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Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 28, 2014 - 09:39am PT
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I just saw a comment on the Braun thread that got me thinking. Having a SAR related thread might be of some use to the community, for us to better understand not only the accident but what it is that SAR does. My experience has been that a lot of the people know "about" SAR but not the nuts and bolts of it.
I am hardly a SAR expert, but I spent time with the CAP on ground crews and spent 2 years helping build up the all volunteer Red Rock Search and Rescue here in Las Vegas. I'm always fascinated with stories of difficult rescues, both of the technical and personal nature.
A few rules for the thread, should this become popular:
1. No flaming, and no politics please. Let's make this a learning experience.
2. Please use respect when it comes to posting victims names and photos - families still look for news on their loved ones, even years after the incident. So no pictures of crashed planes showing tail numbers, or extensive reports of injuries that are not germane to the situation.
3. Please do not share photos of deceased individuals.
I look forward to hearing your stories.
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east side underground
climber
Hilton crk,ca
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Oct 28, 2014 - 09:52am PT
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had to rescue a partner from the kor roof on the column. after jugging his line, we are spinning in space, both clipped in to his rappell device, had to pull out a knife and cut him free from a chest harness setup that he lowered onto and was basically strangling him, he was flailing like a drowning victim. will never fogret the look of terror in his eyes
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thebravecowboy
climber
hold on tight boys
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Oct 28, 2014 - 09:57am PT
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this one Mormon fellow wanted me to go get his sacramented oil to douse his head with before we carried him out. we carried him out just fine, oil lacking.
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Oct 28, 2014 - 09:57am PT
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I spent 9 years with an MRA team in So Cal- ranging from new trainee, BOD, Training Officer & VP of the Team. It was truly one of the most important experiences in my life, and the friends & relationships I developed there have carried on for decades.
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Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 28, 2014 - 10:20am PT
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That's awesome to hear, Apogee. I still get messages from the team here, people I have trained that used that training and it's really rewarding. I'd love to hear more about some of your rescues that have stuck with you.
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Oct 28, 2014 - 10:41am PT
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I have had only one experience with SAR, YOSAR to be exact. It was to be one of the most difficult rescues off of El Cap but it never happened. The story is a bit involved and YOSAR did their job but some ancillary people on the ground made things seem a little screwy. I made a deal with John Dill. Don't tell the press and we won't bust you for negligence and charge you for a rescue that you didn't ask for or that was ever completed. I talked with Werner about it several months after it happened but he's probably forgotten about it. I agreed with Mr. Dill because I didn't see any need to make his job any more difficult than it already was. The lessons we both learned were invaluable.
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clinker
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, California
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Oct 28, 2014 - 01:06pm PT
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Call out last night for a missing person(MP). MP was located today, safe, good news.
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Oct 28, 2014 - 02:15pm PT
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I've had SAR called on me twice...once by my Mom, when some SDMRT buddies of mine & I were overdue from a descent of a remote canyon in the San Jacintos (Tahquitz Canyon). The trip was longer than we expected, and we encountered all kinds of weird sh#t along the way, including a dead body in the upper canyon (just below Caramba Camp). Got to fly back in the next day and retrieve the body with RMRU (Riverside Mtn Rescue Unit)....that was a good time.
The other time happened on Tahquitz Rock- a SDMRT buddy & I were up on Tahquitz looking for ice in the Trough late in the day, which took longer than we expected (but we were fully prepared for). Somebody down in town saw our headlights bobbing around, and called the Sheriff's Dept, who called out RMRU. As we were rapping, we saw sirens & lights coming up towards Humber Park, and within a few minutes, a 10K candlepower spotlight was on us on the wall!
Not much we could do but continue descending, which we did under full spotlighting...at one point, our ropes got stuck due to windy conditions...no doubt the RMRU guys were just shaking their heads at us.
In both cases, we were members of SDMRT at the time, and had a friendly competition with RMRU for callouts & activity. It was a little embarassing to have their hasty team encounter us at the base of Tahquitz, realizing the SDMRT guys were poaching their territory again!
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Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 28, 2014 - 03:20pm PT
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Thanks for the input so far!
