Clean Climbing
Aside from being responsible for your team's safety, it is also your responsibility as a Mountaineer to keep you surroundings Clean. That does not only refer to where you set up camp but also to anywhere you set foot on. Keeping them Clean will ensure that others who will take the same path will be able to appreciate the beautiful and pristine surroundings that you have seen yourself. Here are some ways by which you can help in Cleaning up when you are in the mountains.
Litter Removal
Everything must be carried off the mountain. Each person must make a strong personal commitment to remove all of his or her garbage, excess food, fixed lines, and all other equipment. Sleds or haul bags make excellent descent towing bags, allowing an additional 20-30kg to be taken out. Keep litter dry by consolidating it in plastic bags or waterproof stuff sacks.
Caches
Temporary caches should be buried under large snow blocks at a minimum of 1 meter deep. When relaying loads, be careful to bury your food caches to protect them from ravens. Mark the cache with long wands, 1.5-2 meters above the surface. Clearly mark the cache with the name of your expedition and expected date of return. This will prevent other climbers from thinking the cache was abandoned.
At lower altitudes, animals like wolves and bears have been known to destroy caches near the edge of glaciers. Secure these caches in three layers of garbage bags so no scent is emitted. At higher altitudes, high winds often scour the snow, exposing caches.
Human Waste and Sanitation
Intestinal disorders, vomiting, and diarrhea may result from contamination of your food or drinking water caused by human waste. The resulting dehydration can become a serious problem at high altitudes. All drinking water are obtained from melted snow in this situation. Therefore, precaution must be taken into consideration when gathering snow from well-used camps. Traveling out a rope length away from older tent platforms will generally suffice. Conditions become worse as the season progresses and improperly deposited waste melts out. For the health and safety of everyone in your team, it is imperative for everyone to follow these simple steps:
Use pit latrines where they are provided. At other locations:
- Dig a shallow hole in the snow or use a plastic bucket.
- Line the hole or bucket with a biodegradable sack.
- Stake the corners of the bag open with wands and use a snow block to cover the top when not in use. A little attention to prevent overfilling will make the process of disposal much easier.
- Use this bag as the latrine for all members of the expedition while at camp.
- Develop a separate urinal spot and mark with a wand.
- When you move camp or the bag fills, simply tie it off and toss it into a deep crevasse. If no crevasses are available, the bag should be carried until a suitable crevasse is found. The wastes are usually frozen and will ride well on a sled. On steep technical routes, the bag can be tossed away from the climbing route or feces can be deposited on snow blocks and shoveled off the route.
- Please note that only human waste should be thrown in the crevasse. All other trash must be carried off down the mountain.
As you can see, it is not entirely complicated to Clean up after you whenever you Climb. It only takes an ounce of commitment to ensure that you have not left anything that would destroy the environment. Be a responsible Mountaineer; always take with you on your descent the non-biodegradable things that you take up with you.
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