LAND EQUIPMENT desert | arctic | woodland jungle | assault force | mountaineering

MOUNTAINEERING

SEAL operation's demand an in depth knowledge of land navigation, which requires two important skills: map reading and mountaineering. Mountaineering includes free climbing and assisted climbing in all climates over any surface. 

The equipment used by the Teams is the same stuff you will find at the top of the sport climbers list. An operator will carry his climbing gear in the third line rucksack for use if and when needed. The common gear, such as ropes and carabineers, are split among the squad to disseminate the weight among the Team. Each individual will carry his own sit harness and beeners. Here is a brief overview of the Mountaineering equipment used by SEALs and other Special Operations Forces 

• Maps and Map case 
• Compass and Altimeter 
• GPS Plugger (hand held) 
• Climbing pick/hammer 
• Nylon climbing gauge rope (9mm & 11mm) 
• Carabineers and figure eights 
• Pitons (spikes) 
• Chawks (wedges static and mechanical) 
• Sit/rappel Harness 
• Jumar ascender device (for hauling the gear up the rope) 
• Crampon spikes (attach to combat boots for ice climbing) 
• Ice ax 

This equipment is carried in addition to the specific mission load outs. This means lugging a substantial amount of gear up a shear cliff or ice wall. Add to this the fact that SEALs move at night, and that time is of the essence, and you can imagine the difficulty of a combat climb. The lead or point climber is the most experienced climber in the squad. He will climb the face free of any protection (i.e.: chalks, pitons, top rope etc.) and set the route. Once at the top he will anchor a top rope and let it down to the squad below. He will then set security while the climbers ascend the rope. A belay man will assist from below or above depending on the type of climb. The gear will be hauled up on a Jumar along with the climber. This is dangerous work and emphasis is on speed and stealth. The lead relies on his strength and vast amount of free climb training and experience to find the best route in the darkness. 

Rappelling skills come in equally handy for SEAL operators. What goes up must come down, and a SEAL rappel down a mountain usually looks more like a controlled fall. The SEAL will push off of the rock face and drop twenty or thirty feet before braking to a stop, weapon ready. The same techniques are used to rappel from helicopters. 

When it comes to orienteering, SEALs are well skilled at land navigation, though less emphasis is placed on land navigation than in the Army Special Forces or Rangers. The map and compass are primary, with a hand held GPS as a back up to double check positions. SEALs conduct extensive land navigation courses during BUD/s and STT, as well as a week refresher during Platoon work-up. For those SEALs lucky enough to go to US Army Ranger School (about 40%), they will further hone their Orienteering skill at that fun school. Orienteering is actually the use of Terrain features and topographical signatures to assist in traversing difficult terrain. Only in the denseness of a Jungle will a SEAL follow his compass pointer as his sole guide to his direction. 

Though SEALs like to remain within one day's hump from the water, they will train to move great distances in any environment, complete their mission and get out undetected. By utilizing solid climbing and orienteering skills a SEAL squad can handle just about any terrain. The bad guys may never know the Team was there (unless of course he leaves a 20 foot crater were was once a weapon's cache) because the terrain seemed too impassible for anyone to bother with. Such is the nature of Special Operations Warfare!

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