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Diploma in Mountain Medicine
The Diploma in Mountain Medicine program sets the international standard for comprehensive training in mountain medicine for medical professionals. Mountain Madness has been a part of this training for many years, training diploma candidates from the military in mountaineering skills required for their diploma. This year’s candidates, Jason, Mike, Wayne and Alex, were surgeons and nurses from the Navy and Air Force and were spending weeks training in the mountains of the NW to be prepared to be leaders of complex technical rescue and able to provide medical care where resources and environmental conditions are extreme. What a tall order!
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150630_105945.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=f70701400875fabdb862cd2d6cf6cfac 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150630_105945.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=0e638cc4667cbe1d71e73b3adc21f1f7 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150630_105945.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=9a5ae136c66c3e007287e87c02cab197 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150630_105945.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=bba2d12da4b2c45e76b0a3509c95f15c 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150630_105945.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=2f67cf9eeba7c454f3f530beca86bbf7 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150630_105945.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=d909ac7ae64ff964bba03b056c4e3f15 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150630_105945.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=66eab947fbfa6499a3d67224c6f1058e 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150630_105945.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=25d516fb2d05febde51091cec3459b15 1024w)
Group selfie. This year’s Diploma in Mountain Medicine candidates! Tod Bloxham photo
It is an interesting transition going from military training to medical training, to mountaineering training. The equipment and techniques are different, but the focus and determination is not. Once we got through the gear check, ensuring that their equipment was ready for 4 days on rock, snow and glacier in all sorts of weather, it was apparent these guys were ready for anything. We were off for some rock training at Mt. Erie!
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_170946.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=e03c35856181acc4c76ed65d6c778dea 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_170946.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=9c539e45573d853f72930f32357aaeff 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_170946.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=58ecbef87894e24d3daf306f6465e9b7 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_170946.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=5597525cb7210c46667e8e4a1ac5a739 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_170946.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=8985a0d4f3f9862012b06103dba1c487 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_170946.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=0812e626c5fdb25a47545a8a292c8e57 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_170946.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=9cbcf7e1dbcb1cd08618e7874c1d4995 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_170946.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=7f59d41aa82b10071fb97f0e54951409 1024w)
Climbing at Mt. Erie includes great views. Tod Bloxham photo
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_135436.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=6ea28cc71c724135f301169e9c6393a7 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_135436.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=3ddaec73c85c9c885d1983a634eb194a 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_135436.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=2f33f9e0d14cd1934a9f922ccffa1439 603w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_135436.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=521c3b123c2828b0dfca17c304172392 603w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_135436.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=6b64d14659cd55d6d5e098e86595dedb 603w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_135436.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=4716f580f52c686642f876d54ea71478 603w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_135436.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=a6b112f373cf5d641a653d692621172b 603w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_135436.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=66cdad3d69d95bb1255455d02d5924f9 603w)
Rock climbing and belay training at Mt. Erie. Tod Bloxham photo
Mt. Erie is spectacular and a great setting for learning rock climbing techniques; it stands nearly 1,300 feet above the surrounding Puget Sound with all sorts of crags with great views and climbing. For us, it was a day at Crack Wall learning essential climbing knots, belaying, climbing technique and rappelling. For sure the highlight for them was learning new climbing techniques on slab and crack so that movement became more natural. Good balance and body position makes for a great climber! For me, the highlight was teaching how to pre-rig a rappel; with pre-rigs you can get everyone on rappel together to ensure safety checks are done and then rappel one by one. I believe we set a world record with 5 people pre-rigged at once for rappel!
