Emergency Response Plan – For Lift Accessed Backcountry

A simple, step-by-step guide for guides and trip leaders to respond to incidents in the field, ensuring safety, calm decision-making, and efficient coordination with base support.

Objective

Provide a clear, practical framework for responding to an incident during a Himalayan ski touring product, with the goal of:

• Protecting life and preventing further harm.
• Stabilising the situation and the group.
• Coordinating effectively with Himalayan Ski Touring base support and local rescue if needed.

Important: This emergency plan is designed as a field guide for trained guides and trip leaders. It does not replace formal medical or rescue training such as Wilderness First Responder (WFR), Outdoor Emergency Care, or ski patrol training.

Emergency Management Plan

What defines an emergency?

An incident on a Himalayan Ski Touring program should be treated as an emergency when any of the following occur:

• An unstable injury (client or guide cannot move or bear weight safely).
• Separated from a client and unable to locate them immediately.
• Loss of ability to navigate and uncertainty of current position or safe exit.
• Equipment failure that prevents safe return to the roadhead or ski resort.

Use this protocol only if:
You do not hold a current Wilderness First Responder (WFR) or equivalent professional rescue / ski patrol certification. If you do, follow your advanced protocols first and use this document as a group-management guide.

Across all scenarios, the mindset is: Prevent, Alert, Protect.

1. Unstable Injury
2. Separated from Client
3. Loss of Ability to Navigate
4. Equipment Failure and Inability to Return

1. Unstable Injury

An unstable injury is any injury where the client or guide cannot safely bear weight, move independently, or descend under their own power (e.g., suspected fracture, spinal involvement, serious soft-tissue injury, severe hypothermia).

Prevent Further Risks

• Ensure the safety of the group:
  • Stop all movement in the immediate area.
  • Assess terrain for additional hazards (avalanches, falling rocks/ice, unstable snow, crevasses, overhead exposure).
  • Move other clients to a clearly identified safe location and keep them calm and warm.
• Stabilise the situation:
  • If possible, secure the accident site to prevent further injury (e.g., move slightly off a steep slope onto a safe bench).
  • Ensure no equipment or loose items are sliding around or worsening the situation.

Example action: plant crossed skis or poles uphill of the incident in an “X” to signal an accident and warn others approaching from above. Move the rest of the group to a safe island of safety and assign one calm participant to keep them together.

Alert Base and Rescue Services

Communication priority: As soon as the scene is safe and the injured person is protected from immediate danger, notify Himalayan Ski Touring base / designated contact.

• Communicate the incident:
  • Use your phone, radio, or satellite device to contact base support.
  • Provide clear, concise information:
    • Location: GPS coordinates if possible; otherwise aspect, elevation, and nearest known feature. (Can be sent via WhatsApp or SMS if network allows.)
    • Nature of injury: e.g. “suspected broken tibia”, “possible spinal injury”, “severe hypothermia, shivering, confused”, “unconscious, breathing”.
    • Number of people involved: injured person plus group size.
    • Immediate needs: evacuation, additional medical support, extra equipment.
• Coordinate support:
  • Assign a specific role to a trusted client if helpful (e.g. “You watch the rest of the group and keep them together”, “You help me manage clothing and gear”).

Example script (phone / radio):
“This is [Guide Name] with Himalayan Ski Touring. We have an injured client on the north-facing slope at approximately 3,800 m, above [landmark]. Suspected broken tibia, conscious and breathing. Three other clients are safe and sheltered. We need assistance with evacuation. Over.”

Protect the Injured Client from Cold and Deterioration

• Provide immediate warmth:
  • Use an emergency blanket, extra layers, sleeping bag, or both.
  • Shield the person from wind, snow, and precipitation using a tarp, bivy, or skis and packs as a wind wall.
• Monitor and reassure:
  • Check regularly for signs of hypothermia or shock (shivering, confusion, pale or cold skin, rapid breathing, altered behaviour).
  • Speak calmly; explain what is happening and what the plan is.
• Prevent further heat loss:
  • Insulate the injured person from the ground using backpacks, spare clothing, foam pads, or skis.
  • Encourage other clients to contribute spare layers in a controlled, organised way.

Example action: Wrap the client in an emergency blanket and then in extra down or synthetic layers. Place a backpack, rope bag, or spare jacket under them to insulate from the snow. Keep talking to them, watching for changes in consciousness or breathing.

Final Steps – After Evacuation / Resolution

• Once rescue or evacuation support arrives, give a concise handover: mechanism of injury, time of incident, first aid given, changes observed.
• Ensure the rest of the group remains safe, warm, and informed. Decide whether to continue or terminate the tour based on conditions and group wellbeing.
• After the day, complete the internal Himalayan Ski Touring Incident / Accident Report.
• Debrief with backcountry / operations manager to review actions taken and any lessons learned.

2. Separated from Client

Before the Activity

• Ensure the group knows:
  • The planned direction of travel and terrain features.
  • Key landmarks, regroup points, and emergency meeting points.
  • What to do if visibility drops or if they lose sight of the guide.
• Give clear, simple instructions:
  • “If you lose sight of me, stop where you are or ski to the last clear regroup point and wait.”
  • “Do not ski all the way to the road / valley alone unless this has been specifically agreed beforehand.”

