Rescue Dynamics - Article of the Month

Rescue Dynamics

Article of the Month

Index of All Articles

Last Updated Friday, November 13, 2020

Article of the Month is a public service of Rescue Dynamics. Articles of interest on outdoor and rescue topics will appear in this space with a new article roughly every month. Many articles are in Adobe's® Portable Document Format or PDF. In order to view and print these files, you will need a copy of Adobe® Acrobat® Reader. The good news is that this software is free and easily downloaded. Follow the links below to obtain it. It also allows you to read similar documents at many other sites across the net. It is fairly simple to set this program up as a helper application for many Web Browsers, so that the process becomes almost invisible in the future. The various Rescue Dynamics articles, new climbing route descriptions, free climbing guidebooks and current route conditions will eventually all be available in this format for downloading.

Many of these articles were written by Cyril Shokoples and some of his articles originally appeared in other publications. They are reprinted courtesy of Cyril Shokoples. Cyril is an internationally certified Mountain Guide (IFMGA / UIAGM). He currently resides in Edmonton and is the proprietor of Rescue Dynamics, which is involved in climbing, rescue and safety instruction, as well as mountain guiding.

Not all of the articles linked to in Article of the Month are produced by Rescue Dynamics. Where this is the case a note will explain the site to which the link points.

Index

The following articles are still available for downloading and viewing:

2017 Articles in Chronological Order

January 2017 - Canadian Rockies - Updated Useful Telephone Numbers (9k) latest revision November 2020. This update was made necessary by the fact that half of the old numbers had changed!

2008 Articles in Chronological Order

January 2008 - Oxygen Fueled Fires - Safety Alert - This article is about safeguarding against fires when using medical oxygen and was prompted by several recent cases, one of which was in the outdoor industry. December 2007
February 2008 - Battery Life in Avalanche Transceivers - by Felix Camire. This initial look at how long new digital transceivers may last in search mode is interesting food for thought.
March 2008 - Emergency and Radio Communications for Outdoor Guides and Leaders. Updated version 2.4. A fifty page overview of most of the radio communications services and devices available for the outdoor user. Covers PLBs, SPOT, cell phone, HF, VHF / UHF radio, CB, FRS, GMRS, satellite phone and much more.
April 2008 - Wilderness Medicine Tomes .pdf file - This article contains a listing and reviews of most of the wilderness first aid and wilderness medicine texts available at this time. Version 2.1, March 2008. Now updated - see Articles of the month for 2014.
May 2008 - Anchors in Earnest 3.0 .pdf file - An radically updated version of the original article of the same name. (Designed to accompany instruction on leadership and intermediate rock level courses.) Updated to Version 3 in May 2008

2007 Articles in Chronological Order

January 2007 - Positioning The Abseil Knot - From the Petzl Website
February 2007 - Linking Abseils (Rappels) - From the Petzl Website
March 2007 - Wilderness Medicine Tomes .pdf file - This article contains a listing and reviews of most of the wilderness first aid and wilderness medicine texts available at this time. Version 2.0, April 2007. Revised - see April 2008
April 2007 - SCUBA Diving Emergencies .pdf file - a complete rewrite of Lesson 40 of the PER Manual. Revised April 2007 by Cyril Shokoples
May 2007 - Use of the ACMG and Parks Radio Frequencies .pdf file - an article written for the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. April 2007
June 2007 - Emergency and Radio Communications for Outdoor Guides and Leaders. Updated version 2.3. A fifty page overview of most of the radio communications services and devices available for the outdoor user. Covers PLBs, cell phone, HF, VHF / UHF radio, CB, FRS, GMRS, satellite phone and much more. revised in 2008
July 2007 - Carabiner Wear Tests .PDF file - some anecdotal test results on severely worn carabiners done by Morgan Neff and Cyril Shokoples
August 2007 - Recommendation REC M 0014 of the Commission for Mountain Emergency Medicine of 1998 - The On Site Treatment of Hypothermia - Intended for First Responders by Bruno Durrer, Hermann Brugger, David Syme - An ICAR paper edited for Canadian First Responders - not produced by Rescue Dynamics
November 2007 - AVALUATOR ONLINE - This is not an article but we felt the Canadian Avalanche Association Avaluator Site is so significant that we had to link it from our Articles Page - NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics
December 2007 - THREE Related Articles - not produced by Rescue Dynamics. but from the US FDA and NIOSH.

