Why Speed is the Only Variable in an Expedition Crisis
In a Mount Everest expedition avalanche, you have approximately 15 minutes to be found. Understanding the physics of snow burial is a mandatory survival skill for anyone aiming for the Mount Everest summit.
An air pocket only lasts as long as you can breathe without re-inhaling your own CO2. This is why 'avalanche lungs' or snorkels are sometimes used by elite Mount Everest summit teams to buy more time.
Probing must be a systematic grid. In the chaos of an Everest trekking peak accident, disciplined physics-based searching is the only way to locate a buried climber quickly enough to save them.
Avalanche snow sets like concrete the moment it stops moving. You cannot dig yourself out. This is why the 'Buddy System' is the most critical piece of safety gear on any Mount Everest expedition.
You hope you never need it, but you must know it. Train in avalanche rescue before your Mount Everest expedition to ensure you and your team are protected.
