Glaciarismo

I did a two-week glacier travel course, learning about how to travel safely over a glacier and the basics of rescuing someone from a crevasse. Here we are climbing up to Glaciar Martial, a two hour hike from the city.









We practiced walking in crampons, using an ice ax, placing different types of anchors and self-arrest methods.

















There were seventeen of us in the course, mostly residents of Ushuaia with a few foreigners like myself. Here we are hiking up to the glacier, with Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel in the background.









It was fun to learn all of the vocabulary words for the techniques and equipment that I was already familiar with in English. My favorites...
carabiner=mosquetón
knot=nudo
















I was also happy that I could understand all that was being said- slightly important when you are rescuing your partner from a crevasse:)











Here we are all roped together, traveling across the glacier. One at a time one of the group members simulated a dramatic fall so the others could practice rescuing them. Here I am putting in the anchor (right after I cut my leg and both layers of pants with the crampons when I got thrown by the "fall":)







Here with Ceci and Niko, my team for the hike up the glacier.













Despite a terrible forecast, we had an incredible day and hiked roped together up to a pass to see the incredible view on the other side. We were able to see some crevasses on the way, one guy fell in up to his thigh a couple times!















Here with Cerro Torito, at the top of the pass.













Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! I didn´t get a picture of them, but while we were eating lunch at the top we saw at least four condors soaring above us... I was jealous of them!










We then rappelled back down to the base of the glacier to complete the course. There is a video of the course on You Tube if you want to see more!

(the first one is more interesting, not sure why the link isn't working. If you go to the second one you can look at the related videos and find "Glaciarismo ll")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzaTpEz79uw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqIl_xRYuqM