Clean Climbing

 

Spring season has started here in Kandersteg. It is time for many to put away skis and start thinking about hiking and climbing.

Climbing, be it rock, ice, or mountaineering, in particular is a activity most would not think to be Eco friendly. It has evolved to do so but still has a bit to go, which is why I wish to talk about it in light of recent events. The Nepalese government has recently ordered that each and every climber on Mount Everest “must bring back at least 8kg of garbage, apart from their own trash.“ This is a major step forward after decades of discarded oxygen bottles, packaging, clothes and in some extreme cases, bodies have littered the trail to the highest peak in the world. A failure for climbers to do this will result in major penalties from the Nepalese Government, which is not clear if that will be fines or revokes or cancelation of future climbing permits.

Many of us here at KISC are not only enthusiastic about being and playing in our serine mountain environment but also taking care our surroundings. This stems from not only a scouting principle of “leaving things better than you found it” but also from being a supportive member of the human race.

Changes have happened over the years to make climbing more Eco friendly and sustainable for climbers. In the early day of mountaineering, It was common in Europe, North America and Asia for climbers to use pitons. As pictured below, these are iron spikes or rods that one hammers into cracks and therefore secure to on their ascent.

                Pitons are damaging to the rock, by enlarging the cracks in the rock over time and are left to rust as they are not removable. While secure, climbers in the 1960s and 1970s realized there need to be a change.

 

                Pictured above are common modern methods of securement while climbing. On the left is a nut (also called a stopper or chalkstone). They are easily slipped into cracks and also (mostly) easy to remove after use. They were first used by British climbers in the 1950s and further propelled by Americans such as Yvon Chouinard in the 60s as part of clean climbing, or climbing in the least environmentally harmful way as possible.

                On the right is a cam, or Spring Loaded Camming Device. First invented in the 1930s by Russian climbers but later patented by climbers in the 1970s. They do a better job and are a lighter protection in even sized cracks than pitons ever could.  Additionally, they are removable and no damaging to the rock.

                These are all good steps in making climbing more clean but what are some of the ways KISC do to do our part? We first limit the number of guest per guide of a trip, not only to help out the guides on a climbing course, but to not put too much traffic on the rock. We do not use pitons but previously placed bolts and anchors, to set up our climbs. These are regularly check to be secure. Additionally, pre-placed bolts concentrate the impact of climbing to only a few climbs and not the whole rock. Lastly, we take good care of all our climbing equipment. Again, not only for safety reasons, but the less we have to replace and the more we can clean or repair can go a long way in making our climbing programs sustainable.

                Climbing, along with all other outdoor sports, be it skiing, rafting or mountain biking makes us better people. However it is important not the degrade the outdoors we love in exchange.  We invite all scouts to explore the hills around our little mountain chalet safely but with a little consideration to their impact along the way.

 

Tad (US)
Eco Assistant

 

Mother Natures Hairdryer

Quite recently we had a lot of warm wind coming down the mountains here in Kandersteg. Enough for writing an EcoBlog about this special wind called “Föhn” (German for hairdryer) which can turn every winter wonderland into brown sadness within a few hours.

The föhn is very common in the Alpine regions of Switzerland and Austria and is known for rapid temperature rise and therefor disappearance of snow covers. The wind originates in Italy as a warm south wind that blows over the Alps. While raising on the south side of the mountain the air cools down, but as the wind comes down on the north side it warms up again at twice the speed. On the accent the air also loses most of its humidity which leaves a dry wind on the north side.

 

Effects

The föhn is said to also have effects on humans. Physiological effects are headaches, dizziness and nausea. Many people also tend to be restless or grumpy during föhn.

The föhn is also the reason for many avalanches. On the mountain top it melts the top layer of the snow and night it freezes over and creates a really slippery ice layer. After föhn winds there is often a lot of snowfall. The fresh snow then rests on top of the ice layer which is really similar to a two layered cake with frosting in the middle. The top layer can then easily slide on the icy layer and cause big avalanches. 

At KISC there is one rule connected to Föhn:  Guests are asked not to light a fire in the fireplaces in the common rooms during föhn conditions.

The high winds of the Föhn force cold air down the chimneys which hinders the smoke to escape to the outside. The smoke then stays inside the rooms and this would set off the fire alarms in the building.

