2011_12_trage web - Seattle Mountain Rescue

Number 220
SEATTLE MOUNTAIN RESCUE RESCUE
BERGTRAGE - DECEMBER 2011
December December December December 2011 2011 2011 2011
2011
1948
2011
Bergtrage
MISSIONS IN NOVEMBER 2011
There was only one reported mission in November which was the search on November 6, 12 and 19 for a
missing child in Bellevue which had 18 SMR members responding and volunteering 144.5 man-hours and 650
driving-miles total. This extensive missing child search was reported on by the local and national media.
MEMBERS EMBERS MAY READ ALL MISSION REPORTS BY LOGGING ON THE “MEMBERS “MEMBERS
ONLY NLY” ” SMR WEBSITE WEBSITE
AT
HTTP:// HTTP://SEATTLEMOUNTAINRESCUE
SEATTLEMOUNTAINRESCUE.ORG ORG/
THE INDOMINATABLE OME OME
DAIBER
Anyone who’s anyone knows of the legendary MacGyver, who could make something out
of nothing in order to save his life. The show started in 1985, presenting the world with
ways to escape from any situation (no matter what it was). Well our own Ome Daiber
has MacGiver beat hands down by over 50 years. Ome patented at least 17 of his many
inventions and inventiveness undoubtedly saved the day on a number of climbs and
rescues. Ome once said “When anybody says it can’t be done, suddenly I become totally
deaf! If mortal man made it, mortal man can fix it!”
Ome was a conservator and an environmentalist before the word existed. He invented
Sno-Seal in 1933 because he knew that an ounce of beeswax would double or triple the
life of a mountaineering or ski boot.
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SEATTLE MOUNTAIN RESCUE RESCUE
BERGTRAGE - DECEMBER 2011
Some of Ome Daiber’s inventions included Bird Cage crampons (lightweight, made of
round metal stock welded together), the Pac-Jacket, and Sno-Seal. Ome manufactured
Eddie Bauer's first down jackets and patented the Trigger Finger mitten, an invention
later claimed by the U.S. Army and still used by the troops. He developed a rucksack that
was copied by the army. Ome made early crampons with front points. Ome’s “Heatomat”
Canned Foods in a can with a central container holding a chemical combination which,
when in contact with water or other elements, generated sufficient heat to warm the
contents of the main can predated today’s “MRE’s.” Anyone who has
used military cold weather gear is familiar with these inventions.
Some of Ome’s other inventions included these which may look familiar:
• Pac-Jacket: A combination day-pack and jacket.
• Rucksack Saddle: Increases the load bearing surface of a Norwegian style rucksack for greater comfort.
• Penguin Sleeping Bag: A garment-like sleeping bag, "offering the unique feature of permitting the user to 'get
up' without getting out of bed."
• WarmAire Hood: Enables a person in a parka or sleeping bag to breathe preheated air for greater comfort and
insulating efficiency.
• Directional "V" Tube Down Insulated Structure: Makes it easy to redistribute down to the top of a sleeping
bag or other garment with a few shakes.
• Poncho Sleeping Bag: A combination poncho and sleeping bag, for greater versatility and to eliminate the weight of extra clothing.
• Hammock Sleeping Bag: An alternative to sleeping on cold, wet ground. Also makes an ideal emergency stretcher.
• Arctic Breather Mask: Protects the face from frostbite and freezing and preheats the air for breathing.
• Rope Thread Ski Mitt: A mitt with a thread of leather stitched to the palm. The thread is aligned to mesh with the lay of a rope tow,
eliminating the slippage that tires the skier.
• Ski Tow Gripper: A gripper with a cord fastened to the user's waist to eliminate arm strain. The gripper releases from the rope when
the user lets go.
• Totem Packboard: A demountable packboard with no metal hardware, which can be disassembled and rolled up for compact transport.
• Lacquer Soluble Ski Wax: Enables the user to apply a new coat of lacquer to the ski base without having to remove every trace of
wax.
• Zipelope: An envelope with a thread in the end which enables the user to quickly open it (like a band-aid wrapper).
• Lastic-Sheath: A belt with an elastic core and leather sheath which, when used in suspenders, prevents pulling buttons off the trousers.
• Barb Screw: A sheet metal screw that locks in place and won't be loosened by jarring or vibration.
• Jack Knife Safety Clip: Prevents any possible contact of the knife blade and carrying ring, which would otherwise result in a badly
nicked or dulled blade.
• Clothes Hanger: Includes a spring loaded guard that prevents the hanger from falling off the hanger rod.
You can read more at: http://www.alpenglow.org/ski-history/notes/ms/ocd-inventions.html
NEW NARROW BAND RADIOS RADIOS
MRA teams, including SMR, have had to modify their FCC transmitter licenses to add narrow band
modulation in preparation for the Jan 1, 2012 deadline. The FCC’s intention is to double the number of
available frequencies in the land mobile radio industry. It does so by cutting in half the amount of
spectrum used by each transmitter. The changes only affect equipment
and licensees operating under Part 90 of the FCC rules. The changes
required that SMR replaced all the older hand-me-down radio equipment
at a cost of almost $3,500 this year. Each eight new ICOM-F3021
handhelds costs $320 while each of the two vehicle ICOM-M5061 mobiles
cost $910. Thanks in part to the generosity of of faithful donors
SMR is now in compliance with this FCC transition – THANK YOU!
