Glissade - not your favorite sports drink

August 7th, 2007 Wade

Glissade is not the latest sugar laden Gatorade product. Glissading is a fun way to get down a snow-covered mountain fast. What is this mode of travel I speak of??? Well see the diagram and description below. I mentioned this in my Mountain of the Week - Mt Adams post a while back.
All you need is an ice axe and a sloping snow field to get your glissade on. There are three methods of glissading, sitting, standing, and crouching.

From wikipedia:

Sitting Glissade

This is the easiest type of glissade and generally provides the best feeling control. It is also less tiring than a standing or crouching glissade in softer snow. To perform a sitting glissade one sits down and slides on the slope usually holding on to an ice axe in a self-arrest position, especially when the run-out of the slope is in question.

The major drawbacks to the sitting glissade are that one’s outer layers get wet, and that there is less control than in a standing glissade. (I can vouch for this, but man was it fun!)

Standing Glissade

The standing glissade is often the preferred method if the person glissading is skilled in doing so and snow conditions allow. In this glissading position one has a better view of route hazards, and increased maneuverability over a sitting glissade. In addition a standing glissade cuts down the wet and abrasive forces of the sitting glissade. The standing glissade is best performed over firm snow with a soft top layer.

Crouching Glissade

The crouching glissade is similar to the standing method except the climber sits back and drags the spike of their ice axe (held in self-arrest grip) in the snow. The method is slower but more controlled than the standing glissade. A disadvantage to this technique is the tiring of the legs.

Now that you know how to glissade, practice it on a hill or slope near your home before you get out on the mountain and try this. I had great success with this method on Mt Adams in Washington a few years back. However CAUTION, you can gain some speed doing this. KNOW YOUR SURROUNDINGS. Study your map before starting a glissade or else you’ll end up in a ravine, the hospital, or the morgue.

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