January 20, 2024 Published

Summit Preparation Trek - After Action Report

By Trek Leader: Taylor Morgan

Distance

18.5 km

Load

22 kg

Participants

8

Duration

3h 0m

Conditions: Light snow, -5°C, 70% visibility on ridges

1 What Was Planned

  • 1. Practice navigation in low-visibility conditions
  • 2. Evaluate equipment performance in cold weather
  • 3. Develop team communication approaches
  • 4. Build endurance with moderate load over distance

2 What Actually Happened

  • 1. Team maintained 95% navigation accuracy despite poor visibility
  • 2. Equipment functioned properly in cold conditions
  • 3. Communication remained clear throughout
  • 4. All team members completed the route within time standards

3 What Went Well

  • Team maintained 95% navigation accuracy despite poor visibility
  • Equipment functioned properly in cold conditions
  • Communication remained clear throughout
  • All team members completed the route within time standards

4 What Could Be Improved

  • Foot care during extended exposure to wet conditions
  • Transition times between navigation checkpoints
  • Water consumption planning in cold weather
  • Individual pacing strategies on steep inclines

5 Lessons Learned

  • 1 Visibility drops significantly affect individual pace more than team speed
  • 2 Equipment checks must occur more frequently in precipitation
  • 3 Mental resilience becomes the limiting factor after 2 hours in harsh conditions
  • 4 Simple, repeated communication approaches work best under stress