1 26 R escuin g someone who has f allen int o a cre v asse e v en if r oped is generally a v er y diffcult task e v en f or a par ty trained in cre v asserescue t echniq ues On dr y glacier s bare ice without sno w co v er it is saf e t o t r a v e l u nr ope d if cram po ns are w or n and if st e e p are as are a v o ide d F alls o n ice no rmally canno t be st o ppe d with an ice ax e Bad W eather W eather cha nges dramatically and rapidly in the high mountains e v en in summer Sno w and f og are common in man y ranges R out efnd ing in bad w eather abo v e timberline can be v er y diffcult It is easy t o pr oceed fr om saf e and f amiliar t errain t o danger ous and unkno wn obstacles With f og the per ception of distance and direction ma y be dist or t ed A major hazar d is the inability t o discern danger ous t errain such as clif fs belo w or po t ential a v alanche slopes If y ou are l ost in the mountains in bad w eather y ou must decide whe ther t o sta y where y ou are or att em pt t o ge t belo w the base of the clouds This decision depends on ho w e xposed y ou are t o the w eather and ho w easy it is t o reach a shelt ered spo t A good map with kno wledge of y our position and inf ormation via radio on the le v el of the clouds are the best inf ormation t o ha v e T r a v e l d an g er s mus t be balanced a g ains t t he pos sibilit y of e xposur e and h ypo t her mia Al w a ys c ar r y e xt r a c lo t hin g and some me ans to r i g an emer g ency she lter so to a v oid an unc omf or t able ni g ht bec omin g a lif e t hr e a tenin g emer g ency