...saw a convoy of emergency vehicles go screaming past/ north towards supercrack buttress....anyone know what happened? looked like a fairly serious response.

anyone?

Groundfall on Meat Wall. Multiple fractures and the SJ County SAR team was there. Helo at the parking area at 5:30. Micah Dash and his three clients (Micah spent 3 years on YOSAR), offered his help and was refused. I could see the SAR guys hiking up the hill and they were stopping to rest for 5 minutes, every 50'. I doubt any of them made it up there before dark.

Hope the victim is okay...
Mal

that's awful. we were up to meat wall just prior to that- when we left there was a party of 4 from seattle doing sinestra...long route.

We saw the trucks fly by at the s turn coming into the creek. He damn near took the Fowler-Header off the first turn.
SAR seems the same everywhere... they seem to be people who like the the image of being the tough outdoors type, but not the fitness that should come with it. We had an accident at Blacktail Butte once in Jackson. We had to sit one of the SAR guys down and keep him calm cus we thought he was having a heart attack when he got to the cliff. That would have been way worse then the broken angle he came for.

When my wife Helen almost lost her foot after a long lead fall, we were lucky to have our own crew there. First of all SAR didn't make it to the scene for three hours. The first EMT on the scene was doing the best he could to stabilize Helen for the cable lift to the chopper. She was in severe pain with her foot dangling from a few tendons. The only person authorized to administer morphine was a 200lb. woman with two bad ankles. My climbing buddies practically had to carry her to the crag. As the minutes ticked by, that first EMT stated that he would administer the morphine if his boss was not there in 10 more minutes. It had already been over an hour that he was on the scene. His boss did make it there in about 9.5 minutes, so he did not have to make that call. After Helen was lifted, all I want to do was get to the hospital as fast as possible. Instead, I had to "spot" this woman on the trail. I gave her my ski poles to hike with and after resting every 20 feet we managed to get her out to the parking area in under an hour. This is a hike that takes climbers about 10 minutes. At the time I was impressed that the first guy on the scene was willing to bend the rules to save someone with life threatening injuries. Last night I found out that he is on suspension, put there by his boss, the 200lb woman, for even suggesting that he would administer the morphine . When the chopper took off they were down to an 8 minute fuel window. Without the lift, Helen most likely would have lost her right foot. As it was she made it into surgery in about four hours. The surgeon stated that with the bone exposed and lack of blood in the foot, she made it in, just in time, to re-attach her foot. So, what I don't understand, is why there is not a fitness requirement for first responders. To me, it is quite sad that the person that had the ability to help, was stifled by his boss's ineptitude, and could now lose his job. I just feel fortunate that this ineptitude did not cost my wife her foot, or worse, her life! On a positive note: It's been 9 weeks and Helen took her first steps this weekend!

I gave it some thought... my own writing, and then what you had to say Rick. I think we as a user group are getting the rescue group we pay for. This is sad, but getting money out of climbers is like getting blood from a stone. I know a number of mountain guides who won't even schlep out for health insurance but somehow make it to Patagonia every season.

I'm glad your wife is keeping her foot. I think all of us are one placement away from wishing we had better SAR. Personally, I hope the rest of you show up if I plummet. Years ago in Thailand we purchased a back boards for rescue work... I'm not sure how we could keep such things down at the Creek, accessible, and not stollen.

I'm a first responder. The weak sister trying bravely to march up the hill is common. It's not what you pay for, it's what we litigate for. Everyone's equal and all are capable of doing the job, some are just not really fit for the job. Physical requirements are necessary and usually only applied once you are hired, at least for firefighters. She may be a paramedic with requirements like lifting a gurney or starting an IV, not hiking uphill. She may not even be SAR, just a regular paramedic asked to go beyond her usual duties. Self rescue should be paramount; at least get em down to the trail/road easily accessed by EMS, if possible to move the patient.

I was the one who needed the rescue Saturday 9/30. My wife and I were climbing at 2nd Meat wall. I had just finished leading Tofu Crack, and was lowering and cleaning the route. The start of the route goes hard right the back left. I left one directional at this point, and was about ten feet off the ground when I got lowered off the end of the rope. We obviously had no back up knot. I landed squarely on my feet on some sharp rocks. I emediatly knew I had broken both ankles. My wife then stabilized me and got me water and some warm clothes before going to get help. She was very shaken at this point, and felt terrible. We have both climbed for more than 15 years, and I trust here enourmously. We both where having trouble grasping the stupid mistake we had just made.
My wife was able to get cell reception near the Resivoir Wall. The sherriff's department from San Juan County and a ambulance from Monticello responded to the call. I believe but not certain the NPS from needles responded as well. The first responder reached me about 2 hours after the accident. The SAR team then moved me by litter to a better location, where a San Jaun County chopper was able to pick me up. I was then transported by ambulance to the Monitcello emergency roon.

