SILT HAPPENS

05- 1 1- 1- 05 Overdue Hiker Klondike Bluffs
Overdue hiker. Cell phone. 911. Paged out. Hiker found a few minutes later. 10-22d. 1:30 am.

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OPERATIONS NOTES:
* The new snowmobiles, and operations using them, require a lot of care.

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Rock Rescue--- Arches NP Mark Pita, et. al.
A mid-winter rock rescue day with Mark Pita, Jeff Webb, Jason Ramsdell and Andrew Fitzgerald.
Out in the Petrified Dunes of Arches NP. Mostly overcast but not cold. The scenario: Black George
fell into a canyon, broke his leg and is getting cold. So we rigged up to fix him and get him out.
Black George said, "Smoothest ride ever." White George said "Mellowest edge management ever."
GCSAR: Jim Gostlin, Bego, John Marshall, TBerry, Margy Baker, Matt Bedford
NPS: Andrew Fitzgerald, Mark Pita, Jeff Webb, Jason Ramsdell, Bahia Mar, Craig Hauke
State Parks: Jeff Arbon
--> Film Crew: Chris Canon, Bruce Hucko and Lori Collins(sound engineer) filmed and recorded
sound for the whole exercise. Profiling 7 of the Health Care Network: SAR,
EMS, Fire, Tip, CERT, Hospital ER / CareFlight and Health Dept. Put together by Bruce
Hucko and the Voices of Youth High School Class he mentors. "Sound Partners for
Community Health" is underwritten by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the
Benton Foundation. The class will produce Extreme Safety video and sound track
narratives for PSAs, school classes, community classes and onward.

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05- 2 1- 3- 05 Overdue Biker Flat Pass
For the third time, this fellow tried to bike the Flat Pass trail. His other two attempts
failed for a variety of reasons. This attempt also. He started after 4pm. Not good. He failed to
see the sign posts that showed him the way out. Also not good. Awhile later it was dark. Weather
threatened.
We were paged at 23:45 hours and it was raining in town. We sent Sam, Mike and Barbara in the
north end in the hi-lift Bronco. Matt, Margy and Bego took 2 Polaris Rangers in from Ken's Lake.
Dave stationed at the north end for communications relay.
Everyone saw his tracks and Sam's crew found him sometime after 0400 at UTM 0633764 x 4267822.
Off the main Steelbender Trail, down a dead end dirt track.
Responders: Sam, Mike, Barbara, Dave, Matt, Margy, Bego

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Winter Rescue Team 1- 8- 05
And a bunch of folks went to Geyser Pass for a class with Forecasters Evan and Max. Hours of
beacon drills in the meadow just above the parking lot. Probing for items hidden in the snow. Then
a drill, complete with buried Max and a probe line. Much discussion on the order of things in the
rescue scene, what to look out for and the necessity for finding avalanche subjects fast.
Responders: TBerry, Jim, Matt, Bego &
15 other folks including Bill Foreman NPS, Paul Frank and AnneClare, Don Oblak.........

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"Americans prefer to be deceived rather than face the hard choices of doing something about budget
deficits..." R. Samuelson

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05- 3 1- 14- 05 Summit County Requests Trained Avalanche Searchers
At 1:30 pm on Friday a large avalanche occurred near The Canyons ski resort. This slide
happened just "out of bounds" and caught a number of skiers and snowboarders. They all had to go
around a sign that said, "Out of Bounds. You could die. This is your choice." How many?? By the
10 pm news that night, the Sheriff said "multiple."
Summit County contacted Grand County to see if any trained avalanche searchers could go to Park
City to help out starting Saturday morning at 7 am. Bego called 17 members of the Winter Rescue
Team and GCSAR. Tuff to find people home Friday night at 7 to 8 pm.
Saturday TBerry was going to ski the day at Snowbird. Instead, he called Summit County
dispatch who said for him to come on over to help at the avalanche. There were over 170 volunteers
Sat morning. TBerry did his 4 hour shift. His report to us said alot about how ICS was and wasn't
working in this event.
One victim was recovered Sunday afternoon in 4 feet of snow. He was a member of his local SAR
group and the Fire Dept and had recently taken some avalanche training. Friends described him as
one who would not do anything dangerous.
Responders: TBerry in Park City, Bego in Moab

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Training 1- 27- 05
By Frank: Training will start out with debrief of Canyons avalanche by T-Berry. Then we'll get
into how SAR will work with the Winter Team...review how an incident will work...call-out, hasty
response, SAR responsibilities, command center and post, snowmobiles and where we might go on them,
patient pick-up areas. Then I'd like to do a short slide show of specific avalanche prone areas in
the LaSals. Talk about route finding. Then T-Berry will do a probe line talk...we may work a bit with
beacons, at least to expose members to them and how they work. The goal of the training is to
familiarize members with winter rescue team operations and how we will fit into them...or how the
winter team's ops will mesh with SAR's...as well as more on safe winter travel and survival.

