Faulty Use of Crampons—Glissading, British Columbia, Mount Robson Provincial Park, Mount Resplendent

Publication Year: 2006.

FAULTY USE OF CRAMPONS-GLISSADING

British Columbia, Mount Robson Provincial Park, Mount Resplendent

On August 25, a party of four summited Mount Resplendent. On the descent, they chose to glissade a steep snow slope, near the base of the Mousetrap, below the Robson-Resplendent Col. They left their crampons on. They indicated that they had done exactly the same thing the previous day on the same route without incident. On this particular occasion, A.C. caught a crampon point on the way down and suffered what he believed was an ankle injury. He was able to limp down with some assistance from the party members and another party of three descending the same route. A.C. made the decision to continue the six-plus kilometers descent of the Robson Glacier on foot from the accident site to the base camp at Robson Pass. A.C. departed the camp the following day on a commercial helicopter flight.

He had sustained a broken fibula, going at 45-degree angle down to the joint. (Source: A.C., Jim Barrow)

Analysis

It is ill advised to glissade while wearing crampons. If the crampon points make contact with the snow surface during the glissade by mistake, the natural and obvious consequence is lower leg injuries.