so its only used when previous systems can not create enough advantage to haul.








References:

Pavillard, J. et.al (1999). Techncal Handbook for Professional Mountain Guides. ACMG, Canmore, AB.

Haslene, S. (2008). Breboka - Håndbok i brevandring. DNT Fjellsport, Oslo.

Food Primitive Style

The 7th of November we went of to the forests of Kaupanger for a five day trip focusing on general and primitive survival in the nature. No watches, cellphones or gas stoves allowed, only pure fire to boil water, cook food and get heat in the evening after sunset. Instead of a tent we got a tarp as shelter. This was going to be a new experience.

Group prepping dinner around the fire at second camp.

Methods of Making Food in the Wild

You don't always need your gas stove, there is lots of good food that can be made in the wild using these two methods and just a regular fire.


"Sjusteinsovn"
It is a stove constructed by seven rocks making it possible to fry pizza, bread, buns and a lot more, only the imagination can stop you. However, the most important of the rocks, the one to fry on, has to be flat and around 4 centimetres. It can not be to thin, but it is hard to make enough heat when it is to thick. Ideally the other six rocks has to be flat, only thicker and the construction has to be airtight to keep a hot frying room (Mytting & Bischoff, 2008). By experience the rock wall at the back tends to burst up when the heat gets to intense. Sprinkle some flour before frying the buns and other bakeries to reduce chances of sticking and burning onto the rock.

Got the fire heating those rocks up

"Kokegrop"
Is another way of making good food in the wild just by digging a hole, toss in some rocks and warm it up with a fire. The hole has to be large enough to fit the meal and filled with rounded rocks so it does not poke holes through the foil. After covering up the bottom and the walls with rocks, light up a big fire in the hole to heat it all up. When the fire is burnt down and the stones are hot, dig out the embers and lay the foil coated dinner onto the hot rocks, a pillow case could also be used. After doing that, carefully place the rest of the rocks over it, pour on the soil and cover it up with the peat (Mytting & Bischoff, 2008). The cooking time depends on the heat, but last time we used 2 hours and 30 minutes on a 2.5 kilograms lamb thigh.

Enjoy!



References:
Mytting, I. & Bischoff A. (2008). Friluftsliv, 2. utgave. Gyldendal, Oslo. P. 96-97

Before, marinating the thigh with garlic feds, butter and thyme

After, everyone are hungry and ready to feast.

Guide's trip

On the way up to Austerdal glacier. Photo: Mathilde Andersson

The past few days from the 12th to the 14th Eirik and Sara third years, Mathilde and I second years and five first year students drove up to Veitastrond for a short glacier trip. We were walking on Austerdal glacier with the view of the beautiful Odin, Thor and Loke glacier when I figured out I wanted to write a post about snow.


Formation and Growth of Snow Crystals in the Atmosphere
The atmospheric clouds compounded of supersaturated water vapor droplets, are the mother of all snow crystals. Droplets are formed by water building up on small particles of salt, dust or soil in the air called condensation nuclei. The droplet will grow when the air is supersaturated and water vapor condensate on the surface. Snow can be formed by tiny ice crystals when the air temperature is below zero degrees however, small water droplets will persist in a supercooled state. Freezing ice crystals are only formed when foreign particles are being crystallized. The freezing nuclei are less common compared to the condensation nuclei. Their special structure promote freezing individually by the temperature gradient and they increase in numbers when the temperature decreases. Droplets will freeze without assistant from the freezing nuclei at minus 40 degrees (Clung & Schaerer, 2006;43).

Crystallographic axes of a snow crystal
(Wergin & Rango, 2002).

The ice crystals will fall when they gain enough weight. On the way down they will become larger by colliding with other supercooled droplets that would freeze onto them, this process is called riming. When the branches on the crystal are entirely filled in by an extended riming process, it becomes a rounded crystal called graupel. Hail is formed by graupel alternating in a freeze and thaw cycle (Clung & Schaerer, 2006;45).

Basically the growth of a snow crystal occurs in two directions, the a-axis that form plate like crystals and the c-axis that form needle like crystals. On vapor growing crystals there will always be six sides due to the basal plane of the crystal. The temperature is the most important of all the complicated variables that form the crystals both on the way down and on the earth after the snowfall. The growth direction switches from a-axes to c-axes when the temperature changes. The crystals that have fallen through cold air are generally smaller than those falling through warm air due to its ability to hold more moister (Clung & Schaerer, 2006;46).


The Perfect Flake
Snowflakes form in warm and moist air with calm to light wind speed. When the cloud cover is high, the fall time for the snow crystal is long and the temperatures are a few degrees below zero with relatively dry air, we got the perfect powder light snow skiers are looking for (Clung & Schaerer, 2006;47, Landrø, 2007;35).


References:

Mc Clung, D & Schaerer, P.(2006). The Avalanche Handbook 3rd Edition, The Mountaineers Book, USA.

Landrø, M.(2007). Skredfare - En håndbok om skred for fjellskiløpere, klatrere og løssnøkjørere, Fri flyt, Oslo.

Wergin, P. W; Rango A; Foster, J; Erbe, F. E; Pooley, C.(2002).Retrieved from: http://modis-snow-ice.gsfc.nasa.gov/uploads/pap_R_irreg02.pdf, 21.10.2011.