ARMY MOUNTAIN WARFARE SCHOOL MANUAL - baixardoc

Army Mountain Warfare School Ethan Allen Firing Range Jericho, VT 05465-9796

Basic Military Mountaineer Course

Student Handout

November 2011

2

ARMY MOUNTAIN WARFARE SCHOOL

Proponent The proponent for this document is the United States Army Infantry School.

Improvement Comments

Users are invited to send comments and suggested improvements on DA Form 2028, Recommended Changes to Publications and Blank Forms. Completed forms, or equivalent response, will be mailed or attached to electronic e-mail and transmitted to:

COMMANDER ARMY MOUNTAIN WARFARE SCHOOL

8 MOUNTAIN SCHOOL ROAD JERICHO, VT 05465-9705

Telephone (Comm.): (802) 899-7203/7205

Telephone (DSN): 636-3000 E-mail: [email protected]

Security Clearance / Access

Unclassified

Foreign Disclosure Restrictions

FD6. The product developers in coordination with the (installation/activity name) foreign disclosure authority have reviewed this product/publication. This product is releasable to students from foreign countries on a case-by-

case basis.

Soldier's Creed

I am an American Soldier.

I am a Warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and live the Army Values.

I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.

I am an expert and I am a professional.

I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am an American Soldier.

This handout includes lessons for all basic Military Mountaineer Courses.

3

CHAPTER TABLE OF CONTENTS Page

Soldier‘s Creed………………………………………………………………………………………………….2

Welcome and Comments………………………………………………………………………………………5

Safety Statement………………………………………………………………………………………………..6

Environmental Statement………………………………………………………………………………………7

1 Basic Mountaineering Equipment…………………………………………………………………….9

2 Basic Knot Tying………………………………………………………………………………………20

3 Rope Management……………………………………………………………………………………42

4 Cold Weather Clothing………………………………………………………………………………..44

5 Environmental Injuries………………………………………………………………………………...53

6 Mountain Operations…………………………………………………………………………………..61

7 Characteristics of Mountain Terrain………………………………………………………………….67

8 Soldier Load Management……………………………………………………………………………70

9 Mountain Travel Techniques…………………………………………………………………………72

10 Anchors…………………………………………………………………………………………………75

11 Mountain Weather……………………………………………………………………………………..91

12 Basic Mountain Casualty Evacuation………………………………………………………………..96

13 Altimeter Land Navigation……………………………………………………………………………105

14 Avalanche Awareness and Rescue…………………………………………………………………108

15 Hauling Techniques…………………………………………………………………………………..119

16 Environmental Effects on Weapons………………………………………………………………...122

17 Animal Packing………………………………………………………………………………………..130

18 Rappelling in Mountainous Terrain………………………………………………………………….135

19 Fixed Ropes…………………………………………………………………………………………...139

20 Water Procurement…………………………………………………………………………………...147

21 Climbing Techniques…………………………………………………………………………………150

22 Additional Height Construction………………………………………………………………………169

23 High Lines……………………………………………………………………………………………...173

24 Communications in a Mountainous Environment………………………………………………….178

25 Vertical Danger Area………………………………………………………………………………….182

26 Mountain Patrol Base and Bivouac Operations……………………………………………………188

27 Aerial Resupply………………………………………………………………………………………..209

28 High Altitude Illness and Prevention………………………………………………………………...211

29 Confined Space Exploration and Clearing………………………………………………………….217

4

References and Equipment Recommendations………………………………………………………….…219

Appendix A – Long Distance Holds for ACOGs and CCOs…………………………………………..……220

5

Commander’s Welcome and Comments 1. Welcome to the Army Mountain Warfare School (AMWS). During this course you will receive some of the

finest training the US Army has to offer. Our instructors are ready to pass on knowledge gained from years of experience and multiple combat deployments. The entire AMWS cadre is here to support you and we welcome any feedback you have regarding the course or the support we provide you. Mountain warfare training is inherently difficult and carries with it a certain amount of risk. For this reason safety is our top concern while you are here at the AMWS. I ask that you remain focused on the training and obey our policies, procedures and the guidance of our cadre at all times.

2. Mountainous terrain and the resulting harsh climate present unique challenges. This course provides you

the skills needed to solve these problems and enable your unit to use the environment to its advantage. 3. Mountain warfare is unforgiving. To the ill-prepared, mountains are a terrible foe. Armed with the

knowledge you gain here, along with discipline, mental agility and physical toughness, you will find the mountains a strong ally as you take the fight to the enemy.

