By a Senior Mountaineering & Glacier Travel Expert with Over 20 Years in High-Altitude and Ice Terrain Rescue
Introduction: The Hidden Danger of Glacier Travel
Crevasses are the silent killers of glacier environments. Often invisible under snow bridges, they can be meters wide, hundreds of meters deep, and open without warning beneath your boots.
You can be:
- Roped up.
- Following the trail.
- Experienced.
…and still fall in.
I’ve witnessed more than one experienced climber vanish into a crevasse in seconds — and the only thing that saved them was training, calm, and a prepared team.
This guide teaches you:
- How to perform a self-rescue
- How to rescue a partner who’s fallen into a crevasse
- What gear and systems are non-negotiable
- Real-life tips from glaciated peaks like Denali, Mont Blanc, and Himlung
1. Understanding the Risk
What Is a Crevasse?
A crevasse is a deep, vertical crack in a glacier caused by movement and stress. They’re widest near glacier edges and steep slopes. Snow can form deceptive bridges over them — especially in early mornings or after snowfall.
When Are You Most at Risk?
- Mid-day (melting snow bridges)
- Early season (soft snow cover)
- Poor rope spacing (too close = no time to react)
- On descent (tired team = sloppy spacing)
2. The Foundation: Rope Team Setup
Never travel on a glacier unroped. Your rope system is your first safety net.
Recommended Rope Setup:
- Team of 2: 15–18m rope, 6–8m between climbers, coils held by lead
- Team of 3+: 20–30m rope, 10m spacing
- Knots every 1.5–2m to create friction in the snow if someone falls
Essential gear per person:
- Harness
- Locking carabiners (3–4 minimum)
- Prusik cords (x2)
- Pulley or micro-traction (e.g., Petzl Micro Traxion)
- Ice axe
- 1–2 pickets or snow anchors
- Slings/webbing
3. Self-Rescue: Getting Yourself Out
Step 1: Stay Calm & Hang Tight
If you fall:
- Yell immediately (“Falling!”)
- The rope should tighten as your partner arrests the fall
- Wedge your feet against the wall (if possible)
Step 2: Get Stable
- Use your ice axe or crampons to find friction
- Shout to your team: “I’m OK!” or “Need help!”
- Assess injuries before moving
Step 3: Prusik Up the Rope (Rope Ascension)
If the rope is taut and anchored:
- Attach a foot prusik and a waist prusik to the rope
- Stand in the foot loop
- Slide the waist prusik up
- Repeat to ascend inch-by-inch
⚠️ Warning: Self-rescue is exhausting. If you’re injured, wet, or deep in the crevasse, wait for assisted rescue.
4. Partner Rescue: Single-Rescuer System
Step 1: Immediate Fall Arrest
When your partner falls:
- Drop to the snow
- Drive your ice axe in and use your body as a counterweight
- Communicate: “You okay?”
Step 2: Secure the Anchor
- Back up the body arrest ASAP:
- Ice axe T-slot
- Snow picket
- Ice screw if on firm ice
- Clip the rope to the anchor with a locking carabiner
Step 3: Set Up Haul System (Drop C-system or Z-pulley)
⚙️ Minimum Gear Required:
- 2 prusiks
- 2 pulleys or carabiners
- 1 progress capture (Traxion or Prusik backup)
Z-Pulley Method:
- Attach pulley to anchor
- Prusik the fallen climber’s rope for progress capture
- Run rope through a pulley clipped to your harness
- Pull to haul with mechanical advantage
Step 4: Communicate Constantly
If you’re on a team of 3, the middle climber stays on anchor while the third assists in hauling or rappels down to assist if needed.
5. Two-Rescuer System: Safer, Faster, Smarter
In a team of 3:
- One person stabilizes and sets up anchor
- Second person begins hauling or prepares to descend
Option: Counterweight Rescue
- Second rescuer rappels into the crevasse
- Attaches fallen climber to their own rope
- Climbs out together or rigs hauling system from inside
✅ This method is highly effective but requires solid belay techniques and descent skills.
6. Real-World Rescue Tips
- Anchor first, always. I once saw a rescuer get pulled in while checking on their partner — he wasn’t anchored.
- Carry spare prusiks & slings. If one’s frozen or cut, you need a backup.
- Practice on flat ground. We drill every glacier trip — snowfield prusiking, hauling with gloves, and anchor setups.
- Never unrope to check. If your partner falls and you can’t see them, stay roped and anchored.
7. Final Preparation: Mindset, Training, Repetition
You won’t rise to the occasion — you’ll fall to your level of training.
Every crevasse rescue I’ve done had one thing in common: Those who prepared acted fast. Those who didn’t froze — mentally or literally.
Train regularly in:
- Rope ascension
- Haul systems (Z-pulley, C-pulley, drop loop)
- Anchor setups in snow, ice, and mixed terrain
- Communication under pressure
- Team coordination
Essential Crevasse Rescue Gear Checklist (Per Person):
| Item | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Harness with tie-in loops | Base of all rope systems |
| 3+ locking carabiners | For anchors and haul system |
| 2x 120cm slings | Anchors and extensions |
| 2x Prusik loops (6mm or 5mm cord) | Ascend or capture |
| Pulley or traction device | Efficiency in hauling |
| Ice axe | Arrest & anchors |
| Snow picket or ice screw | Backup anchor |
| Alpine rope (8–9mm, 30–60m) | Glacier travel |
Conclusion: You Fall Together, You Rescue Together
Crevasse rescue isn’t just a skill — it’s a pact. When you rope up, you’re agreeing to save each other’s lives, no matter the time or terrain.
So train hard, stay humble, and never walk on a glacier without knowing how to get your partner out of the void.
Mountains reward preparation. Don’t just climb them — learn how to survive them.
