Battery Entrenchment Quandry

Batteries have been a contentious issue in regards to avalanche transceivers over the years. One reason is the reliability of their performance and metrics is variable. So, those who use transceivers must carry extra batteries once they approach around 60% of their life cycle. Why? Because if you have to perform a search you’ll need the juice to be able to get you through finding anyone who’s buried and also be able to get you back home in SEND mode.

Lithium and rechargeable batteries can present problems because transceivers might have trouble with the currents and voltages.  As well, there can be poor functionality in cold. It spawns other problems that the technology simply hasn’t been able to account for yet. However, some transceiver models will now accept lithium batteries but you’ll have to set the programming up for it. Some transceivers have built in rechargeable batteries. It doesn’t help when you’re on a long extended tour, or if you accidentally left it on overnight in your cold backpack and need to recharge it. Perhaps there’s no way to do so.

Most recently, a recall took place when it was identifies that when a transceiver was hit hard enough, like if a skier took a fall, the terminals lost contact with the battery. This shuts the software completely off and exposes the skier since not only are they not in SEND. This problem is not isolated to a single manufacturer or model. But it’s not problem of the manufacturer of the avalanche transceiver, it’s more of a battery problem.

Size Matters?

Fact is, that not all batteries are equal, not in potential energy stored, and longevity, or size of the casing regardless of the regulations they fall under (ANSI, ISO, etc…). The length of a AAA battery should be 44.5mm, but variations in manufacturing happens and so batteries length can vary within a specified tolerance for retail sale. Off brand batteries can be the biggest culprit causing problems with avalanche transceivers. These batteries can cause havoc. Why then are we still hearing about it in 2025? Shall we wait until we have to exhume one of our friends of family from the cold debris zone when prevention seems the better course of valor? It’s not that simple.

Random Sample

Here, I got up from writing this blurb and grabbed 3 batteries completely at random from my stock. A scale from the kitchen and a micrometer from the shop and I can easily demonstrate the small but significant variability. My PhD isn’t in battery chemistry or design, but It’s pretty easy to see that the above is true and that there is some fluctuation in size and weight. how much variation is significant? Well, a recall isn’t cheap and they wouldn’t do it for no reason other than protecting you against unforeseen circumstances. Avalanche transceiver manufacturers aren’t responsible for the variations of batteries on the open market. Some modifications to transceivers will now accept a more broad range of battery sizes. But this isn’t the only problems with batteries, and definitely not the only problem with off-brand batteries.

Actions

Managing your batteries and your transceiver is imperative to survival if the needs arrises. Keep your case dry and free of corrosion. Open the case daily and let the transceiver breathe. Don’t leave batteries in for long extended periods of time as they can leak and corrode the terminals.

Some solutions are available but may simply be pricy. Until then, contact a guide who knows how what to look for and give you some direction, take an avalanche rescue course, or do some diligence on your own to learn more about batteries and avalanche transceiver compatibility.

Be Safe,

James Marc Beverly

There has been a lot of unknowns and questions about Sochi and what ice climbing’s role is. Here’s a breakdown for all those hanging on a thread one way or another.

Sochi, Russia is located on the Black Sea and is an incredible venue for an Olympic Games. “Ice Climbing is featured as a cultural event at the Winter Olympics for the first time in Sochi, Russia. Athletes who are part of the UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup will be present in Sochi at the invitation of the Russian Mountaineering Federation to showcase the sport to the world.” Here’s a good link from the UIAA (click here).

“Sasulkalina” – the ice climbing structure in Sochi (photo: Erin Weber)

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) initially wanted the climbing demonstration to be held at the ski area, between two ski lifts, in the mountains. There’s a free :40 min train ride from the Olympic Park. However, they changed their minds and decided that they wanted the ice climbing venue to be located in the Olympic Park. This was a massive shift from previous as the IOC wanted ice climbing to have more exposure. A lot more…like 90-95% more. That’s the goal, to get exposure.