They do have sites specifically for this Jingy, I am just trying to generate some content for us here that might be useful and promote communication.
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Modesto Mutant
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
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Oct 28, 2014 - 04:06pm PT
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Back in the mid 1970's during a cold November day, a buddy and me decided to hike up to Yosemite Falls. There's a section earlier on in the trail where it begins a descent before it turns the corner and goes up the gully. Being young and incredibly stupid, I talked my friend into going up and bushwhacking then joining the trail later on. Bad idea. We crested out at the top of the ridge, rounded a corner then I took a step onto the snow, unbeknownst to me that it was covering an ice sheet. I slipped and slid down about a 60 foot ramp rolling to a stop just 15 feet from the rim. Having no way out, I talked my buddy into sliding down to join me. Now we were both trapped (remember, I was young and incredibly stupid). So we crawled over to the edge and started yelling "Rescue" to the people a few hundred feet below us. Confident that we had been heard, we sat back and relaxed, waiting to be rescued by the famous YOSAR guys. But they didn't come right away. We were soaked from the snow, wearing only pants and now wet Lionel Terray jackets. It got down to 12 degrees in the valley floor that night, I don't know how much colder it was up on that ridge. Around midnight we saw some lanterns flickering on the trail below. We made vocal contact with them then watched them slowly build their camp. But that didn't make any sense, they were going to rescue us right away, why do they need to build their camp! After that they climbed up the ridge and called across to us: "Are you hurt?" "No, we're just really cold "OK, we'll see you in the morning". We watched in stunned silence as they retreated, got back down to their camp on the trail and listened as they laughed and talked. Finally as dawn broke, the climbed back up and the intrepid Werner Braun traversed the ice sheet, clipped us in to the rope then led us back out to safety. That was the coldest night of my life and certainly the longest. After that I was more careful but not by much.
Kevin Givens
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Psilocyborg
climber
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Oct 28, 2014 - 04:26pm PT
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I am not part of any SAR team, but a friend and I went out looking for another friend that had dissappeared a couple years ago after SAR called off the search. It was uneventful as we found nothing.
Goodale Creek is a very small canyon, but we could have spent months in that canyon searching without covering it all.
I have no story to share, only that of course I never realized how difficult it is to locate a deceased person. I just remember looking up at the craggy peaks surrounding us and realizing just how small we are. I also thought about all the times I ended up in dangerous situations in wierd out of the way places.
Even the smallest shred of hope is enough though, and I will be participating in other such searches in the future, after the real SAR teams have moved on
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Jingy
climber
Somewhere out there
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Oct 28, 2014 - 04:27pm PT
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I am just trying to generate some content for us here
 agreed... if it helps one.
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Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 28, 2014 - 04:32pm PT
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Chief, I was kind of hoping you would chime in. Some full stories would be appreciated.
Psilo, good on you for trying to find your friend. I've been on long-term MP recoveries and they are incredibly difficult in many cases.
And I agree Jingy. If it helps one, then it's all worth it. I have never felt better then I do after helping someone that is hurt or in need of a rescue - or helped a family find closure, or said that one thing that stuck with someone and kept them safe.
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WBraun
climber
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Oct 28, 2014 - 07:35pm PT
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Sar case #not in the log book.
Ahwahnee meadows helicopter LZ zone.
Tourst comes up and says "My son is lost, er I mean I lost him."
Huh? Huh .... huh?
"How long ago and where?"
"Over there" he points, about an hour ago.
Can we get some Rangers to look for him?
Huh?, huh .... huh?
"Oh!! You lost your son."
"How old is he?"
"19" he says
"Hahaha" it happens every day I say.
"Come back in an hour and he'll probably show up," I say.
The tourist looks at me in disbelief and leaves.
One Hour later he returns and tells me he found his son.
Hahaha ho mannnn ......
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Oct 28, 2014 - 09:51pm PT
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^ A perfect mission
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Decko
Trad climber
Colorado
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Oct 28, 2014 - 10:00pm PT
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Well it's hard to admit being on the ground and unable to care for yourself.......
And if asked still will make me choke up for the selfishness of all involved to help..
Maybe that is the core.......
Helping others whom may by no fault of their own need it...
