Dr Lorna Linch, our resident expert in cold environments at the University of Brighton, recently completed a short Alpine prep course in the Cairngorms, Scotland. The course aims to provide the rock climbing and mountaineering skills needed to operate in Alpine environments.
The first day introduced Alpine techniques and rope systems. For example, how to wear a harness and attach ropes, how to cross a glacier safely whilst roped together, and key skills in crevasse rescue. The second day was spent putting into practice these new skills on Alpine ridge/terrain in the Cairngorm mountains, and included scrambling, rock climbing and terrain belaying. Other topics such as weather, navigation (Alpine maps), and the use of mountain huts in Alpine environments – such as in Switzerland – were also covered.
Lorna, who’s icy research has taken her to Svalbard, Iceland, Arctic Russia – and this summer, also Greenland – decided to complete the course to gain valuable practical skills for competently and confidently moving across glaciers and rocky, mountainous Alpine terrain. These new skills, experiences and observations will support future research projects Lorna is planning in Alpine regions, and will help to inform her teaching on the Geography BSc(Hons) programme, particularly on modules such as Ice Age Earth and The Frozen Planet.
Lorna shared her final thoughts on the course “I’m really keen to research glacier retreat in Alpine environments, and what this means downstream for local communities in terms of depleted, and possibly also contaminated, water resources. To do this, I needed to gain experience of working in Alpine environments, including glacier travel using ropes. The course delivered all this and more – my instructor, Stu, was extremely experienced and knowledgeable. I am pleased to say I now know how to climb my way out of a crevasse, although I hope I’ll never actually need to!”.
Published by