MIT Outing Club

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Winter School 2004

• MIT Outing Club

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Goals of Winter School

• Introduce wilderness winter sports
• Teach techniques
• Demonstrate equipment
• Teach safety
• Instill wilderness ethics
• Provide first hand experience

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• Lonesome Lake

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Activities

• Hiking (below and above treeline)
• Winter Camping
• Cross-Country Skiing
• Ice Climbing (limited)

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• Adirondacks XC Skiing

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• Dog Sledding in New Hampshire

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Why Winter School?

• Everybody is here with free time (IAP)
• Unique challenges posed by weather and terrain
• Mountains are less crowded
• Preparation for other expeditions

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• Mt. Liberty

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Pre-Requisites

• No winter experience necessary
• Mild weather experience desired but not necessary
• Open mind (accept what others teach you)
• Common sense (know your limits)
• Enthusiasm is welcome

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Overview

• Why is attendance important?
• First and most important things (clothing, food)
• Cool stuff (lectures, movies, talk shows)
• Leaders are people too - ask questions, get to
  know them, make friends

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Inherent Danger

• Winter environment is unforgiving
• You will be far away (up to a day) from any help
• Serious injury can result from frostbite, injury,
  and other accidents. You can lose digits or
  entire body parts
• Death can occur from hypothermia, exposure,
  accidents, drowning, and other ways
• Several people die every year in the White
  Mountains, especially the Presidentials

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• Mt. Washington

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• Mt. Washington lunar base

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Why Winter School?

• Safety
• Preparation
• Fun

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• Mt. Pierce

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• Kinsman Pond

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• Adirondacks

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• Ice Climbing entering the Flume

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• Sugarloaf Gourmet Camp Cooking

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• Swiss Alps

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• Highway Glacier, Baffin Island

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• Kilimanjaro (5895m)

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Logistics

• Optional lectures concern special topics
• xc skiing, orienteering, cold-weather injuries,
  avalanches
• Some lectures cumulative and mandatory
• clothing, day hikes, overnights, above treeline
  travel, safety
• Gear rental Thursday after Lecture
• Weekend outing
• Return gear on Tuesday before Lectures
• Lectures 35-225, 630 900pm
• Office 4th floor Student Center (w20-461)
• Bring Checkbook No Cash or Credit Cards

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Trip Schedule

• Week 1
• Below tree-line day hiking, XC skiing
• Week 2
• Above tree-line hiking, XC skiing, snow camping
• Week 3 and later
• Multi-day hikes and sustained above tree-line
  travel
• We will continue to have easier hikes throughout
  Winter School if demand is sufficient.

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Todays Lecture

• Introduction
• Clothing
• Food and water
• Basic Gear
• Trip Announcements