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David Knopp
Trad climber
CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 18, 2011 - 11:15am PT
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Grand Teton National Park (WY)
Climber Cited For Creating Hazardous Situation
Rangers have completed an investigation stemming from a search and rescue response in August that was initiated by the activation of a SPOT rescue locator. Dave Shade, 33, of Missoula, Montana, was issued a citation because his actions that day created a hazardous situation during a late-hour rescue operation to retrieve his stranded climbing partner, Jesse Selwyn of Florence, Michigan. Shade was charged with disorderly conduct. On Friday, August 19th, Shade and Selwyn intended to climb the Black Ice Couloir on the northwest side of the Grand Teton, but the two climbers could not find the entrance to the couloir and got off route, ending up on the Grandstand. After an extended discussion about how to proceed, Selwyn informed Shade that he felt he was unable to continue. Selwyn said that he believed he would become injured or die if he attempted to retrace the route they had come. He then told Shade that he was going to call for a rescue by activating the SPOT rescue locator that he was carrying. Until that time, Shade did not know that Selwyn was carrying the device. Selwyn then activated the device and rangers were notified. After they hovered over the scene in a Teton Interagency helicopter and Selwyn signaled that he desired a rescue, Shade told Selwyn that he (Shade) did not need to be rescued. Further discussion ensued and ultimately, Shade left with the party's climbing rope, made four rappels and then began to retrace his route to the Valhalla Traverse. Shade made this decision before confirming that rangers were indeed going to return to rescue Selwyn. The citation was issued because Shade assumed a rescue would occur and left his partner, taking their only climbing rope. Shade's decision created a hazardous condition for Selwyn, since at this point there was no guarantee of rescue. Selwyn was reached by rangers that night and was extracted via short haul with darkness imminently approaching. Climbers are reminded that pursuing these activities requires a high level of personal accountability and responsibility. There is no guarantee of your safety or rescue when climbing or traveling in the backcountry. Disorderly conduct is a violation under the Code of Federal Regulations 36§2.34(a)(4).
[Submitted by Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles, Public Affairs Officer]
Comments on this?
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Oct 18, 2011 - 12:10pm PT
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So what was Shade supposed to do, stand there and hope that a rescue was going to happen, when in fact the Rangers said it wasn't known that it would? Sounds pretty brain-dead to me: You can't leave, you have to wait and possibly freeze hoping for a rescue.
Shade did what a smart person would do, evacuate themselves. That Selwyn didn't rap off with Shade, he should have been cited for calling for a rescue when one obviously wasn't needed.
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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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Oct 18, 2011 - 12:16pm PT
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Jesse Selwyn of Florence, Michigan Flatlander...
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graniteclimber
Trad climber
The Illuminati -- S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Division
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Oct 18, 2011 - 12:21pm PT
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He wasn't cited for self-rescuing with the rope. He was cited for not taking his wuss partner with him.
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graniteclimber
Trad climber
The Illuminati -- S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Division
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Oct 18, 2011 - 12:35pm PT
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After an extended discussion about how to proceed, Selwyn informed Shade that he felt he was unable to continue. Selwyn said that he believed he would become injured or die if he attempted to retrace the route they had come. He then told Shade that he was going to call for a rescue by activating the SPOT rescue locator that he was carrying. Until that time, Shade did not know that Selwyn was carrying the device. Selwyn then activated the device and rangers were notified. After they hovered over the scene in a Teton Interagency helicopter and Selwyn signaled that he desired a rescue, Shade told Selwyn that he (Shade) did not need to be rescued. Further discussion ensued and ultimately, Shade left with the party's climbing rope, made four rappels and then began to retrace his route to the Valhalla Traverse. Shade made this decision before confirming that rangers were indeed going to return to rescue Selwyn. The citation was issued because Shade assumed a rescue would occur and left his partner, taking their only climbing rope. Shade's decision created a hazardous condition for Selwyn, since at this point there was no guarantee of rescue. Selwyn was reached by rangers that night and was extracted via short haul with darkness imminently approaching.
Thinking about this, it's not so simple. I call bullshit on the rangers.
What did the rangers expect Shade to do? Remain stuck on the Grandstand indefinitely? With "no guarantee of rescue" and "darkness approaching"?
I'm sure Shade told Selwyn that they should just rap off and could do so safely and Selwyn refused and said he would wait for a rescue by the rangers.
When Shade rapped, Selwyn could easily have joined him. All he needed to do is clip in his device and go. He chose not to. Shade was not able to persuade him or force him to do so. The rangers report that the parties had engaged in "extended discussion."
A rope is useless sitting coiled on a ledge. It's only useful if you are willing to use it. Selwyn refused to use and insisted on remaining on the ledge and wait for a rescue.