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164055.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=d5ee9a7fe0ca9611a1c4718d889803f4 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164055.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=de75e18ffd8b945740d4ffe8eb773b48 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164055.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=83dba3500ba45c046ba97379fba1e273 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164055.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=549505bb2ac15017340526c4442eac99 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164055.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=90813dede3b27d022a07e4caf4bdb9e1 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164055.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=c93cea38368057b9f430a4be5e0151b1 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164055.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=707ef7d5c0849369b4e977c317409545 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164055.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=1e5881a62a10704aa69ce6d9d6574ab2 576w)
World record pre-rig rappel setup. Tod Bloxham photo
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164706.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=df8ece0a8ce5d740892adb3146df310d 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164706.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=d626867f0686d47c8647b4a82f3b03a0 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164706.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=eabc701cff784bacb2a884e4d35d6f82 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164706.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=d21414dd8698ab16e69dcd8cf0a7e1e3 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164706.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=66955c6d7ce9ca66b5689d2f6eacbfae 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164706.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=40e4e70b2a360f534c93fc029387de52 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164706.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=c055ab6752221d2ba241c2a685f1f24f 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150627_164706.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=0477b6efdc1b2089242d5c1718221ab1 576w)
Rappel training at Mt. Erie! Tod Bloxham photo
Day 2 was our transition from rock to the snow, glacier and ice of Mt. Baker. What an awesome classroom! We started the day making the hike through old growth forest. After leaving the trees we climbed through flower-filled avalanche chutes and up the rocky moraine of the Hogsback to our camp at the base of the Coleman Glacier (6,000 feet). Mt. Baker (10,781 feet) and glacier crevasses loomed overhead while we setup camp in dark clouds and wind, then we finished our day off with learning ice axe use, glacier travel, navigation, and snow anchors.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150628_104130.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=c8b242857811552bf3f6a6f455940982 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150628_104130.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=ccc5c11313e565ec33fada0319d08f1f 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150628_104130.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=161f28174d46ae283fe82e8707b815a3 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150628_104130.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=344b43b59e352550f7c158f600c9077f 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150628_104130.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=a796fde874f570a4b9efa0af2c8e8c84 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150628_104130.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=70c350938688d97faabdc599213b87e3 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150628_104130.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=3c244de7dd7c03a4fd622480e4f46c51 576w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150628_104130.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=28a06c5e7166ff152d84ebcb3036fa26 576w)
Hiking into Mt. Baker through old growth forest. Tod Bloxham photo
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F0629151827.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=48f96bbf89d59d74281218935b433239 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F0629151827.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=2784de723691a395562a1539d2953a41 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F0629151827.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=85e37ad960fe7615199b0928c5198321 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F0629151827.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=7efb9d5effa5b413510efb57d1ad613e 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F0629151827.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=15cf803c7057873f985b1e83d6490274 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F0629151827.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=3b973a38991ea45065d716f33ef8c6c0 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F0629151827.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=4aeec25c9f0e2f61413bf78f2549503a 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F0629151827.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=08263d688f3f7884846c6f91295a367c 1024w)
Hogsback camp at 6,000 feet. Tod Bloxham photo
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150629_180142.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=e6c38b1b31bf7d0b6d07c8097b17128d 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150629_180142.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=92b218f8ae4254be108225e7ec115aca 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150629_180142.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=79ca279f1e26a2d937aaaf935ed7e0b7 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150629_180142.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=31127074bedb0cf0e771a4e0032b0474 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150629_180142.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=f0ffc8417706916430e36685d75b7332 1000w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150629_180142.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=49eb4ba2ba5ac749569f484fecae5a80 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150629_180142.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=adcf3b0051251977a96cab8425228163 1024w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2F20150629_180142.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=94533a7f7911eb4ef48f0b31a68f4a4e 1024w)
Hogsback Camp. Tod Bloxham photo
The next morning the weather continued to be threatening; we ended up waiting out some early morning rain storms while other parties summit bids were thwarted. Thankfully for us, a pre dawn start was not necessary and we ate omelettes while the skies cleared. Today would be filled with lots of glacier time including advanced route finding, steep snow travel, traveling in avalanche terrain, and best of all….snow anchors and crevasse rescue! We built anchors and dropped everyone into the glacier and either pulled them out with the pulley systems we were learning, or dropped them in again and they self rescued themselves with prussik knots. Hanging from a rope in a crevasse is something else; it is quiet, cold and erie!
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Self arresting a crevasse fall doing crevasse rescue training. Tod Bloxham photo
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Hanging out in a crevasse doing self rescue training. Tod Bloxham photo
We finished off the day with chicken burritos and prepared everyone for day 4, our summit day.
Summit days on the volcanoes are always a bit early, particularly when the weather is nice. For us it was no different; 2am wakeup, 3am climbing. We retraced our steps through the Coleman Glacier Headwall and crevasses and moved across the lower Coleman by headlamp. By the time the alpenglow hit the glacier we had already picked up 1,500 feet and were putting our advanced route finding to skills work, avoiding increasingly large crevasses and ice falls from above.
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Alpenglow high on Mt. Baker and the Coleman Glacier. Tod Bloxham photo
At 8,500 feet we began a conversation about AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness), including signs/symptoms and a treatment plan. What would you do if a member of your climbing party was nauseous, had a headache, wasn’t hungry? Can it really happen at 8,500 feet? Would you continue? If you did continue, and the symptoms got worse and now included dry heaving, and your summit was only 1,000 feet above you, what would you do? For us, the summit was not our primary objective; the skills needed to apply medical decisions in mountain terrain was the focus. After assessing our scenario and applying a treatment plan for AMS, we turned around at 9,600 feet. Turning around for any reason is a hard decision, and our team made the right one. Great job to everyone; I think they are all ready to receive their Diploma in Mountain Medicine!
~ MM Guide Tod Bloxham
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High on Mt. Baker with Colfax Peak in the distance. Tod Bloxham photo