Glissading

Glissading is to slide down a mountain on your rear with your ice ax and feet serving as your break. This is a great way to descend on Mount Shasta. There are a couple of rules that need to be followed; 1) never glissade with your crampons on, your leg bones may not survive an attempt to stop yourself, 2) hold your ice ax correctly so it can be used as a break and then by rolling over you can self arrest with it, 3) never let your speed exceed your control, 4) never slide where there are crevasses or cliffs below you, and 5) don't slide when the snow is frozen solid.

One of the great secrets to control your speed is lean back on your back pack while glissading; however, for this to be effective your belly band needs to be tight and the pack needs to be large enough. In this position you are able to decrease your speed by leaning back and increase it by leaning forward slightly. You will still need to use your feet and ice ax as breaks and a occasional self arrest may be required.

On Mount Shasta one year, our group started descending in high wind and the person in the lead sat down without any discussion with the other climbers and starting glissading with his crampons on and without the proper positioning of his ice ax. His speed soon reached a state of no control he started flipping every which way. He came to a stop without breaking any bones but he had an injury that would not be discovered for about an hour. Once he arrived at our high camp he pulled down his pants to find a puncture wound right through his upper leg. It seemed that during his out of control slide the ice ax had pierced his leg.

Upon this discovery we broke camp and headed for the car. It was an understatement to say the walk out was painful especially every time he post-holed.

Glissade Trails on Shasta

Mount Shasta

Misery Hill on Shasta

Red Banks - Mount Shasta