Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
bajaandy
climber
Escondido, CA
|
|
|
May 13, 2012 - 02:47pm PT
|
maratumba- Thanks for the rundown of the events. That picture of you holding the cut rope is a come-to-jesus shot. Holy sheit! Glad you and your partner kept it together through the commotion and now have only a tale about a near miss...
And to the injured climbers... may you heal quickly in body, mind and spirit! Glad you had your helmets on!
|
|
Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
|
|
|
May 13, 2012 - 03:21pm PT
|
That looked like a CalFire response, not the Idy FD. That's interesting.
Anyone have info on how/why the response agency was chosen?
It was actually combined response of the three agencies. The trend is towards out-sourcing to CalFire. The small departments can not provide service efficiently. Even the large departments are struggling. The largest fire district in San Diego, San Miguel, is considering going with CalFire.
|
|
bergbryce
Mountain climber
South Lake Tahoe, CA
|
|
|
May 13, 2012 - 03:26pm PT
|
Wow, what a story!
I'll add my hopes for a speedy recovery. Strong work to everyone involved. Getting two potentially seriously injured people outta there in 2 hours seems pretty damn' good. Nice job to the rescue crew and the folks on site who kept it together to get everyone out of there.
|
|
SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
|
|
|
May 13, 2012 - 03:30pm PT
|
Best wishes to those hurt. Scary story, for sure!
|
|
Lucas
Trad climber
Goleta, CA
|
|
|
May 13, 2012 - 05:04pm PT
|
My partner and I were on the third pitch of the Vampire when the rockfall happened. I was leading the seam above the bolt when I saw the block slowly start sliding down and roll into the Trough... We contemplated rapping down to see if people needed help, but by the time I got to the anchor and brought my partner up it seemed like the large group of people at the base of the Trough had things under control.
We had a pretty good view of the Cal Fire helicopter performing the insertion and extractions from up on the Northwest Bulge. Very glad they were able to get them out so fast.
|
|
dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
|
|
|
May 13, 2012 - 07:32pm PT
|
Whew!
|
|
rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
|
|
|
May 13, 2012 - 09:57pm PT
|
would that be El Camino Real just above the helicopter ? RJ
|
|
Evel
Trad climber
Nedsterdam CO
|
|
|
May 13, 2012 - 10:06pm PT
|
Seriously fast response/evacuation time! Kudos to all involved.
|
|
Fletcher
Trad climber
Fumbling towards stone
|
|
|
May 13, 2012 - 10:23pm PT
|
Zoinks! Glad everyone made it through that!
Eric
|
|
ultraviolet
Sport climber
Costa Mesa, CA
|
|
|
May 14, 2012 - 02:18am PT
|
Two in my party had just topped out on the Trough when it all went down. They were definitely some of the lucky ones. Another two had just reached the bottom and were able to set up static lines to get the injured down to the medics safely. I am so grateful that one of those people has significant experience and rescue training and was available to help when needed! The woman's helmet was busted apart, and her eye was pretty well damaged along with the probable concussion, but I can only imagine what might have been the story if she hadn't been wearing that helmet. Let that be a sobering reminder to us all... don't leave home without the helmet, even for sport climbing - stuff falls off mountains even when it's not pulled down. The man who was injured was airlifted with a collapsed lung because he basically caught one of the larger boulders with his torso. I do hope they both make speedy recoveries.
|
|
drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
|
|
|
May 14, 2012 - 02:23am PT
|
scary.
|
|
le_bruce
climber
Oakland, CA
|
|
|
May 14, 2012 - 02:40am PT
|
Helmet FTW!
Hope it's a quick recovery.
No idea on what the pain factor is on a crushed lung via rock to the chest, but it sounds f'ing hellish.
|
|
neversummer
Trad climber
30 mins. from suicide USA
|
|
|
May 14, 2012 - 10:39am PT
|
Hope the injured heal up fast..
|
|
Iron Mtn.