2006 Articles in Chronological Order

January 2006 - The Cool Ones: A Review of Texts on the Topics of Ice Climbing and Glacier Travel .pdf file - This article contains a listing and reviews of some of the best texts available at this time plus some historical classics. Version 6.0, October 2005.
February 2006 - Wilderness Medicine Tomes .pdf file - This article contains a listing and reviews of most of the wilderness first aid and wilderness medicine texts available at this time. Revised - see April 2008.
March 2006 - Cyril's Guide to Canadian Climbing Guidebooks .pdf file - This article contains a listing and one line reviews of over 110 climbing, ski touring, hiking and biking guidebooks. This version predominantly covers Western Canada but future editions will add Eastern canada as well.. Version 4.0, October 2005.
April 2006 - NZMSC Snow Anchors Report - Contains some interesting results on testing of snow anchors. Although the tests and final analysis have been criticized, it is still very interesting. This article is from the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council, and is NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.
May 2006 - Search & Rescue For Outdoor Leaders - A worthwhile 2004 article written by Charley Shimanski. This article is from the Mountain Rescue Association, and is NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.
June 2006 - Understanding Mechanical Advantage in the Single Sheave Pulley Systems Used in Rescue Operations - a technical discussion of systems by J. Grant White (under the pseduonym Ralphie G. Schwartz), Associate Professor at the Dept. of Outdoor Education at Northland College, Ashland, WI
July 2006 - Practical Guide For Two-Way Radios .pdf file - a discussion of radio systems byDave Favreau (assisted by Richard Jackson) both at Prairie & Northern Region of Industry Canada. Posted on this website by written permission of the author. Written in 2004.
August 2006 - Improvised Carabiner Brakes & Munter Lowers .pdf file - An Introductory Article to Accompany Instruction. This article was not previously available as a website download. Version 2.0, October 2005.
September 2006 - Please Help Me, I'm Falling: A Review of Mountain Rescue Texts .pdf file, Version 6.2 - revised in April 2007
October 2006 - Viagra and Other Drugs at high altitude - by Buddha Basnyat MD, President of UIAA Medical Commission - from UIAA website January 2006
November 2006 - UIAA World Magazine 2006 .pdf file - from UIAA Website
December 2006 -Starting an Abseil Descent - From the Petzl website

2005 Articles in Chronological Order

January 2005 - Climbing Safety - by John Dill and Staying Alive - by John Dill - A timeless article on the keeping yourself safe and alive while big wall climbing. There are links here to two slightly different versions of the same article. This article is from the Friends of YOSAR website, and is NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.
February 2005 - Pulleys and the 3 to 1 Pulley System .pdf file - The 1994 version of the original article of the same name. (Designed to accompany instruction on rock rescue courses.) Slightly dated but still predominantly valid information.
March 2005 - SCUBA Diving Logbook Pages - Altitude and Nitrox Integrated .pdf file - Newly created logbook pages for people who scuba dive in mountain areas. It is created to allow for planning and recording repetitive dives with enriched air Nitrox at altitude and track residual nitrogen as well as percentage of allowable oxygen exposure. There are fields to record settings on your dive computer as well. These pages are formatted to be printed on 5.5 X 8" logbook size paper rather than 8 1/2 X 11" paper.
April 2005 - Shortroping 100: Shortening the Rope .pdf file - A revised version of the article on shortening the rope for the technique of shortroping. This article does not address the additional techniques using in shortroping, only the actual act of coiling and tying off the rope. (Designed to accompany instruction on leadership and intermediate level alpine climbing courses.) Revised in September 2005
May 2005 - BRAKES - A new rappel safety acronym .pdf file - A short article on a newly created memory aid for final safety checks on rappels.
June 2005 - Anchors in Earnest 2.2 .pdf file - An updated version of the original article of the same name. (Designed to accompany instruction on leadership and intermediate rock level courses.) Updated to Version 3, May 2008.
July 2005 - Pre-Trip Checklist .pdf file - Newly created checklist for people who lead climbing trips in mountain areas. Version 1.0 September 2005
August 2005 - Shortroping 202 - Advanced Rope Techniques for Aspiring Excellent Leaders .pdf file - An article on the advanced technique of shortroping. The article includes comprehensive discussion on integrating the technique into the arsenal of skills possessed by the advanced alpine climber and leader. (Designed to accompany instruction on leadership and intermediate level alpine climbing courses.) Version 2, 2020 update.
September 2005 - Tying Off A Munter Belay and Rescuing a Fallen Climber .pdf file - A revised version of the 2003 article on improvised rock rescue. (Designed to accompany instruction on rock rescue courses.) This article was not previously available as a website download. Version 1.2, September 2005.
October 2005 - Tying Off A Belay Plate and Rescuing a Fallen Climber .pdf file - A revised version of the 2003 article on improvised rock rescue. (Designed to accompany instruction on rock rescue courses.) This article was not previously available as a website download. Version 1.2, September 2005.
November 2005 - Unweighting a Non-Releasable Progress Capture Device .pdf file - A revised version of the 2003 article on improvised rock rescue. (Designed to accompany instruction on rock rescue courses.) This article was not previously available as a website download. Version 1.2, September 2005.
December 2005 - Rock Rescue Quiz .pdf file - A revised version of the 2003 quiz on improvised rock rescue. (Designed to accompany instruction on rock rescue courses.) This article was not previously available as a website download. Version 1.2, September 2005.