HEARD AROUND THE CAMPFIRE
CAMPFIRE
Doug Pierson found himself last month at Amadablam Base
Camp. Located on a flat, grassy stretch of land above the town of
Pangboche in the Khumbu Region of Nepal, this is the primary
stepping off point for teams attempting the 22,467' Himalayan
giant.
http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=82b4ce53-1547-427d-9f3b-dab7d55341f3
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Kecia Bruce churned out cinnamon apple muffins by the dozens last month from bags of
apples left in her doorstep by the “apple fairy.” Seemed appropriate to sneak up to the
“apple fairy's” house and leave some on the front steps. So I guess she’s now the muffin
fairy. I think I'll visit a few other front steps today... North Bendites or is it North Benders?,
beware!
Unbelievable as it seems, Seth Brothers writes that his conversion to house husband is now
almost 2 percent complete! He must be spending the other 98 percent of his time snowmobiling!
He went for Ride #6 with his sweetheart on Thanksgiving Day and says that heavy
snow over light made for some spectacular stucks. Ride #7 may have needed a tow!!!
“Mama” Ginger Passarelli writes that she was thinking about
Thanksgiving and was remembering the first one in Mississippi after Katrina .
Making Turkey dinner for thousands and the college students
that were there from other parts of the country singing
Christmas Carols and decorating the tent. Didn’t think there
was anything that didn't have a light hanging on it. It brings
tears to her eyes when she thinks about all the faces when
they saw all of the color in the middle of all the destruction.
That was special. Thank You “Mama” for supporting King
County Search and Rescue!
On Nov 14th the Mountain Rescue Association Honor Guard lost one of their own.
“Chara” was the first and since only canine member of the HG and was 14-1/2 years old.
Jenn was also the first female member of the Honor Guard. Jenn, you are in our thoughts
and prayers. Never forget!
Gary Yngve sent this
photo at Crater Camp
above 18,000 ft on
Kilimanjaro
(summited back in
June, just sharing the
bad photo :))
SMR’S SMR’ WINTER INTER PARTY ARTY 2012!!!
3
Summit at
Snoqualmie
opened on Nov
23rd, Central on
Nov 25th, and
Alpental Dec 2nd.
Looks like we will
have 5 months of
good skiing this
season.
2012!!!
Tuesday, January 17 th , 6PM in Preston (the small town just East of Issaquah)
Highlights include: Free!!!! Yummy food will be there! Beer provided! Dazzling assortment of door prizes.
Wimpy Award and Vulture Award winners announced. Come meet your fellow Mtn Rescuer and get to know them before
you find your life in their hands somewhere. Bring the family or significant other – This year’s party is once again at our
own Garth Bruce’s Kidz Bounce, and Garth has promised to leave some of the bouncy toys up somewhere for the kids and
anyone who drinks too much. Plus, the more people you bring, the more likely it is that you will win something.
Here’s the address: 8178 304th Avenue Southeast. Issaquah, WA 98027-8889 Note that maybe it is technically in
Issaquah, but you need to go to Preston to find it. Call Bree Loewen (206) 919 6240 or email her
breeloewen@gmail.com by 1/10 if at all possible so she can get a head-count for food planning.
P.O. BOX 67
SEATTLE, WA 98111-0067
SMR INFORMATION LINE: (206) 270-7272
WEBSITE: HTTP://SEATTLEMOUNTAINRESCUE.ORG
NEWSLETTER: BERGTRAGE@GMAIL.COM
SEATTLE MOUNTAIN RESCUE IS A FULLY-ACCREDITED MEMBER OF THE MOUNTAIN RESCUE ASSOCIATION AND THE KING COUNTY SEARCH AND RESCUE ASSOCIATION.
SEATTLE MOUNTAIN RESCUE IS A NON-PROFIT 501C(3) ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO SAVING LIVES THROUGH RESCUE AND EDUCATION. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
A TAX DEDUCTABLE DONATION TO OUR ORGANIZATION, PLEASE SEND A CHECK MADE OUT TO
"SEATTLE MOUNTAIN RESCUE”
THE BERGTRAGE IS SEATTLE MOUNTAIN RESCUE’S MONTHLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER AND HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN ONE FORM OR THE OTHER SINCE THE FIRST
MOUNTAIN RESCUE COUNCIL NEWSLETTER WAS PUBLISHED IN 1955. IT IS SENT ELECTRONICALLY TO ALL SMR MEMBERS AND TO A LARGE NUMBER OF DONORS,
FRIENDS, OTHER RESCUE UNITS AND PUBLIC AGENCIES INVOLVED IN SEARCH AND RESCUE AND IS ALSO SENT TO A NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAMS
AND ORGANIZATIONS. THE EDITOR WELCOMES ANY AND ALL COMMENTS, STORIES AND PHOTOS AND CAN BE CONTACTED AT BERGTRAGE@GMAIL.COM.