The people who responded to my accident were profesional and moved me safely from the accident. I can understand peoples views of big headed rescuers and ones not in shape. But for the condition I was in they did good. This wasn't a highly technical rescue, and I feel if it was, Micah's experience would have been very helpful.

As for my injury, I have shattered the talus in both my ankles. Becuase my ankles are so swolen, I won't be scheduled for surgery for about a week.

Hopefully all of this has made sence, the percecet is kicking in. I hope everyone can learn from my mistake. Be safe.

I agree with Manuel and Mark, as a climber and a backcountry parachutist, our basejumping community, which is very active out in the colorado plateau areas, consider self-rescue (not necessarily self, but our community) the only viable option, otherwise the wait is just too long if the injury is serious.

At least, just as Manuel states, getting the injured to a road/trail where paramedics and or helicopters can get to them (in other words, off the wall/mountain). It would be nice but I don't think we as a community of climbers and/or jumpers can expect SAR to have all of the technical skills that we do. In the Moab area our self-rescue of injured jumpers, at least to an area of easy paramedic access, has been key in a number of very serious accidents. Because of this, we have developed a very good reputation, interactions, and support with/from the local emergency response/paramedic groups in the area.

A potential case in point is an serious accident I was in in the rockies a few years back. Unfortunately, self rescue was not an option at all in this instance. Alpine SAR were great, professional, and timely on the scene, once they became aware of the situation. However, it was only by a series of very low probability events that I was still alive to be rescued at that point in time. My point is self-rescue/medical treatment should always be prepared for and in many situations is the only viable option.

Best of luck to you in your recovery Bryan.

Bryan, best of luck with your surgery. I hope your recovery comes along well. Thanks for sharing the details of your accident, we can all learn from it. Luckily, Helen has health insurance. Unfortunately, there is so much it doesn't cover, so it still works out to several thousands of dollars. If we could have gotten her out to the trail head with out risking further injury, we would have. There were six other climbers on the scene and several of my friends switched off holding her leg perfectly still and elevated for hours. If we had not had a large group that day(3 of which had EMT training)it would have been a much worse situation due to the compound injury.

Thank you for the info Bryan. I hope for the best with those ankles. Its a hard injury to heal

In fairness to the SAR guys, that is a decent time to reach the Meat Walls... not good, but decent. This applies to what Mark N. just wrote... We have to remember that the SAR has to be based someplace where it is needed most and climbing rescues are few and far between when compared to car roll overs and such. In the case of Indian Creek, the nearest town is Monitcello which is like 50 miles away. Then there is the fact that the names of the walls are climber-given so describing where your at is kinda hard. The fact is peole like to call the Creek sport climbing for crack climbers, but it is actually a very remote setting. San Juan county is the largest county in Utah... its bigger than Connecticuit and Rhode Island combined, but only has 15,000 people. Grand COutny, where Moab is, is also huge and has even fewer people. When you are at the Creek you are a bit out-there.

Brian, hang in there. That really sucks. We all make mistakes and often we just get lucky and get away with it. You were unlucky here. Best of luck with the rehab.

Bryan, one more thing. There is a guy here in Moab who did the exact same thing with the exact same injury at Broken Tooth a few years ago. He has gone throught he stuff you are now facing. If you want to talk to him about the pitfalls and decisions that come with it, drop me a direct email and i'll give you his number.

Sam,

thanks, I believe you are talking about john from moab. I have climbed with him few times before. He probably wound'nt remember me though. It is inspiring to see him out there climbing hard again. I just got my account here on MP so I'll try to get you that email.

thanks
bryan

Best wishes on a speedy recovery Bryan.

The tendency for local SAR teams to dismiss the help of experienced climbers is irritatingly absurd. The case of Micah Dash is a good example. Putting a injury victim at risk for protocal borders on criminal negligence. The 1st responder now on suspension because of a power tripping tub-0-bot is sickening. Even in Wayne's case had it not been for Hank Caylor's insistence that the SAR team follow him to the crash site they would still be wandering in well meaning but incompetent ego tripping.


