atreideslioness: (animus and anima)
Ghanima Atreides ([personal profile] atreideslioness) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2009-05-18 07:51 am

Keeping Your Advantage: Terrain and You, Week II [Monday, Period 4]

When students arrived in the Danger Shop today, they'd find it set up for rock climbing.

"Hello, students," Ghanima said briskly, giving some handouts to the TAs. "Today, we study mountains and rock climbing."

"The important thing to remember about mountains is that each one is different, depending on the size and location," she said. "High mountains, and mountains located close to the Earth's poles, reach into the colder layers of the atmosphere. They are consequently subject to glaciation, and erosion through frost action, and such processes produce the peak shape for which mountains are known. Some of these mountains have glacial lakes, created by melting glaciers. Mountains can be eroded and weathered, altering their characteristics over time, so even if you've been to an area once, it may not be the same as before."

"Tall mountains have different climatic conditions at the top than at the base, and will thus have different life zones at different altitudes. The flora and fauna found in these zones tend to become isolated since the conditions above and below a particular zone will be inhospitable to those organisms. These isolated ecological systems are known as sky islands and/or microclimates."

"Mountains are also generally less preferable for human habitation than lowlands; the weather is often harsher, and there is little level ground suitable for agriculture. At very high altitudes, there is less oxygen in the air and less protection against solar radiation Acute mountain sickness, caused by hypoxia - a lack of oxygen in the blood, affects over half of lowlanders who spend more than a few hours above 3,500 meters, or 11,483 feet."

"Today, you'll be learning how to scale these majestic landmarks." Ghanima gestured to the gear and the walls. "There's easy, medium, hard, and expert trails here today, you just have to follow the color-coded tape paths. Or, you can try making your own goals. Race each other, work in teams, or get a feel for some of the unconventional maneuvers you might have do in order to move about a mountain."

"I just ask that you warm-up on the easy and medium trails first, no matter how advanced you think yourself. I don't want anyone getting hurt during the second week of classes."

[Ya'll know the rules. The OCD is up, so you're free to roam!]

Re: The Gear!

[identity profile] blondecanary.livejournal.com 2009-05-18 06:30 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah," Dinah said, then quieter, "I might have to be, thought. Helena would never manage it. And the others involved are too keyed into their positions. Someday that might be my job, or partly." She shielded her eyes, checking the sun. "I need to learn more here before I can do that." And get tougher. It had been rough enough reining in Helena all weekend; without Jesse or Nightwing as backers, it would've been impossible.

Re: The Gear!

[identity profile] sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com 2009-05-18 06:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Triela leaned forward slightly with concern. "But Barbara is okay, right?" And if that was the case then Dinah could do what she wanted.

Re: The Gear!

[identity profile] blondecanary.livejournal.com 2009-05-18 06:37 pm (UTC)(link)
"She is," Dinah said, smile breaking out. "And hopefully that's a long, long way off."

Re: The Gear!

[identity profile] sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com 2009-05-18 06:52 pm (UTC)(link)
"Then..." Triela shook her head. "Sorry. I'm not used to thinking in the long term."

Re: The Gear!

[identity profile] blondecanary.livejournal.com 2009-05-18 06:54 pm (UTC)(link)
"I know," Dinah said, worried again. More carefully, she said, "It's not stupid to do it, though. I mean, hey, I might fall on my head in this class. I still need to plan for longer." She studied Triela. "Same goes for you."

Re: The Gear!

[identity profile] sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com 2009-05-18 06:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Triela snorted wryly. "I don't have to plan longer. I've got another four or five years if I'm lucky." That was probably it.

Re: The Gear!

[identity profile] blondecanary.livejournal.com 2009-05-18 07:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Which still made Dinah mad. But she channeled it into, "You never know. That can be a long time. Especially when you're spending so much of it in Fandom."

Re: The Gear!

[identity profile] sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com 2009-05-18 07:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"Can't argue with that," Triela chuckled. "This place is a bit unpredictable."