Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Katattack
Trad climber
Joshua Tree
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 23, 2012 - 11:44pm PT
|
Hey All,
I work at Nomad Ventures in Idyllwild, CA. I found out what happened today on Tahquitz Rock.
A pair of climbers were heading up Angel's Fright (5.6) but got off route and ended up on Jonah (5.10c). The leader fell and landed on a flake, breaking his ankle.
They attempted to air lift him from the route, but the wind was too gusty (around 2pm you could hear the helicopter). They also attempted to lower a medic, but again--no cake. So search and rescue climbed up, lowered him to lunch rock, and they brought him to Humber Park. The rescue team kicked ass and had him down by 6:30pm.
No fatalities!
|
|
neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
|
|
|
Sep 23, 2012 - 11:53pm PT
|
hey there say, katattack.... whewww, graet to know that folks are okay, from this...
thank you so much for sharing...
:)
|
|
ec
climber
ca
|
|
|
Sep 23, 2012 - 11:59pm PT
|
'Been thru the injured ankle scene, bummer. Good all are alive.
When on 5.6, one must constantly think of staying on 5.6...
'Can be difficult to do.
 ec
|
|
apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 12:22am PT
|
5.6 to .10c...
Such a common mistake at Tahquitz.
Glad it turned out well for everyone.
I was over at Suicide this morning (fending off the usual dogs & their thoughtless owners...see another thread...)...and watched a couple of young dudes learn about route finding and error correction on 'Graham Crackers'...the dialogue went something like this...
Lead: I'm gonna build an anchor here...
Belay: There's supposed to be two bolts at that ledge...
Lead: Yeah...I think I climbed past it...it's about 30' below me..
Belay: Climb down to it, then...
Lead: Just lower me....
Belay: No, just down climb to it.
Lead: No, dude..just lower me!
Belay: Downclimb....it's not a big deal...
Lead: So you're not gonna lower me? WTF?
Belay: Dude, it's only 5.6, right? It's good skills to downclimb..
Lead: No way! Lower me!
Last night, from a viewful spot, we watched 4 separate parties descending by headlamp off of Tahquitz via both the N & S routes....one of them topped out (Open Book?) sometime just after dark, then had to find the descent slabs in the dark...
Ah, yes...just another epic weekend at Tahquitz/Suicide!
|
|
Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 01:39am PT
|
A friend of mine just told me about an epic he had a few years ago on Consolation I think he said. Partner, relatively inexperienced was leading and hit a ledge and busted both ankles. They managed to lower off and the guy crawled back to the parking lot on his azz, no rescue needed. Took until 10 pm he said, that used to be the norm.
Apogee - you need to switch after-shave, your attracting dogs!
|
|
ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
bouldering
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 01:55am PT
|
It amazes me how SAR entities continue to risk thier lives plucking dumbasses off stuff. They should just leave the bleached bones up there as a warning to future parties.
|
|
Port
Trad climber
San Diego
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 02:02am PT
|
That was a pretty retarded comment, even from a guy who calls himself Biotch.
|
|
guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 11:40am PT
|
I don't think there should be a SAR .... for climbers at all.
Learn how to take care of yourself and your friends.
OK, call me dumb.
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 11:44am PT
|
You might be onto something guyman.
|
|
FRUMY
Trad climber
SHERMAN OAKS,CA
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 11:48am PT
|
I'm with guyman an that.
|
|
JEH
Trad climber
Ramona, CA
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 12:14pm PT
|
On Mountaineers wall I blew my ankle out after falling from a roof onto slab. I actually hung upside down by my foot when it snagged on a quickdraw after smashing into the slab. I got down with the help of my friends after rapping down on one leg for three pitches. Normally it takes an hour to hike out. This took longer with all the hopping and scooting. Eventually my friends had an intervention with me a made me get into a sleeping bag stretcher they made. They dragged me out through the flats and the rocks of the lower approach. Then I got in my truck and drove myself to the 7-11 for a slurpee. Then the Urgent Care clinic. If I would've had an open fracture I would've consented to a rescue. It was all closed up and we were all capable enough to get out of there. Calling for a rescue depends on whether you can help yourself or if you even know how. The main thing is you make it back down.
Edit to add- I'm glad the injured party made it down safely.
|
|
mooser
Trad climber
seattle
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 12:29pm PT
|
Glad to hear things ended better than they might have!
When I was dating my (to be) wife, I took her up something 5.4ish for her first Tahquitz outing. I got off route, and went angling up a long runout slabby 5.9ish thing, ultimately reaching a belay stance without incident. I didn't tell my wife what I'd done, in hopes that she'd still be "thinking" 5.4, and maybe just cruise it. She didn't. She slipped and went swinging about 40 feet to her left, and slammed into a snag sticking out of the rock. She still has a few scars on her hands as a memory (33 years later).