2004 Articles in Chronological Order

January 2004 - Tracker DTS Instruction Guide .pdf file - A booklet for instructors produced by BackCountry Access. "The Tracker DTS Instruction Guide is a resource for avalanche educators and others teaching on-snow transceiver use. The objective is to help educators teach students how to properly use the Tracker DTS. However, this guide is equally applicable to other technologies and can be used for general avalanche transceiver training, whatever the brand." This article is from the Backcountry Access website, and is NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.
February 2004 - Tracker DTS Advanced Tutorial .pdf file - A booklet for instructors produced by BackCountry Access. "The Tracker DTS Advanced Tutorial provides detailed instruction on advanced techniques not included in The Tracker DTS owner’s manual and not usually taught in recreational avalanche courses. The Advanced Tutorial primarily addresses advanced pinpointing and multiple-burial techniques. It should only be used by instructors and students with extensive experience with the Tracker DTS. Those with experience with analog/acoustic based beacons must first have mastered the basic techniques addressed in the Tracker DTS owner’s manual or Instruction Guide. " This article is from the Backcountry Access website, and is NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.
March 2004 - Companion Rescue and Avalanche Transceivers .pdf file - A slightly dated 1998 article on the U.S. avalanche rescue experience by Dale Atkins of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. This article is from the Backcountry Access website, and is NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.
April 2004 - Anchors in Earnest Version 2.1 .pdf file - An updated version of the original article of the same name. (Designed to accompany instruction on leadership and intermediate rock level courses.) Updated to Version 3 in May 2008
May / June 2004 - Helicopter Safety for Outdoor Leaders and Guides. A twenty five page overview regarding working around small and medium helicopter in outdoor and mountain recreation settings. Revised in March 2004.
July 2004 - Keeping a Learning Journal. A short article on Reflective Learning Journals written as a reference for the ACC TNF courses.
August / September 2004 - Emergency and Radio Communications for Outdoor Guides and Leaders. Updated version 2.1. A forty page overview of most of the radio communications services and devices available for the outdoor user. Covers PLBs, cell phone, HF, VHF / UHF radio, CB, FRS, GMRS, satellite phone and much more. see June 2007 for updated version
October 2004 - Public Information Package for Custodial Groups Planning Winter Backcountry Travel. In 2004 Parks Canada introduced new regulations for taking youth groups or minors into avalanche terrain. You MUST have a copy of this document if you travel in the backcountry of National Parks in winter with a child not accompanied by their parents.This article is from the Parks Canada website, and is NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.
November 2004 - Parks Canada Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale. This new document initiated a system of rating hundreds of popular winter routes within the Western Canadian National Parks according to a new Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale (ATES). You MUST have a copy of this document if you ski tour in the Mountain National Parks in Canada.This article is from the Parks Canada website, and is NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.