This is the mid that developed external fixators. So, for all you PAs/NPs that want to “stump the chump”, this is a great piece of trivia. However, it is a testament to the fact that we are all on the face of the earth together and have something to gain from each other. It was cool to pick up some medical information on this trip, rather than doling it out. I think that there is a lot of medicine in this world that we in the USA are not privy to, but may glean from those around.

Key to this was Pavel Shabalin who is from Kirov, Russia. The man knows how to make ice. We have a man-made ice structure that is located on the Black Sea with temperatures that are above freezing. There are three walls and we are able to change which wall we are climbing on as the sun moves across the sky.This ice is some of the better ice I have climbed on compared to this year’s World Cup competitions. Also, the general public is allowed to take a stab at climbing the ice. In fact, what better way to spread awareness of competition ice climbing than to create a tactile physical sense of being able to relate to the athletes? On the first day, there were more than 400 participants who came to climb on the ice structure.

Ice Bloc: The difficulty section is for the athletes only. It is a lead traverse on free hanging “blocs” that look like ice cubes. Since there’s no formal competition, we are able to climb at-will and as much as we like. It’s a great venue in its entirety. Even other Olympic athletes are coming over to climb on the ice! Maybe they will put me out of a job!

The accommodations are near to the Olympic Park. Since we are not an official Olympic sport, we are not staying in the Olympic Village, but have it better, I think. Why? Because we get to stay with a local family at their home! We celebrated with them until the wee hours last night, for a birthday party and ate local foods (outstanding), and had some Armenian drink. One of the major reasons I travel is to learn more about other cultures and experience them. I couldn’t do that living in the Olympic Village.

I spent last night discussing what the future of competition ice climbing holds for the UIAA and the Olympics with Frits Vrijlandt. He was very optimistic about how ice climbing was appearing in the eyes of the IOC, and that the groundwork is being laid down for becoming a full Olympic sport in the future. Obviously, there is a long road to go, but at this point, he seems confident that competition ice climbing will become more mainstream in the future, and this includes a very real spot as an Olympic Sport in the future. It will be a long and arduous road, but once worth following.

Regarding all the threats of Terrorism and all the jokes about the accommodations (like toilets, etc.), I can’t say that I feel that there are any issues whatsoever. They’ve brought in cruise liners to provide for extra rooms that would not be used in the near future, thereby not wasting millions/billions on quickly built housing. The people here are hospitable and helpful, despite the fact that I can’t speak Russian. The views are awesome with the juxtaposition of the Black Sea against the fabled Caucasus Mountains, not previously accessible to Westerners for many years. We will make the free train ride to the Olympic venue in the mountains in the near future to check it all out and maybe go skiing.

It’s really cool to not only go to the Olympics, but also to be able to climb as much as I want. I get to improve on my speed climbing as I never have a chance to speed climb. It’s also good to get to climb with all the athletes out of true competition format, although it feels like competition as we a are on a stage.

Thus far, I’ve had many new opportunities present themselves, including going to Mongolia, so this might be a worthy endeavor in the future.

I wish all those who have supported me in one way or another, the best. Will try to keep up with the blog, but it’s tough when you’re busy.

All the Best,

Marc

Having climbed ice since the 90’s, I barely touch the medium these days as it’s now simply a small part of the mixed regime. As with all disciplines of climbing, there is evolution. When leash-less tools began the mixed climbing rage, I made the decision to get involved.

Jeff Lowe needed help setting a competition route in Jan 2001. I was a neophyte route setter and a wanna-be hard mixed climber, but I was all he had since I was living in Ouray and was the only person he could find the day before the competition who had a drill. I met many of my heroes like Hary Berger, Sue Knott, Karen McNeil, Will Gadd, and Guy L’Celle and became inspired. They all were strong climbers and all super nice people. I belayed in future competitions and I realized that I could do what they were doing, climbing crazy and seemingly impossible lines in overhanging terrain.

And so it happened. I morphed into an ice junkie gone wild. The competition circuit became a new familiar scene, but I took it to the next level to test my metel and decided that competing Nationally wasn’t enough. I entered into the UIAA Ice World Cup circuit where there is anywhere between 4-6 competitions per year, one in each sponsoring country comprises the venues. I go nearly every year on an around-the-world tour of these competitions competing in lead and sometimes speed.