That was her one and only Tahquitz route. She's a trooper, though...she did continue to the top. AND, she still loves me.
|
|
guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 12:42pm PT
|
JEH.... I like to hear stories like that.
Gives me hope that climbers are still... special people.
I know it sounds cruel, but the no SAR is something I believe in.
Being able to handle "IT" has always been part of climbing.
If they need to keep calling out the choppers - every weekend- they might just want to charge climbers for all the expense.
|
|
guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 01:10pm PT
|
Locker.... we need Doctors.
Im just saying.... calling out SAR is an expensive thing.
It will start to add up down at Riverside County Hqtrs... questions will be asked.
They have just started charging folks extra if you live in a FIRE AERA.
|
|
Daphne
Trad climber
Black Rock City
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 01:12pm PT
|
I just spent my first weekend out on the rock after shattering my heel bone on a leader fall. My surgery was 5/8 and I was out climbing again just shy of 20 weeks. There was a lot of pain, but I was climbing. Props to my sweet and amazing climbing partner, Rob Yang, for leading me the whole weekend.
So, to the injured climber, take heart, you will be able to get back out there if that is what you want.
I have much to learn as a leader. I've had many hours to replay all the mistakes of mind and skill that led me to my downfall (pun intended). I was out on the rock with a partner who has 30 years of experience. When I fell, her response upon hearing of my complete lack of ability to put any weight on my foot was that a SAR response would be needed. I was horrified by the idea, both because of the immense drama that would entail, but also of the expense. I have totally stupid major medical insurance.
The next team up (thank goodness we were at a capacious belay ledge that could handle us all) were wilderness first response trainers. The leader of the third team up (an army reservist) came and offered an ankle splint he always carries. I had already taped my ankle up and the splint was further support.
We were able to self-rescue me. I crab walked on my butt through the descent gully and was getting into the desert when the army reservist showed up and carried me (!!! I am NOT a petite woman) back to the car, first over his back, then with the rope carrying harness made by the first response team. THere is NO WAY my partner could have carried me with that harness. I was willing to crawl through the desert back to the car and it would have taken another 4 hours to do that. 6 hours from the fall we were in the car on the way to the hospital. No stop for a slurpee.
It was due to the combined wilderness wisdom and amazing heart and courage of my partner, the first response team, and the army reservist that I was able to self-rescue. It is probably true that many newer climbers do not have the combined wisdom and training of 6 people, totalling many years of experience when they venture out onto easy to moderate climbs. Or perhaps, the physical strength needed.
Whew, a I just deleted a rant.
Anyway, if you are judging climbers on this thread, I hope that when you have been injured and have suffered past your endurance and you need a rescue, you remember your hubris on this thread.
|
|
Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 01:15pm PT
|
I try not to judge too much when I hear about accidents like that, since I was once a 14 yr. old newbie leading stuff up there in a pair of tennis shoes and a rack of about 8 stoppers and hexes.
Still, is it me or have the number of clueless, hapless climbers increased of late? Even as a inexperienced teen, I really don't believe that I ever would have the same mistake this guy did. One, I think you'd have to work pretty hard to get off route on Angel's Fright. And two, even a blind climber would have realized the difference between that and Jonah pretty quickly.
Kind of hard not to fall into Guyzo's camp on this one.
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 01:21pm PT
|
But, Guyman, I thought this was a case of rescuing 'special people', not
just your normal 47% run-of-the-mill dumbsh!ts?
|
|
Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 01:26pm PT
|
Climbing has evolved from an obscure niche activity to the sport du jour. Millions more taking part, only natural that rescue becomes more common. Same thing is happening with hiking. Sure, it would be nice to think we can take care of ourselves,but it will not always be the case.
|
|
guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 02:14pm PT
|
Daphne.... glad to hear you made it out OK.
The folks who helped you are TRUE climbers IMHO.
I could relay a story of "what went wrong once the SAR got involved" but I won't.
AND
You know nothing of my own little stories.
|
|
JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2012 - 02:15pm PT
|
Locker.... we need Doctors.
Im just saying.... calling out SAR is an expensive thing.
It will start to add up down at Riverside County Hqtrs... questions will be asked.
They have just started charging folks extra if you live in a FIRE AERA [sic].
I have to agree with Locker's perspective. If there are more climbers, there will be more accidents. Europe faced this problem fifty-plus years ago, and their solution remains: Keep SAR, but charge the party rescued for the services. This had the effect of promoting not only self-reliance, but rescue insurance. That way, SAR services remain, but aren't free.
I'll admit I have a lot of trouble seeing how someone could mistake the route on Jonah for that on Angel's Fright, but I first did Angel's Fright after I'd been climbing for seven or eight years, so I knew what was trivial and what was serious by sight. In contrast, my first year in the Valley, I tried, and almost succeeded, getting seriously off-route on a couple of very easy climbs, because I had no experience leading anything harder than about 5.6, so I couldn't tell 5.7 from 5.10 just by sight. I had to fall to know it was 5.10!
John
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!