2003 Articles in Chronological Order

January 2003 - Unweighting a PCD .pdf file - New sequential article on releasing a Garda Hitch or similar PCD while it is under load (to accompany rescue course instruction).
February 2003 - Basic Helicopter Safety Information Bulletin .pdf file - From the ACC Safety Committee via the Alpine Club of Canada website, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics. If you find the Rescue Dynamics Helicopter Safety article too large and daunting to read, this synopsis gives you most of what you need to know.
March 2003 - Rope .pdf file - An excellent booklet on ropes from Mammut via the Mammut website, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.
April 2003 - GPS Guide for Beginners .pdf file - An excellent booklet on GPS from Garmin via the Garmin website, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.
May 2003 - Using a Garmin (r) GPS with Paper Maps .pdf file - An excellent booklet on GPS from Garmin via the Garmin website, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.
June 2003 - What Heavy Climbers Need To Know .pdf file - Results of drop tests by Pigeon Mountain Industries. An eye-opening paper from PMI via the American Safe Climbing Association website, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.
July 2003 - Anchors in Earnest Version 2 .pdf file - An updated version of the original article of the same name. (Designed to accompany instruction on leadership and intermediate rock level courses.) revised June 2005
August 2003 - Harness suspension: review and evaluation of existing information - An excellent paper prepared by Paul Seddon for the U.K. Health and Safety Executive (HSE). A must read for those involved in rescue and anyone who may hang motionless in a harness for a protracted period of time. Frightening insight into human vulnerability when hanging on rope. A contract report for the HSE via the HSE website, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.
September 2003 - The Black Art of Piton Craft: Basic Considerations for Experienced Climbers and Rescue Personnel .pdf file - A draft version of a new article on piton placement. The title tells it all. (Designed to accompany instruction on leadership and intermediate rock level courses.)
October 2003 - Shortroping 100: Shortening the Rope .pdf file - A draft version of a new article on shortening the rope for the technique of shortroping. This article does not address the additional techniques using in shortroping, only the actual act of coiling and tying off the rope. (Designed to accompany instruction on leadership and intermediate level alpine climbing courses.)
November 2003 - Pinpointing on a Line .pdf file - A paper by Bruce Edgerly presented at the 2002 ISSW describing an alternative procedure for locating deep burials. This article is from the Backcountry Access website, and is NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.
December 2003 - Probing Revisited .pdf file - An slightly older article by Tim Auger and Bruce Jamieson worth reviewing after the disasterous 2002/2003 winter season. This article is from the Backcountry Access website, and is NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.

2002 Articles in Chronological Order

January 2002 - Technical Advice: Boots and Crampons in HTML - From the British Mountaineering Council's website, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics -This article is a good primer for those new to the spot on choosing boots and crampons.
February 2002 - Getting Started in HTML - From the Black Diamond website. An article on choosing gear for various climbing pursuits. Black Diamond gear is featured of course, but then that isn't so bad now is it?
March 2002 - GriGri: Unmasking the Myths .pdf file - From the British Mountaineering Council's website, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics -This article arises from concerns regarding a growing number of incidents with the Gri Gri and other similar belay devices.
April 2002 - A Summary of the Conference on Nylon and Ropes .doc file - From the UIAA/ACC via the Alpine Club of Canada website, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics - Interesting new technical article on climbing ropes. This is a Microsoft Word file, NOT a .pdf file.
May 2002 - Effect of Top-rope lowering on strength of Ropes .doc file - From the UIAA/ACC via the Alpine Club of Canada website, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics - An important new article on the top-roping and how it affects your rope! This is a Microsoft Word file, NOT a .pdf file.
June 2002 - Emergency and Radio Communications for Outdoor Guides and Leaders. Updated version 1.01. A twenty eight page overview of most of the radio communications services and devices available for the outdoor user. Covers PLBs, cell phone, HF, VHF / UHF radio, CB, FRS, satellite phone and much more. see June 2007 for latest version
July 2002 - First Aid Kit Checklist .pdf file - A sample checklist of what a typical mountaineering kit might contain.
August 2002 - Repair Kit Checklist .pdf file - A sample checklist of what a typical outdoor repair kit might contain.
September 2002 - Pre-Trip Proof Testing Checklist .pdf file - A checklist to help in trip planning and last minute final checks before departing on mountaineering trips (draft).
October 2002 - Transferring A Load from Belay to Anchor and Tying Off a Munter Hitch .pdf file - Simple diagrams to accompany rescue course instruction.
November 2002 - Anchors in Earnest .pdf file - New Article on Climbing Anchor Construction for Outdoor Leaders. revised May 2008
December 2002 - Quick Sling Tricks .pdf file - Simple tricks for climbing leaders to accompany climbing course instruction.