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redrocker
climber
NV
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Oct 28, 2014 - 10:50pm PT
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Werner, if I knew you I'd probably make some sorta tongue in cheek comment about what a cheeky bastard you are!
But I don't, so I won't. :-)
Nice idea for a thread Vegasclimber. I hope it catches on.
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Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 28, 2014 - 11:08pm PT
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Thanks Red, I do as well. And Werner can indeed be cheeky - when I stopped by to thank him for pulling me off the base of the Cap a couple years back, he shrugged and says "Meh, whatever, you put yourself in the stretcher so it couldn't be that bad"
Herr Braun, of particular interest to me would be some early SAR stories - Fish and the old crew, your early days there - if you'd be so kind to share, I think we would all really appreciate and enjoy it.
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Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 29, 2014 - 02:11pm PT
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Thanks for the link Clint!
As I said, I know there are other resources available for rescue information, this thread is for people to share those links as well as personal stories and information.
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Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 29, 2014 - 11:21pm PT
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That's a pretty gnarly crash Ron. I'm confused though, someone made it out of that and went another 4.5 miles before expiring?
What was the cause of the crash, did you ever see the final report on it?
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Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 31, 2014 - 09:05am PT
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I remember that crash, Chief. Can't imagine how bad that one was, an ugly scene for sure.
So we have been covering a lot of the bad so far, and it's true that there is often more bad then good. Any positive outcome tales would be welcome as well!
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Seamstress
Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
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Oct 31, 2014 - 11:28am PT
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Always interested in hearing about incidents - and hope to learn from them.
We do a lot of searches and mountaineering accidents. I felt bad a couple of weeks ago when I couldn't go out on an overdue mountain climber. I had been on 2 of the four missions the week before, and there is a limit for how many times you can leave work early or show up late. 12 responded and went out that evening. The following morning, I am on the way to work. The pager goes off. I see that the mission is still going on. The coordinator tracks me down by cell phone. It is much harder to say no to a person. I turned around and went home to change, grab my pack, and took off with my husband to join the mission.
We met Incident Command on the forest road, set up to maximize communications. I see the plots of the team's work from the night before - nice new GPS tracking devices that work off the radio mikes. THey have run all the ususal search patterns. Hmmmm. We are briefed and held at the command post. This drives me crazy as it is a glorously nice day, and I took a day off from work (that I can't afford), and now I am just sitting here. A family member is nearby, so I am on my best behavior on the outside, screaming on the inside.
Brother is exchanging some text messages with the missing subject. Missing subject reports he is East of the route and standing near a cell tower high above treeline. There are no cell towers on the mountain. There are seismometers. All of them are above treeline, and four are close to the climbing route. A team in the field is redirected, and the young mountain goats confidently run to the site. He isn't there. Brother's last text says there is vegetation near the tower. My intuition is screaming at me, and I know where he is. I finally convince the command to deploy the next two teams to look at two seismic stations. (Command intended to hold us until the next site on the climbing route was searched again, then decide to deploy). I volunteer for the one West of the climbing route - there is more vegetation there, and the guy is lost - of course he doesn't truly know if he is East or West of the route.
My husband and I fly up the trail. We cover 4.5 miles in 1 hour 15 minutes, not too shabby. As I break out of the trees, I see the seismometer gleaming in the sun above the end of the trail and footsteps in the sandy wash leaving the trail, going up to the station. I holler, and a man jumps up next to the station. The subject is very happy to see us, and we give him food and water. It has been 22 hours since the young, inexperienced man was "lost" from his party.
Amazingly enough the searchers during the evening came very close to his position. Also, he passed over a trail twice, within 100 feet of a trail junction sign. Yet he spent the evening undetected. Why? As night fell, the winds picked up, and he took shelter in the trees. He crossed over a rugged trail and went down a wash, followed a trail, and slept near a water source. The hill and running water blocked the voices of the rescuers who passed over the round-the-mountain trail directly above his sleeping camp and directly below where he was found. As morning approached, he returned the way he came, not noticing that he trail actually crossed the wash instead of going up the wash. The trail junction sign was just out of sight of the wash and the seismic station.
