Saturday, January 31, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Arctic Survival
Well 42 is fresh back from Resolute, Nunavut after doing some survival training in the Arctic. Resolute is about 600km south of the north pole. It started out on a good note being that all the Herc's were tasked out so we were able to charter a 737 to take us up there. In-flight meals and some sleep go a long way.
After getting to Resolute we marched to the Narwhal hotel where we would be staying for a few night. All the kit was shipped over on palettes by forklift. After getting the hotel brief and sorting out some kit we ate supper and proceeded outside to learn some stuff. Arctic lanterns which can be used as a signal (basically a pylon of snow with a candle in it), are surprisingly bright. Especially in a place where the sun does not shine. We spent two nights in the Narwhal with the days spent outside learning how to build makeshift shelters and basically just spending time outside trying to get used to the environment. The snow up there is extremely dry. It's just too cold. But because of the wind it gets packed very solidly and feels like styrofoam. It can be cut like wood into blocks or whatever you want. It's very strong providing you aren't too rough with it.
On the third day we walked out to Crystal City which is a detachment of CFSSAR to begin Arctic survival. Following the survival pattern which is first aid, shelter, fire, signals, food, water. We began to construct snow walls to put our SAR tents in. What a pain in the ass. It takes well over 100 snow blocks to have enough to shield your tent from the wind. The tent is also extremely cold to sleep in up there. That being said it should only be used as a temporary shelter. If you're going to be up there for more than 24 hours you should think about constructing something more permanent such as a snow cave or igloo. Which brings us to day two. Snow caves. At the start of every morning we go for walks with the inuit to learn. Navigation by stars and snowdrifts depanding on prevailing winds, what type of snow is good to melt and drink, and even how to dodge polar bears charges. The snow cave took all day to dig and since it needs to be quite confined in order to provide some insulation, most of that digging gets done in very awkward positions. The snowcave was the warmest (relatively speaking of course...... nothing is warm up there) or all the shelters, but it was uncomfortably small. Try getting out of a dual layer sleeping bag and bivy bag without waking your buddy in a space just big enough for the both of you and only about a meter high, than having to crawl down a tunnel to pee into a block of snow (called a kovik) and then having to climb back up and into your bag again.
We stayed two nights in the caves. I slept about 12 hours the second night. The instructors told us a storm was coming and to get into our caves and just get some down time. An exercise to see how comfortable we would be if we had to stay an extended period of time in the shelter which is exactly what you would do in a survival situation. It was okay. Then it was on to the construction of igloos. We watched the inuit build an igloo and then immediately build our own. I love the way this course is run! You watch a demo and then immediately turn around and employ it to make sure you've absorbed the info. Best be a quick learner on this course. Anyway the igloos were by far the easiest shelter to make. Less grunt work but way more skill required. I would have like to have had the time to build a couple more just to get it down. Turns out the igloo provides a little bit more room but Matt & I's was cold. I don't think we took the time to properly insulate the inside. Although most of the guys were cold in the igloo so maybe it wouldn't have helped.
The morning after the night in the igloo a storm hit. It was crazy. 70km/h winds dropped the temp to around -50 C. Our morning walk and days activities were cancelled and we were told to just stay inside the igloos. Eventually the exercise ended and we went back to the Narwhal hotel but due to the weather out plane couldn't land so we got stuck up in Resolute for 3 extra days. That was fine since we all needed the downtime prior to dive phase but it would've been better spent at home with our families.
After getting to Resolute we marched to the Narwhal hotel where we would be staying for a few night. All the kit was shipped over on palettes by forklift. After getting the hotel brief and sorting out some kit we ate supper and proceeded outside to learn some stuff. Arctic lanterns which can be used as a signal (basically a pylon of snow with a candle in it), are surprisingly bright. Especially in a place where the sun does not shine. We spent two nights in the Narwhal with the days spent outside learning how to build makeshift shelters and basically just spending time outside trying to get used to the environment. The snow up there is extremely dry. It's just too cold. But because of the wind it gets packed very solidly and feels like styrofoam. It can be cut like wood into blocks or whatever you want. It's very strong providing you aren't too rough with it.