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Level 1 Avalanche Course --> La Sal Avalanche Forecast Center
Responders: Jim, Matt and 14 others, some from upstate and Mt Pleasant.

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05- 4 1- 29- 05 Injured Skier North Woods La Sal Mtns
A Well Crafted Self Rescue and A Good Exercise for the Winter Rescue Teams
Years of talk and planing and training came together in a perfect test run.
The La Sal Avalanche Forecast Center's Level One Course with 15 folks were up
in the North Woods when one of the participants wrenched her knee badly. So Max the
Forecaster made a satellite phone call to his base and GCSAR member Jim Gostlin radioed Dispatch.
The page went out : injured skier in the North Woods. Bego was already at the Geyser Pass
Trailhead talking to 6 members of the Winter Rescue Team who were having Tea after their day of
skiing. Rex started up the mountain. Dave went to the shed to get the hypo kits and rescue sleds
ready. Jeff put the stuff in his pickup truck. Sam hopped in the Bronco. TBerry went to the EOC
building to get the snowmobiles. Everyone was out of town in 20 minutes. Dave stayed in town to
cover any subsequent callouts.
Up in the North Woods, the group prepared to self rescue. They made a sled for the subject
from a snowboard. She simply sat down on it, they splinted her knee and made a sort of chest
harness so she could lean back. Two skiers ahead and one behind with webbing harnesses. Slick.
GCSAR unloaded the new snowmobiles. Rex got on one and Jeff on the other towing TBerry with
the Cascade Toboggan. We left the parking lot just one hour twenty minutes after the page.
In less than 5 minutes everyone met. Back to the parking lot in a beautiful orange sunset.
Responders: GCSAR- Dave, Bego, Sam, Rex, Jeff, TBerry, Jim
WRT- Mark Sevenoff, Eric Trenbeth, Craig Bigler, Craig Tuttle, David Svendsen
Evan, Max and the Level 1 Avalanche Class

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05- XX 1- 30- 05 Unpaged Injured Dog Pinto Glades LaSal Mtns
A dog and a snow boarder collided and the dog's leg got cut. Jim Moab Vet 1 T 821 was right there
to administer first aid. The dog was transported out on the shoulders of various skiers.
Responders: The Level One Avalanche Class

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05- 5 2- 1- 05 Two guys in a pickup truck are overdue Canyonlands NP
They left home 7 am on Monday "for a drive"and had to be back before 4 pm.
Had beer and smokes.
Vanished.
By the next morning, alot of agencies and people knew to look out for a
red Ford truck with Texas plates.
Near the end of lunch, everyone got together to listen to the family
describe the men and their habits and brainstorm what to do. They were not in Vegas, or even
Junction, we were told. They were out sight-seeing on one of the easy, graded gravel roads.
GCSAR was paged. The DPS helicopter in SLC was paged. 1 T 6 went to the airport to fly with
LaVar at Redtail. GCSAR sent a bunch of people out driving around the easy gravel roads" that we
were told they would be on. The primary search area was north of the River to the Blue Hills Road
and west of US 191 to the ends of graded roads. The River corridor (Hwy 128) was weighted heavily
too. For a while, no clues appeared.
Craig Hauke, who was flying a CAP airplane for proficiency hours, said he saw a red truck on
Murphy Hogback. That seemed quite outside the primary search area but......... At the same time,
Sam was on the White Rim Road following a likely set of tire tracks. Hmm
I cell phoned the DPS pilot Terry Mercer who was just passing over Green River. I gave him
the coordinates for Murphy Hogback and asked him to check it out on his way in to Moab.
Our two men were blinking their truck head lights as the helo approached. Terry picked them up
and landed at the Emergency Operations Building in Moab just after dark.
Two guys in a pick up truck out for a short day's drive went past Potash, past the ponds, past
Fossil Point and onward. Their fateful decision happened when they came up to the White Rim Road at
the bottom of the Shafer Trail. To the right, Road Closed. To the left, a sign that said "Moab
105." They interpreted it to be "Ten Point Five" miles. And off they went. When the low fuel
light came on 38 miles later they stopped.
They spent Monday night in the truck, down off the Hogback. They had extra Carharts with them
and the truck heater. On Tuesday, they drove up to the top of the Hogback so rescuers could see
them better altho they thot it would be 2 days before they saw anyone. And they ran out of gas.
Meanwhile, all the GCSAR people driving around out there made their way home. Even 814.
One interesting note is that Steve White was.......... well, never mind.
Responders: Bego, Frank, Sam, John, James, Mike, Dan
And, really, many people thruout the day.

