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Show DBaclk CaDimimttiry Saffeity Good preparation is the first step to a safe ski trek . if- if ,f fU v.. It) f) ' t , ' v. . .... t -xjf .;; ' '(J , . . i jfrninwiimcarf WiMMiiiii mniiiiii mi ii mi inn mi nit' by JIM MILLER White Pine Touring Center ' with CHRISTOPHER SMART J Record staff writer Editor's note: This is the first in an eight-part series on back-country ski safety by Red Pine Back Country Rescue, a member of Summit County Coun-ty Search and Rescue. , A safe ski tour begins at home with preparation for changing weather conditions, possible equipment failures and even injuries. Two Park City-based tour guiding companies, Utah Interconnect and White Pine Touring, hold the philosphy that most back-country skiing emergencies can be reduced to simple inconveniences if the group leader or individual skiers are properly prepared. In the back country, a professional tour guide must use his judgment, experience and training to ensure that his party is safe. An important aspect of ensuring that well-being is contained in the guide's back pack. A professional guide may carry more equipment than an average ski tourer, but skiers who are undere-quipped undere-quipped can find trouble when faced with problems in the back country. Deciding what to take and what to leave behind can be tricky. That is why the pros take everything. Individual In-dividual skiers who are familiar When skiing in groups, it may be helpful for skiers to coordinate which supplies and kits each member carries. The most important of the kits are the repair and first aid kits, along with extra clothing, which is closely linked to first aid. , A tour guide always carries . a posidrive screwdriver, which: , is similar to a phillips head but more stubby and designed to fit binding screws. Also included are a small pair of Vise-Grips a Swiss Army knife, extra binding screws, small wood screws for the repair of boot soles, steel wool, extra binding bail, pole basket and strap, wire, duct tape, toe plates, heel plates and shoe laces. Extra clothing is important. Back-country Back-country tourers must guard against hypothermia rapid loss of body heat which should be viewed as a prominent health risk while skiing. Professional guides pack an extra hat, mittens, socks, windshirt and pants, down vest, sunglasses and overmitts. When packing a first aid kit, tourers should bring materials for the care of blisters as well as bandages ban-dages for sprains and cuts. Included junder1 blister care should be , materials like Moleskin '6t'' JM'fileT6am, Telfa pads ("ouchless'"' gauze bandages), Neosporin disinfectant ointment and tape. Other items common to the guides' first aid kit are: three to five triangular bandages, two to three rolls of elastic bandage, two 4-inch by 4-inch bandages, tongue depresser, splint material, one roll of gauze, tweezers and thermometer. ther-mometer. For an unexpected bivouac, injury or hypothermia, tourers should be able to build a fire. The guides' fire-starting fire-starting kit includes a lighter, candle, can-dle, tin cup, steel wool and cotton balls. Proper components in a tourer's wax kit can save a lot of time and energy and could spell the difference between a successful tour or one that becomes more than frustrating. A good wax kit includes maxiglide or paraffin, climbing skins, wet and dry wax and a small can of wax remover. , More advanced cross country skiers find that extended tours require re-quire even more precautions. An extended ex-tended tour kit includes things like a radio locator and shovel in the event of avalanche, a head lamp, bivouac sack, maps, a compass and epoxy. Other gear ski iourers may find helpful includes such things as water bottles, pads for sitting or reclining .'and extra food, including such things as bouillon cubes. With all that gear, a good back pack is a necessity. B-r-r-r: Ice forms on Jim Miller's beard during a recent back-country ski tour. with their personal equipment and clothing, can reduce, to sbme degree, what they take along. , For organizational purposes,' the guide makes preparation in categories or kits. He will carry a least five and maybe as many as seven kits. i Those include: repair and tool kit clothing kit, wax kit, fire-starting kit and first-aid kit. For longer tfcursi, guides and skiers may develop extended ex-tended tour kits and other types of kits, depending on conditions. )- A professional tour guide may pack along more equipment than the average skier. |