Steps to Follow if a Client is Missing

1. Alert Base Commander / Operations:
   • Notify base immediately that a client is missing.
   • Provide:
     • Last known location and time last seen.
     • Description of the client (clothing colours, helmet, pack, skis/board).
     • Any relevant context (fatigue, difficulty on previous runs, unusual behaviour).
2. Return to the last regroup / starting point:
   • The guide should ascend or traverse to the point where the last descent or major regroup occurred.
   • Look for tracks, signs, or other indicators of the client’s direction of travel.
3. Ensure group safety:
   • Keep remaining clients in a safe, clearly defined location while the search is organised.
   • Do not allow clients to spread out randomly searching unless conditions allow and a clear plan is in place.

Example action: Before starting the run, you brief the line and regroup points. If someone becomes separated, you immediately inform base, then return to the last regroup spot, following their likely fall line. The rest of the group waits at a safe, sheltered location until the client is found or further instructions come from base.

Final Steps – After the Client is Found

• Confirm with base that the client has been located and that everyone is safe.
• Assess whether the client is fit to continue or whether they should descend by an easier route or vehicle.
• Debrief briefly with the group, reinforcing communication and regroup protocols.
• Later, debrief with backcountry / operations manager and record the incident.

3. Loss of Ability to Navigate

Before the Activity

• Ensure all clients understand:
  • The general route plan and boundaries.
  • Key landmarks (ridges, valleys, forest edges, pylons, huts, roads).
  • Emergency meeting points and “if all else fails, go here” locations.
• Give basic instructions on how to use:
  • Map and compass (if carried).
  • GPS device or navigation app, if appropriate for the group.

Steps to Follow if Navigation Is Lost

1. Assess the situation:
   • Stop moving to prevent further disorientation and additional risk exposure.
   • Take a minute to observe: visibility, slope angle, terrain traps, wind direction, tracks.
   • Identify any visible landmarks or features that might help reorient you.
2. Alert base command:
   • Notify Himalayan Ski Touring base / operations that you are uncertain of your precise location.
   • Provide your last known reliable position, approximate direction of travel since then, and current observations.
3. Backtrack safely if appropriate:
   • If conditions and avalanche hazard allow, carefully retrace your steps to the last known point on the route.
   • Use available tools (map, compass, GPS app) to confirm position and identify safe terrain.
4. Ensure group safety:
   • Keep the group together and calm.
   • Avoid splitting up unless there is a clear, low-risk reason and base is informed.
   • Prioritise safe terrain over “making progress” – avoid terrain traps and avalanche slopes.

Example action: Visibility drops and you lose the main skintrack. You stop the group on a low-angle bench, take a bearing to known terrain, and check your GPS. You call base with your last known altitude and aspect, then either backtrack to the known location or wait for a clearer navigation option while keeping everyone warm and together.

Final Steps

• Once back on a known route or evacuated, inform base that navigation is re-established.
• Debrief with clients about what happened and reinforce simple navigation habits for future days.
• Record the incident and discuss with operations to refine route plans and decision points.

4. Equipment Failure and Inability to Return

Equipment failure becomes an emergency when it prevents a client or guide from safely returning to the roadhead, lodge, or ski resort under their own power, especially in cold, remote or avalanche-exposed terrain.

Assess the Situation

• Identify the type and severity of failure:
  • Broken ski, damaged binding, failed skin, lost pole, boot malfunction, etc.
• Evaluate whether a temporary field repair is possible using:
  • Duct tape, straps, cordelette, cable ties, spare screws, Voilé strap, etc.

Steps to Take

1. Ensure the safety of the client:
   • Move them to a secure, flat location away from overhead hazards and avalanche terrain.
   • Protect from wind and cold while you assess repair / extraction options.
2. Notify base commander / operations:
   • Report the issue, your current location, and group status.
   • Explain whether a partial repair is working or whether assistance / snowmobile / vehicle pick-up may be required.
3. Plan for extraction:
   • If safe, improvise a solution:
     • Side-slipping or snow-ploughing on one ski.
     • Short-rope or tow with another skier on very low-angle terrain.
     • Converting to foot travel if terrain and snow allow.
   • If extraction is not safely possible on skis:
     • Set up a safe, warm waiting area.
     • Stay with the affected person until help arrives or a safe walking route is confirmed.

Prevent Group Risk

• Keep the rest of the group in a safe holding zone, away from avalanche exposure and terrain traps.
• Ensure everyone stays warm, hydrated, and calm while the extraction plan is executed.
• Avoid unnecessary movement that creates extra risk or complexity.

Example action: A client’s binding fails in remote terrain. You move the group onto a mellow ridge, attempt a temporary repair with straps, and call base with your coordinates. When the repair proves unreliable, you establish a sheltered waiting area and arrange a supported exit rather than forcing a risky descent.

Final Steps

• Once everyone is back at the lodge / resort, debrief with operations and decide if any equipment should be retired or serviced.
• Record the failure in your gear log to spot patterns with specific products, models, or conditions.
• Update pre-trip briefings to emphasise personal equipment checks and backup options.

Post-Incident Review and Learning

Every emergency, near-miss, or confusing situation is an opportunity to improve. As part of Himalayan Ski Touring’s safety culture:

• Complete a short written incident / near-miss report after each event.
• Discuss what went well, what could be improved, and any equipment or training gaps.
• Share key learnings with other guides and trip leaders so the entire program evolves together.