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Career Day at the High School
John Marshall and Bego spoke to a few folks about Emergency Services and stuff.

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Snowmobile Training by Tony White and Lee Sjoblom from Utah State Parks
Couple of hours of laws and guidelines in the classroom, a bit of looking at the machines at the
shed and hours of snowmobiling up at Geyser Pass. We did all the body positions, slaloms, 8's and
miles back and forth to the Gold Basin turnoff. Towed our pull-sleds, did a beacon drill and a snow
pit. The snowpack was crusty so it was easy to drive about anywhere.
Responders: Frank, Sam, TBerry, Bego, Dave, Barbara, Dan, Jim, Margy, Jon

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Before Lake Powell starts filling again, look up some pictures of it low. Cool.

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05- 6 2- 5- 05 Stranded Hikers Fisher Towers
We were at the shed, putting away the snowmobile stuff when dispatch called for me to come over
and talk to a 911 person who said there were stranded hikers at Fisher Towers. The connection was
bad so we paged GCSAR right off. I called Frank to see if he could speed right over there to talk
to the RP to get a location before it got dark.
Frank got the scoop and it didn't sound easy. We had to hike up very narrow, steep, loose
ridge of talus to way above them, traverse over unknown ledges and come down to the subjects-- in
the dark. The subjects had a light so we knew where they were and later they lit a fire to stay
warm.
We had requested dispatch call the Fire Dept OIC to request they bring out their light plant.
It arrived on scene about this time. All of a sudden there was some definition in the hillside,
about like a quarter moon. It was completely better than pitch black. Thank you big.
Frank and Margy were tracking the subjects up ever steeper terrain to the point where they were
stopped due to danger. At the same time Bego took a lower ledge over to the gully we had to cross.
The first part of traversing out of the gully was steep and loose, then the terrain mellowed a bit.
We got above the subjects. They had slithered down some steep ledges.
Andrea and I hiked the same route the next day about 10 am. Yup, steep and loose. Plenty of
places to fall off. The subjects crossed the gully 100 feet above where I did and those are the
only two places one can GET across that gully. The ledge they traversed was but 50 feet above the
one I traversed.
Turns out that Jim and Frank went to Fisher Towers Sunday also.
Responders: Rex, Bego, Frank, John, Jim, Jon, Paula, Mike, Sam, Margy, Dave, Barbara
Kurt and Kendall from Moab Fire Dept with the lights
Andrew and Mark from RISKY
EMTs Mark and Kris
And the two hikers who helped us get going up the right trail when we arrived.

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Winter Rescue Team meeting
Winter response parameters and choices, routes to pick up points, helicopter operations.
It was pointed out that the Winter Rescue Team was born in January of 1992.

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GCSAR Training: Incident Command System

Frank: I want to cover what is in the NASAR standards for SAR Tech II.
1st part of meeting: Cover the nuts and bolts of ICS, including organization and structure,
job descriptions, forms, etc.
After break: Hypothetical incident involving 2 good ol' boys in a red pickup truck with Texas
plates who went driving somewhere (probably) in Grand County and have been missing for 24 hours.
Starts out small, as Tuesday's incident did...and grows as we find their abandoned truck...possibly
inside Canyonlands National Park...with 3 sets of footprints leading away from the vehicle. The
footprints split...one set enters the river...and so on. The 3rd set of prints might be either a
young lady or a gunman who kidnapped the two good 'ol boys...either of which could lead to several
scenarios with different development of the ICS structure...and make the exercise a little more
entertaining. We'll let members develop the ICS organization and describe duties of various
personnel as they enter the operation.using knowledge they gained in the first half of the meeting.
We also need to make sure they understand how the structure is implemented as soon as the incident
is paged...and how it changes as more parts are added and the span of control limit is reached for
certain people. We'll follow it through to demobilization.

If time permits, there may be a short written test and review of the
test.

