What is 'self-arrest'?

• A. If you started sliding down the mountain you better know how to dig your crampons and axe into the ice to stop yourself and hand on for dear life.
• B. It is a technique to accelerate while climbing.
• C. It is a method to navigate using a compass.
• D. It is a way to signal for help.

Answer: (A)

Self-arrest is a climber’s self-rescue move used when you start sliding on snow or ice. The goal is to stop your momentum by using an ice axe to anchor and arrest the slide, often with body position that maximizes control and aid from the tool. In practice you bring the axe into contact with the slope, apply pressure with your body to drive the axe into the surface, and use your weight and leverage to slow and halt your fall. This technique is a fundamental safety skill in mountaineering and ice climbing, designed to prevent a long, uncontrolled slide.

It’s not about speeding up, navigating with a compass, or signaling for help, which is why those options don’t fit. Self-arrest directly targets stopping a slide, making it the correct concept here.