Trad climber
Riverside, Ca.
|
|
|
May 14, 2012 - 10:48am PT
|
Kudos to the rescue crew!!!
|
|
Gary
climber
"My god - it's full of stars!"
|
|
|
May 14, 2012 - 12:25pm PT
|
Tahquitz in May is scary.
|
|
Skeptimistic
Mountain climber
La Mancha
|
|
|
May 14, 2012 - 12:44pm PT
|
don't leave home without the helmet, even for sport climbing - stuff falls off mountains even when it's not pulled down.
I usually bring a helmet for my less-experienced friends and only wear one myself because it's a hassle, looks very n00bish, and I feel stupid wearing it. Guess I need to seriously rethink that: I'll probably feel a lot stupider with my brains hanging out...
Glad to hear things went as well as could be, considering the possibilities.
|
|
valeraxy
Trad climber
L.A.
|
|
|
May 14, 2012 - 01:29pm PT
|
Wearing a helmet or not shouldn't be based on whether you feel stupid or a n00b or how hot it is or how inconvenient. You should think long and hard about the people who will take care of you when you are injured, who help pay your hospital bills, and take time off work to sit by your bed and hold your hand.
|
|
buttgravy
climber
|
|
|
May 14, 2012 - 03:50pm PT
|
Hi everyone,
My name is Will and my girlfriend Wendy and I were on the trough when this happened. I was about 20 feet below piton pooper and Wendy was about 50 feet below me. We both took cover the best we could. I wasn't hit by any large rocks, but my girlfriend caught one right on the helmet/face region. She couldn't see out of one eye, was losing a lot of blood, but was able to secure herself to a piece of pro directly and threw another cam in. She then applied pressure directly to the wound to stop the bleeding. I then rapped down to her and tried to best-dress the wound with a tshirt. The other victim and climber (Barry?), were located about 90 feet below this point. The other victim was hit in the chest and was having trouble breathing, but Barry checked under his shirt and there was no external bleeding.
We rapped down to them and I setup an anchor next to them.
At this point other climbers were coming up the first pitch to assist in the rescue. Barry was trying to lower his friend (victim) down, but he got to about 15 feet below to a larger ledge (adjacent to common first pitch belay station), and didn't want to move anymore.
My girlfriend was coherent, the bleeding had stopped for the most part, and she was functioning, so I lowered her down to the base of the climb from my anchor. Thank you so much to the individuals (david, enrique and ?) and first aid responder (Brian?) who got her off the line and started to assess her injuries and help her.
People set up fixed lines from trees there to lower her and the other victim down for extraction from heli's. Wendy was extracted by heli and taken to the nearest pad where an ambulance took her to riverside. At this point I was running down the hill, so I'm not sure how the other victim was lowered down to the base of the climb, but I know he was in the process of being lowered down from the base of the climb to the air rescue team for extraction.
A huge thanks to everyone who helped in the process: climbers coming up to assist, first aid responders, the multiple organizations involved (calfire, air rescue, idyllwild, riverside, etc). She would not have faired as well without all of you!
She was taken to trauma in riverside medical center. She suffered multiple fractures to facial bones. After several ct scans it was determined that there was no bleeding into the brain, and that the air trapped into there initially had worked it's way out over a 24 hr period. Her vision also checked out ok. After 60 stitches or so she was released last night from the hospital. She will be out for a while, but should fully recover.
Does anyone know the status on the other victim? Hope he is recovering well. It was his first time rock climbing... What a horrible experience.
Also I did leave two anchors and a fixed line (orange mammut), so thanks to graham and friends for recovering the gear. I'll send you an email Ryans. I know Valerie had offered to clean the route too... Thank you.
It was a very scary experience, especially when someone you love is the victim on the other end of the rope. But a huge thanks to everyone involved and helping get the injured out of the area and to medical treatment. You're all f*#king awesome.
-Will
|
|
Port
Trad climber
San Diego
|
|
|
May 14, 2012 - 04:10pm PT
|
Glad you're all OK Will and I hope your GF quickly recovers.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!