The training in Norway actually started days before hand preparing all the clothing and equipment that we were told would be necessary for the event. Being single I was able to spread all the kit all over my spare bedroom and to amass all the items on the list, folding and packing then followed keeping a close eye on the baggage allowance weight for both hand and hold luggage was always on the forefront of my mind. This aspect was made a little more difficult due to all of us having to stow extra kit in our bags that was destined for our fellow potential Denali climbers, the Royal Marines.
All being well though every thing would fit and with some creative packing and repacking…. and repacking at the airport we would all get our belongings plus the extra to Norway with out having to pay heavy penalties for being over weight. A very good thing that at this stage of the endeavour we were bonding well and did not mind rummaging through our bags to force in another persons socks and assorted smalls…. yes smalls. I hasten to add at this point they were clean and did not pose a threat to public health.
The flight was scheduled to be a short one and the weather was fine and clear so my window seat I hoped would be a high light of the trip. The approach into Norway being of particular interest as I gazed through the window at the stunning coastline, small lakes, dotted hamlets and even the occasional passing cloud…. a good start I remember thinking…. then I recalled our weeks training ahead with the Royal Marines….. enjoy while you can I thought.
We were met by the green beret wearers, quickly greeted, herded onto the transport and off for the 2 hour drive to the training camp where we meet our trainers. At first the weather was much like Britain, cold wet and an unpleasant wind that did not bold well for skiing. During the journey the altitude increased and fortunately the climate became colder and so my thoughts of becoming soaked and staying that way diminished with every minute of our journey…. this will be more like Denali than Staffordshire could possibly ever be. I hoped to test our clothing and gently prepare us for the forth coming zero temperatures…. what joy !
At camp we were introduced to our instructors, quarter master, chief instructor, an American equivalent of the Royal Marines (at this stage I will apologies for not naming all these intrepid, adventurous, highly qualified men… national security I am sure you understand 
). The schedule for the weeks events and programme for our christening into the ways of the mountain man were outlined and emphases was placed upon learning rather than being taken out and ran ragged for the whole time…. this came as a mild but very welcome surprise, these were The Royal Marines after all and their reputation does precede them…. just a little!
Over the weekend we were given instruction on cold weather injuries and shown several slides of some very unfortunate individuals who it seems were not quite as prepared as they should have been and subsequently developed ‘injuries’ in various degrees of severity…. they brought home the implications of taking this whole venture lightly and believing that it would be a relative stroll up a hill ,, albeit a reasonably high one. The potential for losing toes, fingers, a nose or worse was made very real plus some other unpleasant aspects of the human body going to such altitudes were the topic of the day for our initial introduction…. the Bahamas did appear a more worthy destination at this point.
The weather continued to be cold, snow fell, the wind blew and our cold weather clothing proved its worth. During our little forays out to learn the basics of cross country skiing and technical aspects the days remained enjoyable and our hearts skipped merrily. At this point the weather started to turn wet…. a situation that our clothing was not designed to be of maximum benefit, this could be interesting…. but not in a pleasant heel flicking, hands clapping sort of way.
Basics like how we would have to live in our tented accommodation were drummed into us…. not as straight forward as you may at first think…. digging in the tents for protection from the elements, the safe storage of skis, poles, sleds, fuel bottles, clean snow for drinking, toilet habits (a very long process when its -30 degrees outside areas and not forgetting the GOLDEN rule…. never never put your glove down if you have to remove it for any reason…. the wind will take it! Back to those slides of the cold weather injuries, I am kind of attached to my hands and would like to keep it that way. Cooking…. the boiling of water for cooking and very very importantly for our flasks to be drunk through out the day so as to stay off the life threatening thickening of the blood, the more you drink the less likely a person is of becoming a casualty…. being a casualty at 15,000 feet with -30 degrees centigrade outside and wind chill dropping it even further are not thoughts worth thinking of really. Prevention is better than the cure.
Avalanche training…. avoiding, ‘what to do’ if you were caught in one and how to search for someone who is caught in one, the use of some high tech search equipment plus some not so high tech equipment were also taught and our education continued. Snow holes…. digging them for comfort or digging them to save your life…. Denali, a very serious mountain and one that could prove potentially lethal to the unsuspecting, ill informed or fool hardy person…. the last place they see…. think on if you are nurturing any ideas of ‘going’ to such a place.
Moving as teams pushing and pulling the sleds which carry our tents, rations and alike…. going up hill and down hill…. not over exerting ourselves…. another potentially lethal activity on the mountain, drinking that melted snow, not putting those gloves down…. ever. Keep switched on even when your mind is being numbed by the temperatures and the lack of oxygen in the blood…. the body and brain slowly dying every step you take closer to the summit…. tell me…. why am I doing this?
All in all the marines did a magnificent job in a short space of time preparing us for the potential hazards ahead, making us all aware of the conditions that we will experience and teaching us potentially life saving actions that may very well render the making of a will prior to climbing Denali an unnecessary task.
All donations to the Firefighters Charity gratefully accepted.
Keith Townsend