If Shade remained there, the rangers would have had two victims to haul out instead of one.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Oct 18, 2011 - 12:44pm PT
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Weak sauce all the way round.
One rope? Who's was it?
Flatlander sounds like he deserved to be left; "Ooh, its soo scary. What am I doing up here? Certainly the rangers have nothing better to do than RISK THEIR FUKKING LIVES to rescue some person like me because I have so much to offer the world."
The citee didn't descend until after he knew for certain that the authorities were aware of flatlander's location and lack of apparent injury.
A dick to leave his partner, but the more self-sufficient by far.
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steve shea
climber
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Oct 18, 2011 - 01:04pm PT
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There are so many people in the mountains with no mountalin sense, it's a wonder the rescues are not 24/7. Once again this is natural selection at work accelerated by gizmos and gadgets which provide a false sense of security. To not be able to find the entrance to the Black Ice you've got to be a mental midget or blind. Clearly these two were not ready and the weaker one emboldened to go regardless because of his umbilical cord.
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Les
Trad climber
Bahston
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Oct 18, 2011 - 01:46pm PT
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Wow. Can't blame Shade for not wanting to get caught up in (and perhaps getting stuck with the bill for) a rescue he didn't need. I mean, c'mon, dude activated his SPOT and a chopper flew overhead -- and they say Shade couldn't have been sure his partner was going to be rescued? Sounds improbable to me. It ain't like the Rangers were just gonna leave him there (absent bad weather moving in). Not saying what he did was right (I have serious issues with someone who would just abandon a partner), but not sure I see a clear-cut reason for issuing a citation.
Also, worth mentioning that the Valhalla Traverse is not the only way off the Grandstand. One can also rap the Grandstand to the Teton Glacier (I did it this past summer when bailing from the N.Ridge), or into Valahalla Canyon and down to Cascade Canyon. Either would be a better option than calling for a rescue when life and limb were not in peril.
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John Moosie
climber
Beautiful California
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Oct 18, 2011 - 02:05pm PT
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Be nice to hear both sides of the story. I wonder if the guy who self rescued offered to lower the other guy, or at least belay him on the down climbs.
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corniss chopper
climber
breaking the speed of gravity
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Oct 18, 2011 - 02:09pm PT
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Lets hope Shade had his camera recording as his partner refused to clip in
and start rapping to get the heck out of there. That's all I'd need as a judge to dismiss Shade's citation and ban the partner from Teton NP for life.
What would any of us do if an uninjured partner sat down and refused to
move?
Adios!
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August West
Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
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Oct 18, 2011 - 07:22pm PT
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weak sauce all the way round.
One rope? Who's was it?
WTF???
Dude! It's my rope and I'm taking it and going home and your sorry ass can just rot up here on this ledge until you are smart enough to bring your own rope next time.
Without being party to the conversations, but with the facts so far, I can't blame Shade for rapping off regardless of who's rope.
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Paul Martzen
Trad climber
Fresno
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Nov 23, 2011 - 03:12pm PT
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Interesting situation. I don't blame Shade one bit. The fine is just part of the price he paid to climb with a bozo.
We should not abandon our partners, no matter how bozo, unless we have to. But it seems likely that the two partners already can't stand each other by that point. The weaker partner activates the spot for rescue not just from the mountain but from the stronger partner. "I don't trust you. I am calling in the rangers."
I can understand the rangers wanting the partner to stay there until the rescue was complete, but it seems like a huge double bind. Maybe he was fined really because he was not rescued along with the partner?
If he stays and the rangers do not get back that night, then both people suffer in the open without doing anything for each other. Maybe the helicopter crashes and can never come back. Then the climbers both sit there till they freeze, or decide to move.
If they are on a big mountain and one partner refuses to move, then he dies and the partner who remains with him dies too.
What if they did not have a spot and the one partner could not move because of injury? Then Shade has to leave him to get help.
Shade assumes that the helicopter is coming back and that his partner will be safe and warm in 15 or 20 minutes. He knows his partner can be down drinking in the bar in another hour or so. He knows that he himself has 20 minutes or so of light to get himself down onto easier ground and that then he has a day of hiking to get himself out. Does he wait 20 minutes till it is too dark to rescue himself that night? Does he wait 20 minutes so he can argue with the rangers about whether he needs a rescue. Does he wait 20 minutes stewing in silent resentment and hatred for the guy next to him, or does he take action and get the heck out of there?
Tough call.
The situation says a lot about vetting your partners to see if you are compatible, but it also says something about the skills it takes to sense your partners mental state and the skills it takes to keep each other motivated and working together.
Edit: Didn't see the other thread. Good comments over there and cool rescue video link.
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