I am glad that Helen is begining to walk again. Best of luck with her recovery

My group and I were descending from tenderloin when the copter showed up. It was some good aerial work by the pilot. Adding a copter to a rescue always increases the technical challenges and danger to a rescue.

Bryan,

Glad to hear you will be OK. Hope your recovery goes well.

Kevin

bryan

are you and your wife the couple that i met on the north face of turkey rock (at the base of 'finger lickin good' a few months ago? if i remember right, you were asking about good platte routes to do on a full moon. if so, i hope you and your wife are doing ok, and that your ankles heal well.

if you aren't the same bryan, i wish you the same.

slim shakey

this is bryan's wife.

i just wanted to say thank you for all the support of people who have written in. in some ways it has been the best support that we can get. for other climbers who know exactly what it's like to be hurt from an easily avoidable mistake and how hard it is to deal with the aftermath of an injury/mistake such as this, to write in their condolences has been awesome.

and charles, thanks for defending the SAR guys. without those volunteers, EMT's, and the helicopter pilot, it would have taken much longer for bryan to have gotten to a hospital. the response time was as best as could be wished for. i feel so grateful and indebted for the FREE rescue that we got.

San Juan County has jurisdiction for all accidents that happen at the Creek. if you want to see a "more competent" rescue team, you can volunteer or donate money for better equipment and training.

thanks again for all the kind words!

yo bryan , bad one man. it's jason from aspen...hate to be getting back in touch by seeing this, but i've been dropped too. i was wondering what was going on there this weekend, i was there. hope you get fixed up well.
talk to ya later
-jay
309-6247

First off all, I want to express that I am very grateful for the response of the medical personnel that helped save Helen. To clarify a couple of things, the first responders were paid to be there and we were responsible for their compensation. The "volunteer" SAR personnel didn't even show up until the rescue was complete ( 3-4 hours)and every one was leaving the scene. In regards to "pain not being life threatening", Helen began going deeper into shock just before the morphine was issued. Shock can be life threatening. I don't feel that the guy should of been in the position to have to break the law. He just happened to be in reasonable shape and got to the crag well before the person who could do what was medically necessary. I still feel that there should be a physical requirement for response teams other than lifting a gurney or starting an IV. In our case, three of the people in our group do have EMT training and each of them raised the same or similar questions. Also, the chopper team and pilot were so efficient and well trained that it was obvious the others would have been able to do their job properly if they had been better trained and could walk more than 50 feet without resting(literally). Since Helen's accident I have been working to organize a group of climbers to be part of the "volunteer" SAR team. If it is up to us to save each other, we need to step up to the plate. When I first made the 911 call, if for any reason, I thought it would take so long,( I was led to believe they would be there much sooner by the dispatcher) we would have called friends first for a litter and carried Helen out. I also have advanced First Aid and CPR cert and have been around other bad accidents, mostly vehicular. On more than one occasion the actions of our group has saved a strangers life while we waited hours for the "authorities" to arrive.

To Bryan and his wife, I am glad that you received the best care possible. That is awesome and I commend the team that helped you! Although, we don't know you, we understand what you are both going through as the trauma is not just restricted to the "victim" but to the one holding the rope as well. Our hearts go out to you, and hope that you heal fast!

Best of luck for your recovery, Bryan! I hope you are back on the rock soon.

Thanks to all SAR and EMS personnel, especially the volunteers and even the out-of-shape. I have been very grateful for them the times I've needed their help.

Thanks to everyone for looking at this. There is a tremendous amount of experience writing on this post topic and sending best wishes, obviously people on this site care enough to express themselves even if we don't all agree on the best way to handle situations when they go bad. One of best things I like about the mp.com community.

As I don't know the climbers that got hurt &/or helped, sending best wishes & talking about what happened in the same context doesn't really go very far, but my best wishes are sent nonetheless. I don't like seeing any climber get hurt.

Good to read that Rick is looking into this & I hope that you can build/maintain a good rapport with the Sheriff and the climbers that are willing to help out. I believe San Juan Cty is ex-officio MRA; as a backcountry climber, I like to see this organizational involvement also.

Bryan i hope your recovery s going well. It also seems to me that having a Litter at each of the main climbing areas would be a huge benefit to all climbers. With the response times being long and the creek being so remote. In many cases it might be faster (if able to move the victim without further injury) to just take care of these thing ourselves. It is what we used to have to expect of our climbing partners and fellow climbers in the area. I know in Colorado there are litters in many ice climbing areas for just this reason.