2001 Articles in Chronological Order

January 2001 - MRA Intermountain Recent Random Testing in HTML - From Tom Moyer's Testing Page, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics - Interesting Information on recent random selection of tests. NOTE: These are not controlled scientific tests, only useful for general interest.
February 2001 - Salt Lake County SAR Random Testing in HTML - From Tom Moyer's Testing Page, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics - Interesting Information on recent random selection of tests. NOTE: These are not controlled scientific tests, only useful for general interest.
March 2001 - Water Knot Testing .pdf file - From Tom Moyer's Testing Page, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics - Interesting Information on recent tests on water knots.
April 2001 - Side Pull Overhand and Figure Eight ("EuroDeath Knot") Testing in HTML - From Tom Moyer's Testing Page, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics - Interesting Information on recent tests of the side pull knots often used to join two rappel ropes.
May 2001 - Comparative Testing of High Strength Cord .pdf file - From Tom Moyer's Testing Page, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics - Interesting Information on recent compatrative tests on Nylon, Spectra, Technora and other materials.
June 2001 - Important Information for Hiking and Climbing around Moraine Lake. This document, issued by Parks Canada, discusses the bear hazard and mitigating measures plus information on Closures near Moraine Lake in Banff National Park. Essential information if you travel in that area. Issued by Parks Canada NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.
July 2001 - Snow Anchor Strength Tests in HTML - From the Alaska Mountain rescue Groups Page, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics - Interesting Information on recent compatrative tests on various types of snow anchors.
August 2001 - Physics for cavers: Ropes, Loads and Energy; By William Storage & John Ganter in HTML - From WIlliams Storage's Page, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics - Interesting reading with a limited amount of math or heavy physics.
September 2001 - The Journal of the UIAA - 2000/03 .pdf file - From the UIAA website, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics - Amazing free issue of the UIAA journal focusing on equipment, safety and technique.
October 2001 - Technical Advice: Belay Devices in HTML - From the British Mountaineering Council's website, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics -This article arises from concerns expressed within the BMC’s Technical and Training groups that misuse and inappropriate use of belaying devices is becoming a major factor in accidents and near misses both indoors and out.
November 2001 - Artificial Rigging Anchors for the Present and Future by William Storage & John Ganter in HTML - From WIlliams Storage's Page, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics - Interesting reading on fixed anchors in caving which may have some application to climbing.
December 2001 - Rappel Safety Rituals by Roger olsen in HTML - From the SARINFO BC Page, NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics - a short series of checklists for rappelling.

2000 Articles in Chronological Order

January 2000 - Skiing Safely in the Wilderness - A Heli-ski Primer An introduction to guided skiing and in particular powder skiing in a heli-ski setting. Includes preparation, powder ski tips, hazards and mitigating measures
February 2000 - Magnetic Declination, Frequently Asked Questions in HTML (47k) - by Chris M. Goulet, of Montreal, Canada. Everything you may want to know about magnetic declination - for wilderness travelers. Updated in October 2001
March, April, June, July, 2000 - The articles for these four months are via the Alpine Club of Canada website and are links to that site. They are NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics, but rather placed online by the safety committee of the ACC. The ACC Safety Committee evaluates current practices and equipment as they might interest or concern Canadian climbers.
May 2000 - Important Information for Hiking and Climbing around Moraine Lake. This document, issued by Parks Canada, discusses the bear hazard and mitigating measures plus information on Closures near Moraine Lake in Banff National Park. Essential information if you travel in that area. Issued by Parks Canada NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics.
August 2000 - Harnesses Used For Climbing Ice and Walls (Sit vs. Combi Research) This articles is via the Alpine Club of Canada website and is a link to that site. It is NOT produced by Rescue Dynamics, but rather placed online by the safety committee of the ACC. This particular article is a translation of a summary of European work and testing on climbing harnesses.
September, October, November 2000 - Progress Capture Devices - in Three Parts. A survey of various knots, hitches and mechanical devices that act as "ratchest", "autoblocs", "clutches" or more properly "Progress Capture Devices" in crevasse and rock rescue. Progress capture devices are simply the means to keep the person from sliding back down when you raise them with a pulley sustem. This three part series has been removed from the archive. A newer .pdf version should be added to the site in 2003.
December 2000 - Emergency and Radio Communications for Outdoor Guides and Leaders. Updated June 2007