 

 

So you can see föhn winds are a big part of living in the Alps. If you have any more questions about föhn, just ask one of the pinkies. We surely can tell some fun stories connected to this strong wind. J

Agnes (AT)

STS Winter 2014

 

A New Use For Lemons, Ketchup and Vinegar

Here at KISC as many of the cleaning chemicals we use as possible are eco friendly, but could we come up with an alternative to some of our harsher chemicals? Using natural products, that can be found around the house, to clean with is both eco friendly and cheaper than buying most fancy cleaning products.

VINEGAR  

 
Uses: Multi-purpose cleaner, disinfectant, deodoriser.

Particularly good for: Bathrooms and Kitchens.

How to use it: Mix up a solution of half vinegar, half water. This can be used like a multipurpose cleaner to clean hobs, most appliances, counter tops, floors, bathtubs, toilets, sinks, soap scum and hard water stains.

Pure vinegar can be used instead of toilet cleaner to remove nasty rings around the bowl. ½ a cup of vinegar can be added to your laundry as a natural alternative to fabric softener (just add to section of machine where softener would usually be put).

Beware:  Improperly diluted or undiluted vinegar may eat away at tile grout. Do not use on marble surfaces.

Surprisingly: Doesn’t smell of vinegar after it has evaporated!

LEMONS AND LEMON JUICE

Uses:  General cleaner, stain removal, freshening hands and kitchen appliances, bleaching, polishing.

Especially good for: Bleaching.

How to use it: Use it pure to dissolve soap scum or polish and clean copper or brass. Cut a lemon in half, dip in baking soda and use it to scrub surfaces and dishes. To remove stains on plastic tubs, rub on, leave to dry in the sun then clean off. The same can be done with chopping boards. ½ a cup of lemon juice can be added to laundry for extra strain removing power! Lemon juice can be rubbed on hands after handling unpleasant smelling ingredients such as raw fish to remove the odour.  

Beware: Do not use on marble or stainless steel, it may bleach them!

Surprisingly: Half a cup of lemon juice can be mixed with a cup of olive oil to make furniture polish!

BAKING POWDER

Uses: General cleaner and deodoriser

Especially good for: Removing nasty smells.

How to use it: Baking powder can be used as a general cleaner, just sprinkle on a surface and scrub with a wet sponge. Place some of the powder in a box anywhere that needs nasty smells removing, such as the fridge, stinky shoes or the rubbish bin.  

There are lots more out there; Ketchup is good for cleaning all kinds of metal, white bread can be used to dust and is great for picking up smashed glass, coffee can be added to pot plant soil to deter insects and is a great deodoriser, rice is great for cleaning inside bottles and green tea is great for removing smells and cleaning the inside of microwaves!

Why don’t you try some of these at home? Be careful, any new product you try should be tested on a small, hidden area of the item to be cleaned, to ensure that it doesn’t damage the surface.

If you want to read more about this try this website: http://housekeeping.about.com/od/environment/a/Homemade-And-Natural-Cleaning-Products.htm

Helen (UK)

STS Winter 2014

Leave No Trace @ KISC

Greetings from snowy Kandersteg! As part of my first blog as the new ECO Assistant, I want to share about a topic very important to me from my country. In the United States, I am avid about being in and having fun in the outdoors. Over the years though, others have realized that this can cause negative impacts on the land with more and more peoples each year recreating. That is why the organization of Leave No Trace (LNT) was founded, in order to set aside principles to follow in order to encourage a proper outdoor recreational ethic. The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and LNT have a great relationship, but there is no reason why Kandersteg couldn’t also profit from the LNT Principles, since we follow them all very well anyways. What are those principles? Read ahead and find out!

1.   Plan Ahead and Prepare

·         “Be prepared” is not only the Scout motto, but also something we are very active with while running our activities.

·         Programme guides check with all crews to make sure they have all the equipment they need and that they don’t, be it a hiking, climbing or skiing!

·         Our upperhut in the Ueschental already has warm army blankets, so no need to bring weighty and wasteful sleeping bags.

 2.   Travel And Camp on Durable Surfaces

·         When hiking, we always stick to the well marked Wanderwegs and Bergwandern of the Swiss Alps.

·         Not only do we have well marked campsites (over
     60 of them!) we also have two alpine huts (Gfellalp and Ueschinenhütte) to concentrated our impact in a small area.

·         Winter allow us to travel on snow, but we still stick to the main valley for most of our activities to limit or affect on rock fall or avalanches.

                                                                                

 3. Disposal of Waste Properly

·         Mini-Recycling centres are placed on each floor of our chalets and huts to encourage all guests to recycling and think of their waste.