On the third day we walked out to Crystal City which is a detachment of CFSSAR to begin Arctic survival. Following the survival pattern which is first aid, shelter, fire, signals, food, water. We began to construct snow walls to put our SAR tents in. What a pain in the ass. It takes well over 100 snow blocks to have enough to shield your tent from the wind. The tent is also extremely cold to sleep in up there. That being said it should only be used as a temporary shelter. If you're going to be up there for more than 24 hours you should think about constructing something more permanent such as a snow cave or igloo. Which brings us to day two. Snow caves. At the start of every morning we go for walks with the inuit to learn. Navigation by stars and snowdrifts depanding on prevailing winds, what type of snow is good to melt and drink, and even how to dodge polar bears charges. The snow cave took all day to dig and since it needs to be quite confined in order to provide some insulation, most of that digging gets done in very awkward positions. The snowcave was the warmest (relatively speaking of course...... nothing is warm up there) or all the shelters, but it was uncomfortably small. Try getting out of a dual layer sleeping bag and bivy bag without waking your buddy in a space just big enough for the both of you and only about a meter high, than having to crawl down a tunnel to pee into a block of snow (called a kovik) and then having to climb back up and into your bag again.
We stayed two nights in the caves. I slept about 12 hours the second night. The instructors told us a storm was coming and to get into our caves and just get some down time. An exercise to see how comfortable we would be if we had to stay an extended period of time in the shelter which is exactly what you would do in a survival situation. It was okay. Then it was on to the construction of igloos. We watched the inuit build an igloo and then immediately build our own. I love the way this course is run! You watch a demo and then immediately turn around and employ it to make sure you've absorbed the info. Best be a quick learner on this course. Anyway the igloos were by far the easiest shelter to make. Less grunt work but way more skill required. I would have like to have had the time to build a couple more just to get it down. Turns out the igloo provides a little bit more room but Matt & I's was cold. I don't think we took the time to properly insulate the inside. Although most of the guys were cold in the igloo so maybe it wouldn't have helped.
The morning after the night in the igloo a storm hit. It was crazy. 70km/h winds dropped the temp to around -50 C. Our morning walk and days activities were cancelled and we were told to just stay inside the igloos. Eventually the exercise ended and we went back to the Narwhal hotel but due to the weather out plane couldn't land so we got stuck up in Resolute for 3 extra days. That was fine since we all needed the downtime prior to dive phase but it would've been better spent at home with our families.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Winter Ops
Another phase down. That makes 3 so far since Ground Ops doesn't count since we're technically not done it yet. This phase was mostly geared towards moving in the backcountry, as well as identifying avalanche probability areas and avalanche rescue. This training includes downhill skiing, alpine touring skiing, winter living in a camp setting (vice survival setting as on selection), avalanche skills training and avalanche rescue. The brunt of the course was geared toward the avalanche skills training course. We can now dig snow profiles and identify strong temperature gradients which cause faceting (this is bad), and can conduct a series of tests to more accurately assess the weak layers in the snow pack and and what level they will fail at. We also did a lot of training with avalanche rescues using the 3 minimum things you should carry into the backcountry, those being a shovel, probe and, transceiver. Phil Friolet was the fastest with a time of 1:17. So in just over a minute he was able to locate a casualty and dig them out in an area about 25m wide and 50m long. Everyone was well under the max of 5 minutes which is reassuring since you typically have 15-20 mintues assuming you don't carry any gucci shit that will prolong your survival time.
For myself the best part of it was the camp routine stuff. Having come from the navy I had never spent anytime in the field let alone in the field during winter. So to see how things should be or how they could potentially be done was a good learning experience for me. The highlight for myself was getting to sleep in a quinzhee which is basically a snow cave. The instructors said "who wants to sleep in a quinzhee?" I raised my hand but at the same time was thinking 'what the fuck is a quinzhee?' Anyway we built it by digging down, putting everyone's rucksacks in the middle as to reduce the amount of snow we would have to dig out and piling a shitload of snow on top and packing it down. We kind of over did it since in the end the walls were about a metre thick when they really only need to be 30cm. Regardless I was fucking cooking inside of that thing. I started out with long underwear top and bottom, fleece top and bottom and a toque inside my dual layer sleeping bag. Within an hour I was just down to the long underwear, no toque and my head and one arm were out of the sleeping bag. A good confidence builder for me to see how well snow insulates.
Anyway that's another phase down and next up is the Arctic phase. It is a survival course and as such they don't tell us anyhing except what to bring. Everything else is about reacting. One thing I do know is that it's going to be fucking cold. This is a picture of the 3 of us who didn't puss out and sleep in tents.
For myself the best part of it was the camp routine stuff. Having come from the navy I had never spent anytime in the field let alone in the field during winter. So to see how things should be or how they could potentially be done was a good learning experience for me. The highlight for myself was getting to sleep in a quinzhee which is basically a snow cave. The instructors said "who wants to sleep in a quinzhee?" I raised my hand but at the same time was thinking 'what the fuck is a quinzhee?' Anyway we built it by digging down, putting everyone's rucksacks in the middle as to reduce the amount of snow we would have to dig out and piling a shitload of snow on top and packing it down. We kind of over did it since in the end the walls were about a metre thick when they really only need to be 30cm. Regardless I was fucking cooking inside of that thing. I started out with long underwear top and bottom, fleece top and bottom and a toque inside my dual layer sleeping bag. Within an hour I was just down to the long underwear, no toque and my head and one arm were out of the sleeping bag. A good confidence builder for me to see how well snow insulates.