1999 Articles in Chronological Order

January 99 - Canadian Rockies - Useful Telephone Numbers (9k) latest revision November 2020
February 99 - Feet to Meters Conversion Charts (html format) simple charts for converting altitudes and lengths from feet to meters.
March 99 - Meters to Feet Conversion Charts (html format) simple charts for converting altitudes and lengths from meters to feet.
April 99 - David Thompson Ice Guidebook (html) - this document is currently under revision. Keep checking back for periodic updates.
May 99 - Alberta Provincial Park Campground phone reservation listings (html format) or (pdf format) - via the Government of Alberta website.
June 99 - Mountain Guide (in pdf format) Parks Canada Visitors Guide to Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Kootenay, Revelstoke, Glacier and Waterton Parks; complete with maps and tons of information. WARNING: this file is over 2700K in size! - this document is served up by the Parks Canada website and was not created by Rescue Dynamics.
July 99 - Weather Radio Canada. These document were served up by various Environment Canada websites and were not created by Rescue Dynamics. Environment Canada in all their wisdom has decided to no longer make these article available.
August 99 - Casio Announces GPS Watch !. A slightly tongue in cheek article about the new Casio Pathfinder GPS wristwatch.
September 99 - Helicopter Safety in Heliski Operations. Helicopter safety considerations when around Bell 212 and Aerospatiale B2 helicopters. The in formation applies well to helicopter safety with other small and medium helicopters in many settings, not just heli-skiing.
October 99 - Avalanche and Snow Safety in Heliski Operations. A somewhat behind the scenes look at avalanche safety in heli-skiing.
November / December 99 - The HIDDEN VALLEY 1939 - 1999, 60 year retrospective and climbers mini-guidebook is now available online, complete with photos and route descriptions. It is not a substitute for the Jasper Rocks guidebook, but has some interesting additional information and marked route photos. Buy the Jasper Rocks guidebook and use this as a supplement.

1998 Articles in Chronological Order

January 1998 - Canadian Rockies - 11,000' plus: Part 4 (21k) for the complete series, see the 1997 Articles in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) Format
February 1998 - Winter Climbing Gear Checklist(6k) a basic winter equipment checklist as used on Rescue Dynamics courses
March 1998 - Summer Climbing Gear Checklist(5k) a basic summer equipment checklist as used on Rescue Dynamics courses
April 1998 - Summer Climbing Gear Checklist (7k) in HTML a basic summer equipment checklist as used on Rescue Dynamics courses
May 1998 - Magnetic Declination, Frequently Asked Questions in HTML (47k) - by Chris M. Goulet, of Montreal, Canada. Everything you may want to know about magnetic declination - for wilderness travelers. (updated in February 2000)
June 98 - Canadian Rockies - Useful Telephone Numbers (9k) latest revision November 2020
July 1998 - Temperature Conversion Chart in HTML (16k) - charts for converting between Celsius and Fahrenheit temperatures.
August 1998 - Pressure Conversion Chart (23k) - A chart for converting between the various units commonly used in measuring barometric pressure for weather purposes.
September 1998 - National Park Highlights and Maps (100 - 216k) - great new information from the Official National Park Visitors guide. This information is served up by Parks Canada Servers and is not produced by Rescue Dynamics. See also the corresponding September Articles in .pdf format for accompanying maps.
September 1998 - National Park Highlights and Maps (100 - 214k) - great new information from the Official National Park Visitors guide. This information is served up by Parks Canada Servers and is not produced by Rescue Dynamics. See also the corresponding September Articles in .html format for accompanying highlights.
- Banff Park Map (203k)
- Banff Townsite Map (76k)
- Lake Louise Townsite Map (37k)
- Jasper Park Map (216k)
- Jasper Townsite Map (36k)
- Yoho Park Map (124k)
- Kootenay Park Map (142k)
October '98: Jasper Rock Gardens Guidebook 1968 - 1998, 30th anniversary edition (83k) - in pdf format. A comprehensive guide to this classic local crag in Jasper National Park.
November '98: A Selection of Knot Diagrams for Introductory Climbing Courses - a great little Knot primer in HTML format.
December '98: News From the Last Plenary Session of the UIAA Safety Commission - important new information from Helmut Microys - in HTML format