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----------> Hunter Thompson- 1937-2005

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05- 7 2- 10- 05 3 yr old escapee from Grandma Desert Road
This little guy took off, probably just curious. Grandma noticed his absence almost
immediately and called 911. As usual, several people responded before GCSAR and MFD were paged.
Nancy was called for her search dog.
Wyler 2 T 4 found him wandering up Spanish Trail Road toward the Shell gas station after just a
few minutes.
Responders: Rex, Frank, Bego, Nancy, Mike, TBerry

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Snowmobile Training- TBerry, Jim, Bego and Paul Frank in fairly bottomless snow. How different
from the hardpack of last weekend. Much more driver active. Yikes. It was raining at the parking
lot. Double yikes.
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Steve White: Wake up, Show up, Speak up. And...... throwing the tea in the Boston harbor in 1773
was in protest to the government giving the East India Tea Co a complete monopoly. This was an
early version of Wall Mart coming in, wiping out all the small local
businesses with a monopoly. And........ the pilot is always right.

Check out: www.killology.com especially the Stanford Study of Children, Media and Violence.

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THE HIGHLINE
Mark Pita does it again. A superb outing.
Starting out in a light drizzle, Mark talked thru the day's plan and rigging. Then we went to
it and the drizzle stopped.
The basic Highline was rigged in an hour and a half. We put a dynamometer on the far side of
the track line to keep tabs on the forces. We used 2 7/16" ropes for the track line, tensioned
by a pulley system that pulls both ropes equally at the same time. We erected an AZ Vortex on the
north side but the south side didn't need one. The carriage was put on and the tag lines attached.
Several folks went for a ride. TBerry generated the highest number on the dyno.
Then we put a "reeve" into the system so that the rescuer could be sent out to midspan and then
lowered to the ground. And several more folks went for a ride. Fab.
Responders: NPS: Mark, Jason, Jeff, Alyssa, Andrew, Glenn, TBerry, Lloyd, Black George
GCSAR: Margy, Bego
San Juan- south group: Kelly Bradford, Kim Smith and Lloyd Nielson

SEE: www.gcpba.org/community/gallery/photo12.php3 (and photo 13)

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SEARCH PROBABILITY THEORY

POA- Probability of Area- the chances that a subject or clues are IN the search area.
POD- Probability of Detection- the chances of finding the subject or clues in the search area.
POS- Probability of Success- the chances of being successful with a search in a given area.
Such that: POS = POA x POD

-Used as a planning tool by the search manager to distribute resources, decide when to
search or research an area and to increase or decrease the search area segment, decide when to
suspend ops, explain actions to family and media, mitigate legislation.
POD- Important to the field searcher also cuz it can be both estimated and affected by what goes
on in the field. Average POD's for grid (line) search:

20' spacing = 90% 60' spacing = 70% 100' spacing = 50%

-POD increases when area is searched multiple times. Rarely should an area be searched
only once. Repeated sweeps of the same area with wide spacing will be more efficient than
a single sweep with close spacing.
Field input for POD- Field teams have an easy way to convey POD estimate to management:

"If there were 10 clues of varying size in the area you were assigned to
search, how many would you have found??"

This takes into account terrain, vegetation, spacing, searcher consciousness, fatigue,
visibility and more.

-Field team POD estimation also influenced by Research, Training and History of the area.
When a team goes into the field, they should have an idea of the POD
expected of them. This will indicate how thorough and how long to search their segment.

Search Management- The crucials:
1) Search is an emergency- The subject may need medical care, time and weather destroy
clues and subjects, a fast response can minimize travel time and area by the subject.
2) Search is a classic mystery- Sherlock says, "The clues are always here."
3) Search for clues, not subjects- There are many more clues than subjects.
4) Concentrate on the aspects important to success and under your control-
Simply accomplish your assigned task, don't over think or second guess management.
5) Know if the subject leaves the search area- Duh. Unless the subject is confined early,
search difficulty increases rapidly.
6) Grid Search as a last resort- It is more time, money, labor and management intensive.

A searcher must be able to recognize when limits have been reached, whether they be physical, mental
or both. Quitting or changing one's involvement in the search is much preferred to continuing in a
useless mode. Attention to detail is important and just looking isn't always enuff when you want to
see. Searching requires a positive attitude. Lack of clues is as good as a pile of clues- they
both have meaning. Dig it.

SEARCH TACTICS
The techniques employed to find the subject. Applied by the search manager starting at first
notice, concurrent with establishing POA. Tactics usually follow a definite progression.