―Training Mountain Warriors!‖ //Original Signed//

JUSTIN H. DAVIS MAJ, IN Commanding

6

Safety Statement

Safety considerations are everyone‘s concern. Instructors will point out specific safety requirements during each block of instruction. Always observe the following safety points: 1. Wear helmets and safety yourself in when working on or near vertical surfaces. 2. Make sure all locking carabiners are locked and all non-locking carabiners have their gates opposite and

opposed. 3. Properly inspect and wear your climbing harness. (Be sure to double pass buckles if applicable). 4. Inspect all equipment prior, during and after use. 5. Inspect all knots. 6. While rappelling, confirm that the rope hits the ground or tie a knot in the end of the ropes to prevent

rappelling off. 7. Be alert to changing climbing conditions. 8. Be aware of falling ice or rocks at all times. 9. Triple check all anchors. 10. Climb within your ability. 11. Use proper communication methods. 12. Whenever possible, use static double ropes in installations. 13. Use the buddy system to monitor dehydration, heat injuries and environmental injuries. 14. Do not interfere with the wildlife. 15. When building and utilizing warming fires, never stand or dry objects too close to the source. 16. Treat all weapons as if they are loaded. (Never point your weapon at anything you are not willing to

shoot). 17. Maintain positive target ID. 18. Ensure you are aware what is behind and in front of your target. 19. Maintain terrain awareness. 20. Be aware of footing, utilizing taught walking techniques to minimize injuries. 21. Never run in training areas unless specifically directed by instructors. 22. When in doubt—ask questions!

7

Environmental Statement

1. Responsibility. It is the responsibility of all Soldiers to protect the environment from damage. Careful planning and preparing for your mission can minimize impact on the environment. 2. Plan and prepare. Careful planning can help ensure that impact concerns and safety expectations are met. 3. Durable Surfaces. Bivouac and travel on durable surfaces. It is best to use surfaces that are durable or highly resistant to impact. These include rock, sand, gravel, snow, pine needles and leaf litter.

a. Stay on marked trails unless otherwise directed by an instructor. b. Use bridges wherever and whenever possible. c. Take rest breaks on durable surfaces. d. Ground equipment and eat only in areas designated by the PI. e. Avoid fragile areas. f. Smoke only in areas designated by an instructor. Police all related refuse.

4. Avoidance. Avoid places where impact is just beginning. Use already established well-worn sites. 5. Reduce Wastes. Pack it in; pack it out. Reducing wastes helps prevent animals from becoming habituated to humans and lessens the chances of them becoming nuisances around bivouacs.

a. Reduce your litter prior to packing it. b. Dispose of all waste items in an appropriate manner. If a trash bag is provided, use it. If none is

available, pack your trash in your rucksack. Do not attempt to burn or bury trash at any training site. c. Properly dispose of what you cannot pack out. Correctly disposing of wastes, helps prevent pollution of

water sources and the spread of illness such as giardia. d. Dispose of human waste properly. Use designated latrines only. "Cat Holes" are not authorized.

6. Leave What You Find.

a. Avoid damaging trees and plants. b. Avoid disturbing wildlife. c. Avoid contact with wildlife

7. Fires. Minimize use and impact of fires. A fire should be viewed as a tool to be used only when necessary.

a. Do not start wood fires at any training site unless directed by an instructor. b. If authorized, make your fire small and safe.

Table of Contents

8

This page is intentionally left blank.

9

1 - Basic Mountaineering Equipment 071E9005

INTRODUCTION: There is a wide variety of military mountaineering equipment available both in the military system and off the civilian shelf. Like any other type of equipment used in the military it is important we not only understand its proper use but also how to properly take care of it. The consequences for not understanding and enforcing strict PMCS on your mountaineering equipment can be deadly.

a. Identify Criteria for Selecting Ropes. No one rope is ideal for all applications. The intended use of the rope must be examined to select the best rope for the job.

(1) Diameter. Dynamic and static ropes come in various diameters. (a) Cord. Static, comes in sizes 5mm to 8mm. (b) Dynamic Rope. 7.8mm to 11mm. (c) Static Rope. 7mm to 13mm.

