Ski accidents are difficult to deal with because of the cold, the delay in reaching a doctor, and the ne­cessity for transporting the injured over snow. Fortu­nately, these difficulties can be overcome by the trained ski mountaineer. When the extent of an injury has been determined, shock treated, and any necessary splints placed, then—and only then—the patient is ready for transportation.

Do not underestimate the physical effort required to transport an injured person, no matter what type of res­cue sled is used. It is better to make camp and send for help than to start transporting an injured man without adequate manpower. Rescuers and rescued may all be overtaken by fatigue, night, and cold.

The ready-made toboggan.—An eight-foot, flat, wooden, ready-made toboggan is by far the best method of trans­portation for the injured. Before starting any long haul of an injured man, the party should consider skiing out to get such a toboggan, with a crew of several skiers to handle it.

A sled with runners is drier and warmer than a flat toboggan, but is too high for stability on difficult ter­rain and is of no use in soft snow. Metal toboggans are too cold unless covered. A rigid toboggan should never be used as a splint for a broken pelvis, back, or neck. Such an injury must be splinted with skis (see p. 151).

A rigid toboggan is best for transportation even when sep­arate splints are used, but, because the splints are then independent of the bending of the toboggan, its rigidity is not essential. Severe injuries should, therefore, be transported on a rigid toboggan if possible, but the flex­ible type is usually quite satisfactory and is much easier to pull over rough terrain. If a long trip must be made over rough ground, guard rails may be constructed by tying the skis of the patient on edge along the toboggan sides.

If an air mattress is available it will add comfort to the toboggan. It should not be inflated too much. Sweaters should be placed on the toboggan before the victim is lifted on so that they will be under as well as over him. In long hauls the injured man should be put in a sleep­ing bag. Narrow down bags are best and may be put on over splints if first turned inside out and then drawn up over the body from the feet. A wind- and snowproof cover, such as a tent, may be put on last if necessary. The injured man should be tied to the toboggan to save him muscular effort and anxiety and to hold wraps in place, unless the trip is to be short and along the level. The importance of keeping him warm cannot be overem­phasized.

The victim should usually be carried in a reclining po­sition, unless the injury is slight. Ordinarily he will wish to have his feet at the front of the toboggan so he can see where he is going. If a leg has been broken, care must be taken that it does not press against the upturned end of the toboggan. If shock is severe, the victim should be placed so that his head will be downhill. Injured limbs must be well supported and must not be subjected to strain from cords used to tie the man to the toboggan, from pulling ropes, or from the weight of heavy cover­ing.

At least eight good skiers are needed to handle the to­boggan properly unless the snow is hard and the distance short. In the interests of efficiency, one of them should be designated as leader of the group. Ropes for pulling should be tied to all four corners and an additional line may be rigged to the middle of the front of the toboggan. The corner lines must not be longer than necessary or they will render wood-running very difficult. At least one man should be stationed behind the toboggan as brake and rudder. If the snow is not deep, those doing the pull­ing should tie their skis to the toboggan and walk on the snow. This is particularly important for the men in the rear. If it is necessary to wear skis, rope or cord may be tied around them to prevent sliding. Plush skins will help.

In crossing roads, rocks, or steep slopes the toboggan may be lifted as a stretcher, six men carrying it so that a slip by one will not be disastrous. Bandannas tied around the shoes may increase traction on icy slopes.

The victim of an accident will thank his rescuers for using the greatest care in pulling the toboggan. They should work smoothly, and unless it is very cold or darkness is coming on there is no need to rush. They should pick their course carefully to avoid bumps, steep slopes, and traverses. They should avoid jerking and should never go fast. Everything that can be done to make the victim comfortable and warm will reduce pain, anxiety, and shock.

Four-ski improvised toboggan.—If a ready-made to­boggan is not available, the improvised four-ski tobog­gan is best. Materials used in its construction are four skis, a pair of ski poles, two braces 18-20 inches long, and 8—10 feet of cord or thongs. The skis are placed side by side on the snow. They must be staggered a little so that the projecting toe irons do not interfere with one an­other. If one pair of skis used is 3 or 4 inches shorter than the other, and the long and short skis are alternated, the toe irons may be staggered without bringing the ski tips out of line. This will facilitate tying the forward brace in place just behind the upturned points. The ty­ing of this brace is also easier if small holes have been bored through the ski tips. These holes do not weaken or disfigure the skis. If a ski has been broken by the fall causing the injury, it can be repaired with a tip or con­traction band and used in the toboggan.