Time -------------> .Type III search....
.Type II search .......... .suspension
.Type I search .................. or .debrief
.Preplan .Confinement / Attraction ...... . evac / rescue
.Planning ------------------------------------------>

I. Passive
A. Fact Finding- by the search managers, any info to help focus the search. The Lost
Person Questionnaire is used here.
B. Attraction- noise, m lights, smoke, aircraft- to make the mobile subject travel to you.
C. Confinement-surround the subject to minimize the size of the search area.
II. Active
A. Type I search- the Hasty team. Fast initial response by well trained, self sufficient
searchers to check areas most likely to produce clues or subject soonest. Speed is it.
An immediate show of effort. Can help define the search area. Clue consciousness is
critical, must be track and sign aware. Usually 3-6 searchers, dogs, aircraft.
B. Type II search- the Efficient team. Relatively fast but more efficient. Rapid search of a
large area. Usually follows a hasty team that found clues. Open grid, wide spacing.
` Usually a 3 person team with center person guiding by compass or landmark.
C. Type III search- the thorough search. Slow, highly systematic to provide highest POD.
This type of searching is extremely destructive of clues. Last resort. Closed grid

Guidelines for Field Searchers- Safety of the searcher first.
1) Stay alert, good attitude. It is hard work, fatiguing, often boring. It is a meditation.
2) Use all of your senses including your head. Have the proper equipment to stay well.
3) Look behind you often. Always check the obvious. Check "attraction" sites.
4) Mix silence with noise attraction as you travel.
5) At night, keep lights pointed at ground. The use of really bright lights is discouraged.
6) Talk to anyone you see while searching except the media and family. Refer them to IC.
7) Search for clues, not just the subject. There are many more clues.

PERIMETER CUT VS HASTY SEARCH
-Search primarily for tracks -Search primarily for subject
-Cut at right angles to route of travel -Follow route of travel
-Weave around to pick best tracking ground -Take path of least resistance
-Make continuous cut around area -Check specific locations and routes
-Concentrate on ground at your feet -Look all around

SEARCH TRAINING OUTLINE
Colin Smith, ISKY Ranger

Sherlock says: "The clues are ALWAYS here."

1. Overview
A. Search is an Emergency- Time of exposure of subject and clues, status
of subject both mental and physical, parents, press...
B. Be ready to go w/ 24 hour Ready Pack tuned for the area involved, season. Binoculars.
C. Have paperwork for each operational shift.
2. SAR Types / Tactics
A. Clue Consciousness- finding, marking, not erasing, recording location on map or GPS.
1. Not just looking for subject, the subject is a clue generator.
2. Lots of Clues. 3 types: Associated w/ subject, not associated , don't know.
a. tracks, gear, trash, campsites, sleeping spots, fires, noise, etc
b. contact w/ other people, or not
B. Types of Searches-
1. Air Search- effectiveness proportional to ground cover or is subject under a cover.
2. Ground Search- Be Clue Conscious.
a. Hasty Search = Type I Efficient= POD of 50%, well trained team,
fast initial response, walk obvious lines, voice
calls, attractions, follow logical geography.
b. Efficient Search = Type II Used when POD higher or lots of ground cover,
line spacing determinations, teams of 6, edge person marks edge
of pattern.
c. Thorough Search = Type III Line search, POD above 90%, clue destructive.
d. Dog Teams- Temp dependent, need good scent article for trailing dogs.
3. Administrative / Investigative
a. Permit searches
b. Interviews- Get to "know" subject but subject could do otherwise
C. Tactics- Success = POA x POD
1. Confinement- early in the game, be at all "exits," use track traps and trail blocks.
2. Probability of Area (POA)- The chances the subject is IN your search area.
3. Probability of Detection (POD)- Increases when area searched multiple times.
If there are 10 clues of varying size in your area, how many would you find?
4. Direction of Travel (DOT)
D. Team Mechanics- attitude, attitude, attitude
1. Check in with "recorder" at the Command
2. Team Leaders- map, compass, GPS, status from previous operational period
3. Assignments- not a free for all, do your area well, look behind you often
4. Debriefing- have you recorded everything

<-- search is a meditation -->

SEARCH THEORY, STRATEGY, TACTICS
by Gary Haynes, Arches NP ranger

Lost Subject- location, behavior and survivability.

Location-
Point Last Seen (PLS)- Positively. Could be subject's house, car, rental desk, picnic table, etc.
Can shift as eye witnesses positively ID the subject.
Last Known Point (LKP)- Can differ from PLS cuz of some evidence or clue of passage.
Initial Planning Point (IPP)- Search Management team says the search begins HERE.