1997 Articles in Chronological Order

January 97 - Canadian Avalanche Danger Scale & Contact Numbers (15k) - black & white and color
February 97 - Canadian Windchill and Equivalent Temperature Charts in HTML
March 97 - US Windchill Chart in HTML
April 97 - Canadian Rockies - Useful Telephone Numbers (9k) latest revision November 2020
May 97 - Canadian Rockies - National Parks Campground information (112k) - via the Jasper National Park website / not produced by Rescue Dynamics
June 97 - Humidex -The summer equivalent of Windchill to tell you how hot it really is - in HTML format
July 97 - Windchill One - by Environment Canada / Minute to Freeze Tissue - by Environment Canada - from the Environment Canada website / not produced by Rescue Dynamics - Updated 2002
August, September 1997 - Meteorology FAQ - A 7 part series (text files) - a comprehensive listing of Meteorology information sources both on and off the net - copyright Ilana Stern (not produced by Rescue Dynamics). Reproduced with permission.
October, November, December 1997, January 1998 - Canadian Rockies - 11,000' plus - A 3 part series on the 11,000 foot peaks in the Canadian Rockies by Peter Rowlands with follow-up letters by Orvel Miskiw and Christine Grotefeld. This series is being distributed in four logical parts. Part one is the introduction and information about surveys and accuracy. Part two contains the magic "List" and the variants thereof. Part three contains further ruminations by Orvel Miskiw. Part four is the conclusion by Peter Rowlands with a follow-up by by Christine Grotefeld. These articles were originally printed in the "Chinook", the Alpine Club of Canada - Calgary Section newsletter. Reproduced with permission.

1995 and 1996 Articles in Chronological Order

December 95 - Get Ready For Winter Outdoors (31k)
January 96 - Winter Hazards During Travel On Ice (35k)
February 96 - SEARCH: A Simplified Self - Help Primer for Outdoor Leaders (35k)
March 96 - Cyril's Guide to Guidebooks - Climbing, Hiking and Skiing - updated to Version 4.0 in 2006
April 1996 - Summer Environmental Protection - Getting Ready for the Outdoors (27k)
May 1996 - Planning the Big Trip (28k)
June 1996 - Traveling at Light Speed (36k)
July 1996 - Rappel Safety Techniques: A Review (349k)
August 1996 - Please Help Me, I'm Falling: A Review of Mountain Rescue Texts (30k) - revised in 2007
September, October, November 1996 - Backcountry Skiing: A five part series by Emerson Sanford, originally printed in the Alpine Club of Canada - Edmonton Section newsletter. Reproduced with permission.
- Backcountry Skiing: Part 1 and 2 (17k)
- Backcountry Skiing: Part 3, 4 and 5 (121k)
December 1996 - US Avalanche Danger Scale & Contact Numbers (19k) - black & white and color

WARNING! Mountaineering, Skiing and Rescue are, by their very nature, potentially hazardous activities. The materials presented here are intended as an adjunct to, not a replacement for, sound judgement and experience. The accuracy of the information presented here cannot be guaranteed and may change with time. The onus is on the individual to verify the applicability of the information to a given environment before using it as the basis of any kind of decision. In addition, accurate knowledge of the use of various safety devices and systems is requisite to understanding the information presented and in determining it's applicability to your situations. Always use a backup to your systems where a failure could result in death or injury. Nature offers few second chances for poor or inappropriate application of information and techniques. The Law of Gravity has no Court of Appeal. This must not be your only source of information on any given subject. Seek additional training from reputable schools and guides. Common sense and a strong will to survive must pervade your thoughts and actions. By using the information contained here, you are releasing the authors and Rescue Dynamics from any liability for any injury, including death, that may occur. You have been warned.

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Many of these articles originally appeared in other publications and are reprinted courtesy of Cyril Shokoples. Cyril is an IFMGA certified Mountain Guide. He currently resides in Edmonton and is the proprietor of the firm Rescue Dynamics, which is involved in climbing, rescue and safety instruction, as well as mountain guiding. To contact Cyril:

Rescue Dynamics
5109 - 17 A Avenue NW
Edmonton, AB
Canada, T6L 1K5
Phone (780) 461-5040 fax / voice

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Further Information, Comments, Suggestions?
5109 - 17A Avenue NW
Edmonton, AB, Canada T6L 1K5
phone (780) 461 - 5040 voice / fax