- Looking at Mortlock’s diagram. Where would you have placed the group on the inexperienced-experienced continuum, and the avoidable-unavoidable continuum?
On the diagram I would place the group in the increasingly predictable part of the experienced-inexperienced continuum, because they are young and lack experience and with their leader who is experienced that would make the route more predictable. In the avoidable-unavoidable continuum, I would place them in the avoidable part of the continuum.
- Are they in subjective or objective danger?
I believe they are in the subjective data section because due to lack of experience they will perceive the risk to be greater than it actually is.
- Suppose the group lost the leader – how would that change the positioning on the continua?
If the group were to lost their leader it would significantly change their position on the continua, on the experienced-inexperienced section of the diagram they would change to increasingly unpredictable, because with lack of experience and no leader the route will become more difficult and therefore more unpredictable.
- Why would schools think it a good idea to include such an experience as part of a child’s curriculum?
The school would think to include outdoor and adventurous activities in their curriculum for a number of reasons, one of the main ones would be the fact that the child’s experience in the outdoor environment will increase, it will improve confidence in other outdoor activities if they choose to participate in them, it also encourages participation in further outdoor activities. Furthermore, it improves the child’s social skills with their classmates, as well as the new experience to learning in a classroom or a hall.
Situation 2
- What risks is the climber taking?
The risks are monumental in this kind of situation, although the climber is experienced he is climbing solo without the help or assistance of anyone, which means it, increases the actual risk of him not being able to recover from an injury. It increases the risk of him falling from the mountain, because he most check all of his safety equipment rather than having him and another climber making sure it is safe. He has also decided to climb without oxygen increasing the risk of suffocation or heart, organ and muscle failure. Without extra supplies of oxygen he may find it difficult to breathe in some areas and also to sleep.
- Why attempt it solo and without oxygen?
Only the climber knows the real reasons behind him trying this climb without such assistance, but there could be several reasons. One maybe the fact that in his past experiences of climbing he has not enjoyed being with another climber, or past experience has told him he doesn’t need another climber. This also could be the reason for taking no oxygen; the fact that he has done many climbs without oxygen and does not feel he needs to carry excess items to enable him to complete this climb.
- Place the climber on the experience-inexperienced continua and the avoidable-unavoidable continua.
I would place the climber on the increasingly unpredictable section of the continua because he is an experienced and talented climber, which will have done many climbs in the past. Also I would place the climber in the unavoidable section of the diagram.
- What facts in the passage have helped you determine the positioning on the continua?
The fact that if a group that is inexperienced but has an experienced leader are in a predictable and relatively safe position have helped me, further more the fact that there can be so much unpredictability that the situation has high levels of actual danger/risk and non-avoidable danger, no matter how experienced or talented the participants may be.
- What elements of real danger are present?
There are many elements of danger present in this situation, such as:
- Ropes breaking/snapping
- Rock/Ice falling away
- Faulty safety equipment
- Lack of oxygen
- Hence, suffocation, failure of heart, muscles/organs
- Hypothermia
- Pneumonia
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Why has this highly experienced and knowledgeable performer decided to undertake this challenge?
This performer could have decided to undertake this challenge for a number of reasons; one could be the fact that he wants to get away and spend some time just climbing. He may want to break a record or his own personal record of how high he can climb and how quick. He may want to move onto a bigger and better challenge. He may have many doubters so he is setting out to do this challenge to prove them wrong and he can complete this climb.