·         We recycle PETE bottles, paper, plastics, wood, metal, and aluminium cans at the centre, with assistance from the local recycling centre in the village.

·         Even in office, we recycle old paper in our printers, making no recycling task too big or small to do!

4.   Leave What You Find

·         Switzerland is full of flora, but we encourage guest to take pictures of the wildflowers rather than pick them.

·         The mountains are also full of old huts and some ruins. We explore these safely with the Scouts but also tell them to be careful of their impact.

·         Sometimes we must clean up what we find. Kate, our Assistant House Manager from Australia, introduced to us Pick 3. It is a program that tells recreationalists to clean up 3 pieces of litter per person while hiking, something easily incorrigible to all guests.

5.   Minimize Campfire Impacts

·         In our Campsite, we strongy support groups to bring stoves to cook meals. Additionally, fire barrels are located at our upper huts to limit scaring of soil and plant life.

·         The wood burner in the Chalet generates most of our heat in the summer and winter seasons. The wood sources comes locally from our own woods, which has been downed and dried.

·         Ashes are collected from our campfires in the summer and winter. 

6.   Respect Wildlife

·         Majestic animals like Steinbeck and local farm animals like Swiss cows can be found all around the mountainsides. We remind guest to be respectful ad keep our distance to these animals both wild and domesticated.

·        Dries, our Ground Manager from the Netherlands, has checked with local wildlife authorities with ways to encourage Red Deer further up in the mountains. Being a beekeeper at home, he also is investigating ways of encouraging insects and avian life to our end of the valley.

7.   Be Considerate of Other Visitors.

·         On and off the trail, KISC is thinking of others. While hiking, we also let other non-scouts have the right of way.

·         International friendship is one of the cornerstones of the Programme Department. Weekly campfires, International activities and workshops are just some of the ways we encourage the mixing of thoughts and cultures from Scouting the world over.

·         Lastly, we think of our favourite local village, Kandersteg. A chalet and campsite wide quiet time of 10:30 PM happens nightly, to give everyone a restful night sleep.

Leave No Trace not only introduces new concepts to explore but also reinforces already existing positive ones. I hope to encourage all my fellow staff, Scouts, and guest to recreate responsible all the while exploring the wonders of the Swiss Alps.

Interested? More info can be found at Leave No Trace’s website.
 
Tad (US)

ECO Assistant

The Kander: The River That Flows Uphill

Two years ago, we wrote about the chameleon-like river on our doorstep: the Kander. Depending on the weather in Gasteretal and what kind of rock the Kanderfirn glacier has recently ground up, the river changes from brown to blue to green to colourless.

But I have noticed another peculiar thing about the Kander, it flows uphill. Not the whole river, but certain parts of it, and only in certain places. If you have visited us you must have seen one of those places, in the river bend underneath the bridge.

Figure 1: Point bar in the Kander

The little “beach” in the picture above, called a point bar, was a lot smaller half a year ago (And it was not because of higher water levels). Over the course of the summer underwater currents in the river deposited more and more sand and gravel in the inside of the river bend.

The way this works is that because of the water flow through the bend the water pressure in the outside of the bend is higher than on the inside of the bend. This difference causes water at the bottom of the river to flow from the outside to the inside of the bend, (uphill!) as shown in the sketch.

The way this works is that because of the water flow through the bend the water pressure in the outside of the bend is higher than on the inside of the bend. This difference causes water at the bottom of the river to flow from the outside to the inside of the bend, uphill (!), as shown in the sketch.

Figure 2: Secondary flow

As the water flows uphill, it moves sand, gravel and rocks across the river, creating the point bar. You can see this for yourself when you put a lot of sugar in your tea and start stirring it: the sugar moves to the middle of the cup.

This underwater current is called the secondary flow. It’s a funny coincidence that the first to describe this process was Albert Einstein. Okay, maybe that’s not so funny, but it’s small and slow processes like this that make rivers define or even create entire landscapes with their meanders, like the Argentinian Río Negro and U.S. Colorado River pictured below.

Stay tuned for more posts about the Kander in the near future!

Dries (NL)

 

Figure 3: Rio Negro, Argentina (all the curves are routes the river took in the past, sometimes leaving a lake behind)

 

Figure 4: Colorado River, U.S. (“locked” meanders; weird colours showing different geological layers)

Dries (NL)
Grounds Manager