I travel from New Mexico to South Korea, Romania, Switzerland, Italy, France, and Russia, chasing the sun on the flights against the jet stream to go to these competitions. Am I crazy? Perhaps, but there is way more to it than just the competition.

Fair to say that I got an education over the past 5 years on what hard climbing is like, not just from the competitions, but from all the cool mixed rock and ice crags I got to climb at while on the competition circuit.  I also realized that North America had fallen far behind the European and Asian levels in terms of mixed climbing. We definitely have our strong rock climbers, but there are no ice climbers that can presently compete as a possible podium contender at the World Cup, myself included. Although a bold statement, this is unfortunate, since Bozeman will be the host to next year’s first-ever USA World Cup.

I’ve seen several 5.14 rock climbers come and go on the mixed climbing scene. Just because you’re strong doesn’t mean that you will do well in this sport, there’s way more involved in this very powerful and technical form of climbing. Perhaps I’m wrong and someone will step forward and be the next Markus Bendler (Austria) or one of the Tomilov Brothers (Russia), but I won’t hold my breath. Yes, that’s a challenge. I’m a bit late coming into the game and have too many other priorities to give what it takes, although I secretly try.

The quaint Southern Tyrol Alps village of Rabenstein is hidden deep within Northern Italy and was home to the third Ice World Cup of 2013, a first time occurrence. What’s not new is Angelika Rainier bested all other competitors in front of her hometown crown. This was also the official last World Cup that Markus Bendler will participate in as he leaves competition climbing for another life as he opens a new retail mountain shop in Austria. The late Hari Berger, one of the most acclaimed hard ice climbers in recent history, mentored Markus. Now, after more than a decade and over 30 World Cup titles, Markus steps into the history books as the Michael Jordan of mixed ice climbing. Only since 2012 have the Russians and a sole Korean, Park Hee Young, been able to compete with Bendler.

No matter, the spirit of the competition is alive, and flags and anthems represent the athletes on the podium. But at the end of the day, there is a camaraderie among all the athletes that transcends multiple language barriers and skill levels. The best athletes want the other competitors to rise to their best, so climbing secrets and technical advances in modifications of equipment are exchanged. Big leaps in athlete’s performance are rare, but it can and does occur.

Now, in 2014, the UIAA has made a long and arduous effort to showcase ice climbing as a Demonstration Sport in Sochi, Russia. This event, and those who represent their country as an athlete ice climber, will hope to usher in ice climbing as a full Olympic Sport in the coming years.

Those who have been on the UIAA World Cup Ice Climbing Competition circuit area  “winter family” of sorts. We all travel from country to country every week to compete. There can be only one World Cup per Country per year. This lends itself for being a world-ice-climbing connoisseur and provides for insight not otherwise gained form residing and climbing on a single continent, alone.

Competing against others pushes me, hard. I become a better climber and have a great excuse to not turn into a couch potato. Being from New Mexico, Ouray, CO is my mainstay of real ice to climb. I spend most of my time training in my home gym, a 2-car garage with a woody at my apartment, when friends aren’t camping out on the mats on their visit. Erin Weber uses a laser pointer to “bossy light” me around the wall on focused techniques and movement, training only for World Cup-specific climbing on World Cup-specific holds. There are lots of nuances and I’m still learning and trying to keep up with the younger competitors form the other side of the world.

I’ve been fortunate enough to sustain the long trips, the financial hardship, and steep learning curve, to continue to play in this arena. My hope is that this year there will be a birth of an ice climbing Olympic sport. Why? Good question, and I’ve got my opinions.

I love this sport. It’s fun, and it pushes my to be better. I have to rise to the occasion, the climb, and the ever-changing environment. This type of climbing is only one aspect, but I believe it has a place at the Olympics. Look at what constitutes an Olympic sport and ice climbing encompasses all of those traits. Ice climbing is an excellent spectator sport. In fact, spectators could be in a heated environment enjoying a beverage while the competitors are in full blizzard conditions.  The difficulty event is dynamic and athletic, even though it is strenuous.  The speed climbing event is a race, and most people like a good race.