(2) Length. (a) Static rope and cord generally can be purchased and cut to any desired length. (b) Dynamic rope generally comes in 50 or 60-meter lengths and may be cut shorter.

(3) Number of Falls Held. The UIAA (French organization – Union of International Climbing and Mountaineering) develops standards for testing ropes under various conditions, as well as other standards for care and use of rope. The UIAA drop test shows how many severe falls a dynamic rope can withstand before you retire it. The number of falls the rope holds in the test is the falls held. To pass UIAA tests, a 2.8-meter (9-foot) sample of rope must sustain five falls of an 80-kilogram (176-lb.) weight without failure. The positioned weight is for a fall of 5 meters (16-feet) with the peak force not exceeding 1200 kilograms (2650-lbs.) for the first fall. Table of Contents

10

(4) Impact Force. Impact force is the sudden stress put on the belay chain when a fall is stopped. It is the maximum load placed on a rope after all of the energy from a fall has been absorbed in the rope's stretch.

(5) Elongation. Elongation or stretch dissipates the energy produced during a fall throughout the rope rather than directly to the climber's body or anchor system.

(6) Strength. Strength is an important safety factor when selecting a rope for a task. A military safe working load is commonly defined as 1/5th of the TENSILE STRENGTH (TS) or breaking strength of the rope. If the load on the rope were 500 lbs, it would be desirable to have a rope with TS of minimum 2500 lbs. This applies to static ropes, not dynamic ropes.

(7) Repeated Loads. During usage, ropes are often subjected to repeated loadings. The ability of a rope to withstand heavy loads without failure or loss of energy absorption capacity is valuable to the user.

(8) Fall Factors. Fall factors measures the severity of a fall. Calculate this by dividing the length of a fall by the amount of rope out from the belay point. The higher the fall factor, the greater the amount of force generated. Rope drag, intermediate protection and other factors of the safety chain reduce the fall factor.

(9) Knotability. This is the ease in tying and untying knots in the rope and the ability to hold a knot once tied.

(10) Abrasion Resistance. Abrasion resistance is dependent on the rope construction. Kernmantle ropes are more abrasion resistant than laid ropes. A static rope is more abrasion resistant than laid or dynamic due to the tightly woven outer sheath. (11) Temperature.

(a) Heat. Heat from friction can rapidly build up to a temperature high enough to cause melting and failure. At 212 degrees F, there is a 20 to 30 percent strength loss and most ropes fail at around 290 degrees F. (b) Cold. Ropes are often used in extremely low temperatures. If the rope is dry, low temperature has no effect on its strength. The rope does sustain a strength loss of 9 to 36% when it is wet and frozen.

Note: A Soldier or unit must constantly consider the pros and cons of weight and bulk vs. safety and versatility when selecting ropes for a mission. Generally, thinner diameter ropes have less weight and bulk when carrying; however have a decreased safety margin when loaded over sharp edges compared to larger diameter ropes. In regards to length, greater lengths will offer greater versatility for rappelling or climbing greater distances, however this comes at a price, since the additional weight and bulk cannot be distributed among the team. Note: The service life of a rope depends on the frequency of use, applications (rappelling, climbing, rope installations), speed of descent, surface abrasion, terrain, climate and quality of maintenance given to the rope. Any rope can fail under extreme conditions (shock load, sharp edges, misuse) despite its service life. Identify Kernmantle Ropes. a. Kernmantle Rope Construction. Kernmantle or "jacketed-core" ("kern" means "core" and "mantle" means "sheath") is constructed similarly to 550-parachute cord and are the only approved ropes for military mountaineering. The internal core of the rope is constructed of a continuous multi-filament nylon yarn, which is spun into a continuous core of twisted or braided, parallel strands of nylon enclosed in a tightly woven outer sheath. While the jacket may puncture or tear in use, usually enough of the jacket remains to securely hold the core fibers. Despite this, kernmantle rope is considered far superior in design, manageability, strength and safety. (1) Static Kernmantle. Static ropes are designed for rappelling, rescue operations, load hauling and rope installations. The rope has a protective sheath woven tightly over a parallel-fiber-bundle core. Due to the internal parallel strand construction of the static rope, there is less spinning and kinking than with dynamic rope. Note: The minimum tensile strength for 11 mm (7/16 inches) static ropes for military use is 4,500 lbs / 20 kN.

Table of Contents