Anyway that's another phase down and next up is the Arctic phase. It is a survival course and as such they don't tell us anyhing except what to bring. Everything else is about reacting. One thing I do know is that it's going to be fucking cold. This is a picture of the 3 of us who didn't puss out and sleep in tents.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
A days itinerary
This is an itinerary of a normal day for me on this course. This is nowhere near the most hectic day we've had so keep that in mind that this is totally a normal day.
0600-Wake up. Brush teeth. Shit, shower, shave. Get dressed. Put on Metallica on iTunes. Check email.
0635-Go eat breakfast.
0710-Go to the school. Do 10 chinups. (Chinups are mandatory whenever you enter or leave CFSSAR as a student). Once inside gaggle around until bus arrives.
0815-Bus is late. Finally depart CFSSAR to Mt. Washington for a day of training on the ski hill.
0910-Arrive at the hill. Receive skis, boots, and poles.
1000-Mandatory ski lesson.
1030-Released from ski lesson to ski freely.
1145-Lunch
1205-Ski
1500-Return equipment
1530-Bus arrives. Depart back to CFSSAR.
1615-Arrive at CFSSAR. Go inside to drop off kit.
1616-Do 40 enforced chinups for not doing any on the way in.
1625-Start sorting out the days kit as well as tomorrows kit.
1630-Interrupted to forcibly lift broken snowmobile on to trailer.
1635-Resume kit management.
1645-Run to post office to get package since they close at 1700. Do 10 chinups.
1650-Return from post office. Do 10 chinups.
1655-Receive kit list for the next days trip into the back country on alpine touring skis.
1715-Do 42 pushups.
1720-Leave school. Do 10 chinups.
1720-Brush teeth. Shower. Get into civies.
1735-Throw laundry in washer.
1740-Go eat supper.
1810-Put wash in dryer.
1820-Go to school. Do 10 chinups.
1830-Start sorting out kit for the next few days, as well as the following 2 weeks in the arctic on a survival course, and organizing for dive phase which follows the arctic. Am met by 5 other students doing the exact same thing.
2015-Leave school. Do 10 chinups.
2020-Remove laundry from dryer. Fold and put away.
2030-Call loving girlfriend. Hear about how she misses me and how she made juice with beets in it.
2045-Study for next days exam on avalanches.
2130-Brush teeth. Take a whiz. Wash hands.
2135-Go to sleep.
0600-Wake up. Brush teeth. Shit, shower, shave. Get dressed. Put on Metallica on iTunes. Check email.
0635-Go eat breakfast.
0710-Go to the school. Do 10 chinups. (Chinups are mandatory whenever you enter or leave CFSSAR as a student). Once inside gaggle around until bus arrives.
0815-Bus is late. Finally depart CFSSAR to Mt. Washington for a day of training on the ski hill.
0910-Arrive at the hill. Receive skis, boots, and poles.
1000-Mandatory ski lesson.
1030-Released from ski lesson to ski freely.
1145-Lunch
1205-Ski
1500-Return equipment
1530-Bus arrives. Depart back to CFSSAR.
1615-Arrive at CFSSAR. Go inside to drop off kit.
1616-Do 40 enforced chinups for not doing any on the way in.
1625-Start sorting out the days kit as well as tomorrows kit.
1630-Interrupted to forcibly lift broken snowmobile on to trailer.
1635-Resume kit management.
1645-Run to post office to get package since they close at 1700. Do 10 chinups.
1650-Return from post office. Do 10 chinups.
1655-Receive kit list for the next days trip into the back country on alpine touring skis.
1715-Do 42 pushups.
1720-Leave school. Do 10 chinups.
1720-Brush teeth. Shower. Get into civies.
1735-Throw laundry in washer.
1740-Go eat supper.
1810-Put wash in dryer.
1820-Go to school. Do 10 chinups.
1830-Start sorting out kit for the next few days, as well as the following 2 weeks in the arctic on a survival course, and organizing for dive phase which follows the arctic. Am met by 5 other students doing the exact same thing.
2015-Leave school. Do 10 chinups.
2020-Remove laundry from dryer. Fold and put away.
2030-Call loving girlfriend. Hear about how she misses me and how she made juice with beets in it.
2045-Study for next days exam on avalanches.
2130-Brush teeth. Take a whiz. Wash hands.
2135-Go to sleep.
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