How to Rappel Into and Ascend Out of a Crevasse

American Mountain Guides Instructor Jeff Ward explains how to set up a crevasse rappel and and rope ascension for rescue situations.

[devinbrown]

I feel like this dude could solve all the world's problems with ropes

[AcfLavertyy]

The level of commitment to make a good video is outstanding.

Actually abbing into a crevasse, insane, love it!

Really simple and informative video. Saw a few tips I'd not seen before which I really liked.

Thanks a lot for the hard work and effort

[simonsteinberger]

Brilliant technique, mate! Thanks for the tutorial. I especially love that you're using the tube's guide mode for the ascent, which makes an auto blocking device like Petzl's Micro Traxion redundant. Cool!

[johngo]

Outstanding video. Yes, there are many ways to do this, but he shows one that is simple, reasonably clean, and most importantly, one you’re probably able to do with the gear that you have on hand, and not anything specialized like an ascender.

[alexkerry]

This is good youtube, thanks for speeding up the parts that would otherwise really draw out the video. Awesome info, your knowledge is going to save my life some day. My goal is to summit Mt. Baker in Washington, but I've only hiked mountains under 2, 000m. This Glacier trekking looks incredible!

[andersonboy]

I am amazed, how you made a pulley from just ropes and carabiners, fantastic!!

[cayloseals]

Never seen anyone using an atc to ascend I'll have to look into that. Thanks for the video!

[foxonepiece]

the other option is to leave emily in the crevasse

[spiercevaughn]

Awesome vid! I haven’t ran across many ice/crevasse related rope vids so this is great!

[andrzejwojcikmail]

I used the same method this year as shown on video to check help my friend and pass him some snacks - nicely backup, needs a little of practice however it is very safe and easy to doublecheck the whole system. Not the fastest method to do but untill you trust your anchor stuck into the snow nothing bad can happen here. I like that. 10/10 for the video - it looks so simple when you are doing it :)

[theopinson]

Love the idea of the redirect on the footloop prussik.

[nosegrindv]

This video starts on step 2: rescuing a girl from a crevasse, but I am still trying to figure out the step 1: how to obtain a girl. is there a how to video for that?

[dariomezzocolpo]

Great A very simple but great skill!!
Tank you for sharing!!

[zipperbroviacjourney]

Years ago-≈2011-2012 after the family moved in-while hiking/exploring the new 79 acre property near the creek and fell in up to my chest in a crevasse-like crack covered/hidden by a weed ‘snowbridge’-I called it a ‘crevasse’ because that’s what it reminded me of. Right after I fell in I was to scared to move-didn’t want to fall in deeper. The creek was up and this man was trying to get to and help me, but he couldn’t. I told Nana-my dog-to go get help. She started to go up the hill and went back to the house to get help-almost like Lassie. I prayed for the Lord to help and protect me and pulled myself out. She was a good dog.

[khrumkashan]

Why someone would dislike . Thanks alot for putting this video really really helpful.

[XPrincess]

OH okay this video addressed some of my questions such as "where did John go" and "what do we do if they are unconscious and can't grab the rope"

[tonyjewell]

I agree a brilliant system but rather complicated I think. It also relies on having a Reverso (or a BD Guide ATC) which I typically don't carry when traveling on glaciers. And even if you do have one of these devises, you should know how to make do without one encase you drop it, lose it or forget it! A simpler system I've used is to have two prusiks rigged for ascending (upper one to the harness, lower one for the foot that's backed upped to the harness) before rappelling into the crevasse. I then rappel on a munter hitch clipped directly to my belay loop with the two prusiks ABOVE the munter. With this system, you can stop and ascend at anytime without having to do any re-rigging. The biggest issue I see with this system, is that the prusiks can grip the rope and stop you during the rappel, but you can step up on the foot prusik, reset the munter and release the prusiks if needed. I don't mean to be overly critical here, but this seems like a good place to share ideas. And if anyone sees an issue with the system I've described, I would like to hear it.

[straintheory]

He seems pretty supportive of John’s right to self identify too. Bravo

[lawrencemd]

Great video! Would love to see one for a rock face where you cannot soften the 90 degree edge. Mainly the ascent transition over the 90...

[RobertStrubel]

Even though I learned from your well done video I propose a more simple version for rappelling and reascending: You place the 3rd hand (with a overhand knot and a carabiner) above the tube you fix directly at your harness. In order to ascend you girth your footloop into the 3rd hand and click in your carabiner as you did. Then you step into the footloop; you change the tube into the autoblocking mode and start ascending after having installed your backup.