The second brace is placed across the toboggan just ahead of the toe irons and is tied firmly to them. If sap­lings or squaw wood are not available for braces, a ski pole broken in two at the middle will furnish suitable pieces. The value of a good pair of ski poles is, however, not lowered by an injury to their owner, hence this should be done only as a last resort. If the patient can safely be allowed to sit up, the pack frame of a Bergans-type ruck­sack may be used for the rear brace. The sack itself serves as a backrest.

Diagonal braces from the ski points on one side of the toboggan to the toe irons on the opposite side are neces­sary to give rigidity. Ski poles, firmly tied in place, will serve for these braces. Cord will also serve this purpose; rawhide thongs stretch too much. Braces must not pro­ject beyond the sides of the toboggan. If all cords are pulled tight, this toboggan will prove to be very strong. If there is a shortage of tie ropes, the toe straps may be used to hold the rear brace in place by passing each toe strap around the brace and one ski. However, if the snow is crusted, it is better to avoid passing cords or straps under the skis, as they would be cut by the ice. In any event straps or cords on the running surface of the skis greatly increase the friction in pulling. The exact relations of skis, braces, and lashings must, of course, be worked out in each toboggan.

The four-ski improvised toboggan is handled, so far as possible, in the manner described for the ready-made toboggan.

Two-ski rescue sled.—The improvised four-ski tobog­gan has one serious fault. If an accident occurs so far from a ski center that a ready-make toboggan cannot be had, it is usually not possible for an able skier to sacri­fice the second pair of skis necessary for its construc­tion. For this reason ski mountaineers should place most emphasis upon the two-ski toboggan. It can be used for any injury, but is most satisfactory for injuries which permit the victim to sit up while being transported.

Two basic types of sled are described, requiring dif­ferent materials for their construction and serving under different conditions.

The first type of two-ski rescue sled is made of 1 pair of skis, 1 pair of ski poles, 2 braces 18-20 inches long, and cord or thongs—the materials used in the four-ski rescue toboggan, minus a pair of skis. The skis are placed in the snow about 18 inches apart, cross braces are tied ahead of the bindings and behind the ski points, and diagonal braces (ski poles) are tied across the frame from the point of one ski to the binding of the other. It will be noted that the construction of the two-ski rescue sled is the same as that of the four-ski sled, and that they are the same width.

A mattress of sweaters or boughs is more important with the two-ski toboggan. This sled is a little harder to pull than the other toboggans described because it sinks deeper into the snow; however, the method of handling is essentially the same. If soft snow tends to come up be­tween the skis, this can be prevented by running cords, sealskins, or canvas climbers back and forth between the ski poles.

Parallel «led

Attachment to binding

Fig. 16. Parallel and snowplow types of two-ski rescue sleds.

Two-ski sled as a splint.—A frame which is identical to this toboggan, except that skis are placed only 6 inches apart, serves as a splint for a broken back, neck, or pel­vis. The victim is tied to the bottoms of the skis—face down for a broken back; face up for a broken neck or pelvis—and is transported in those respective positions.

Snowplow sled.—This two-ski rescue sled needs only one brace and fewer cords. No "emergency" equipment at all is needed if the skis, poles, pack frame, and boot laces of the injured man are used in its construction. If no Bergans-type pack frame is available, one wooden brace must be secured. The wedge shape of this sled, however, makes it the hardest type to pull—an asset on steep descents or icy slopes, but a serious drawback else­where.

The skis are placed in a snowplow position, points together and bindings 18 inches apart. The handle of one ski pole is run through the basket of the other so that the poles are united at the baskets. The points of the skis are fitted into the webs of the baskets and one pole is placed on top of each ski so that the handles lie between the toe irons. Now a cord (a rawhide boot lace is excellent) is tied around each ski pole about 6 inches in front of each toe iron. The thongs must be tied with a clove hitch because other knots will not hold. The knot is tied in the middle of the thong leaving two long ends. These ends are passed through the toe-strap holes in the toe irons, pulled very tight and their ends tied together across the toe irons with a square knot. This method of tying pulls the poles back along the skis, thus tightening the ski tips in the baskets at the front end of the tobog­gan. No cords are needed at the front of the sled. A brace must be placed at the toe irons.

If no pulling ropes are available, the handles of two ski poles may be passed through the baskets at the front of the toboggan so that their handles extend forward. These poles are held in place by their baskets and may be used in place of pull ropes.

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