Categories of People median dist traveled
50% found closer
user samples 50% found farther range 50% zone
hunters 100 1.52 miles .14 - 12 .98 - 2.38
fishheads 25 .89 .31 - 11 .59 - 2.17
hikers 241 .63 .37 - 14 .59 - 2.88
misc Adults (?) 261 .27
youth (13-16) 201 .12
child 81 .30
despondent 16 .64
walkaways 22 .62

SEARCH THEORY - Layer these methods and think about it.
Theoretical- How far could the subject travel in the time elapsed? 2 circles around PLS, min & max.
Statistical- Has to do with category of person- see above.
Subjective- What do the search managers FEEL? Terrain, time, weather, previous history in area.....

SEARCH STRATEGY- POA x POD = POS Layer these methods and think about it.
Probability of Area (POA)- Likelihood (%) that subject IS in a given area
Regions- divisions of search area that have same likelihood of containing subject
Mattson method-each region has a % value with total of 100%.
OConnor method- each region has a value of most likely, more likely, even, less likely, not.
Modified Mattson- choose region most likely, other regions have % based off first region.
No method- the most common management technique in USA.
Probability of Detection (POD)- likelihood (%) that a team will find the subject.
-size of search area, terrain, weather, ground cover, skills, time allotted, quality of briefing......
Probability of Success (POS)- If you look well in high % area with high % of certainty = success.

TACTICS- initial attack uses confinement, attraction and hasty searchers.
Passive- self rescue where the subject finds the searchers.
containment- trail blocks, track traps, road patrols, leave note on subject's vehicle.....
attraction- fire / smoke, noises of all kinds, lights........
investigation- on going thruout, interviews, background checks (may not want to be found).
remote sensing- GPS, satellites, side scan radar, night vision
Active-
Tracking- takes alot of training by individual and team, very effective in this area.
Dogs- very effective in most conditions, desert heat is challenging.
Aircraft- good for attraction and in logistics, about 30 % effective in desert by one study.
Hasty search (Type 1)- cut for sign, hike trails, drive roads, check attractive hazards...
Open Grid (efficient Type 2)- critical separation depends on what you are looking for: a gum
wrapper in dense brush or a body on the slickrock.....
Closed Grid (thorough Type 3)- looking for evidence, unresponsive subject, avalanche.
Used as last resort cuz uses many people for small area but nearly 100% POD
VSP= Very Smart People. APD= Awesome Powers of Deduction. DOB=Designated Officer to Blame

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John Grunsfeld, Climber / Astronaut interviewed by David Roberts, Climber

Can you compare mountaineering expeditions to shuttle flights?

Going into space is very much like a mountaineering expedition. You have to pack everything up
and take it with you. Of course, you have a "cell phone." You can talk to the ground for help. But
they can't send up spare parts very easily. In addition to self-sufficiency, there are other
similarities with expedition behavior: You have to be a good leader or a good follower. You have
to be tolerant. And tolerance for adversity is a big part.

Also, wearing a space suit is like being in all of your winter gear. You have big gloves and
you're trying to do fine motor-skill work, especially repairing the Hubble. I was having to work
with connectors-little half-centimeter connectors-and you just have to learn how to handle them
with these bulky gloves. The difference from climbing is that you can't put the glove in your teeth,
pull it off, do the task, and put your hand back in the glove. You need that pressure system to stay alive.

Compared with big mountains, the vacuum of space is a much more hostile environment. If you tear
your suit more than about a centimeter, it's not going to be able to keep up. You're going to die.
It's 11 to 13 layers of coated Gore-Tex. It's inflated. It's a balloon. Inside there's a nice comfy 4.3
pounds per square inch (about two kilograms per square meter) of pure oxygen, and outside there's nothing.

So how does an astronaut-turned-roboticist find time to lead a climbing expedition?

It's funny. I asked the Chief of the Astronaut Office for a month off to go to Denali, and he
suddenly pegged me as somebody who's nuts. I thought, I ride on the space shuttle and you think
going to Denali is nuts?

The way it works when you're an astronaut is that, essentially, a year before a flight, you're
prohibited from doing anything that would be considered dangerous. There's actually a standard list
of things-competitive air racing, downhill skiing, and the like-but mountaineering is not on the list.
However, there's a last paragraph that says you shouldn't do anything else that you could get injured
doing, which would prevent you from recovering in time to fly.