The International Commission for Alpine Rescue (IKAR) has released a 20-minute video on their recent annual congress in Zermatt. Suggest you click on the little icon at the right of the progress bar, to view it in full screen mode.

Some of it doesn't apply so well over here, but the footage on avalanche rescue is pretty eye-opening. And the use of UAVs in search is provocative, although it may not become practical in my lifetime.

You can go here to read more about IKAR, and to see its relationship to this country's MRA--the Mountain Rescue Association.

Thanks Bob! It was good to see our old friend the LAMA helicopter still doing the heavy lifting.

The unicore rope from BEAL is long overdue, and will be welcomed by climbers as well as SAR personnel. I wonder if there will be a weight penalty due to the bonding material?

The avalanche beacon segment ought to remind us that it is important to PRACTICE and become proficient with their use BEFORE setting out into the snow country with your climbing companions.

Bob West

Thanks Bob!!!
That was fascinating. Pretty neat technology. Ski passes with transmiters and drones. Good stuff.

I was particularly taken by the UAV segment. I can't help but be impressed that the huge interest by the military in UAV's will have a spillover effect in this technology. These tiny, lightweight devices would seem to have a huge advantage over the Predator-type for SAR applications.