It is always nice to get the "find". Our standard search patterns for our high frequency areas give us a very high degree of success in a short period. When a subject does something different, the find takes a lot longer. One common denominator of these longer missions is the proximity to water. Voices were traveling quite well all night, but not in that zone given the terrain and water. We have updated our search protocols for that area to extend the side trip to that trail junction to continue down the trail and search near the stream. Adding 30 minutes to that search pattern would have saved hours. Fortunately the night was warm - 45 degrees, dry. The subject had a sweatshirt, extra food, and no medical conditions.
Lost subject says he is east of the route next to a cell tower high above treeline near bushes = subject is 3 miles west of the route next to a seismometer a couple hundred feet above treeline surrounded by beargrass.
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stevep
Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
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Oct 31, 2014 - 12:52pm PT
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10 or so years ago had a couple of 18-19 yr old guys that we knew from Seattle come down to visit us in SLC to climb.
I think it was late fall, about this time of year, and a halfway decent day, and they decided to do the Thumb up in LCC. Pretty easy multipitch, and these guys were 5.12 sport climbers and decent trad climbers, so should have been no problem.
They left mid-day wearing shorts and T-Shirts, as far as I knew, they were just planning to blast up and down.
Nightfall rolled around they hadn't returned. As it gets cold at night this time of year, I figured I should go look for them. Drove up to the parking area, saw their car was still there, but they weren't. Then hiked up to the base of the climb yelling for them. No sign of them and no answer.
About 11PM or so, and still no sign of them, started to figure this might be a real problem, so we called SAR. A little after midnight, the whole posse rolled up. Cops, FD, and SAR in their big staging RV. And they called out the AirMed helicopter with the big searchlight.
After another 30 minutes or so of searching on ground and via the chopper, my 2 friends wander out of the woods a couple hundred yards up the road. They were basically like "Dude, is this for us? We didn't hear you yelling." And by the generally stoned voice, and the smell on their clothes, it pretty quickly became apparent that the had gotten a little off track on the descent. Instead of continuing down, they just stopped, broke out the weed and got baked for a couple hours.
So all ended up OK, except for a small amount of embarrassment for me for calling out SAR on the two idiots, and a larger amount of embarrassment on their part, along with a major lecture from the authorities.
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DI
climber
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I was on YOSAR in the early 90's
Here's a picture of the rope system and man power to raise someone up El cap
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Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 5, 2014 - 01:08pm PT
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DI that is an awesome share! Thanks very much. Would love to hear any tales you would like to share of your time with YOSAR.
I was kind of surprised to see this thread make the ST newsletter, I think that's a first for me. Hope to see it continue with more tales and lessons.
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climbingcoastie
Ice climber
Sacramento, CA
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Had four construction workers stranded on top of a mountain after their camp blew away during a winter storm. Got the call about noon so I left work, grabbed my pack, and headed to the Troopers. It was decided that they would fly four of us up as high as possible in a civilian helo while a Coast Guard helo tried to get to them and bring them down.
We got dropped off about halfway up the mountain while the CG helo decided the winds and lack of visibility prevented them from continuing. We hiked for about three hours in a white out with winds gusting to 60+MPH. Once near the top we seen this huge glow about 200ft away. Turns out they were using a torch to heat a cement mixer to stay warm. Good idea except they din't have a vent. When we opened their tarp we almost passed out. Three were in there and the other was found alone in a tent buried in the snow a short distance away. Once we dug him out we decided we were going to walk down. It was a long, cold, wet walk! They started hallucinating and saying the funniest sh*t. We finally made it out about 6:00 or 7:00 am.
I received a call from one of their wives later that day. She was thinking me profusely when I told her "it was no big deal. I was having fun until about 3 o'clock" then silence. Oops, guess we viewed it differently. Cool part was the CG helo pilot stopped by to thank me and called us crazy for heading up there in those conditions. Again, it's funny how different people view things.
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DI
climber
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Vegas,
Thanks; Ya, it's nice to see this thread, because I think are good stories from both sides, the SAR team and people that have been rescued. I was on YOSAR 91-93 and intermittently after that until ~ 98 or 99...looking at this old pictures, what i remember the most is Werner and Mary Brawn, John Dill and Mike Ray taking me under their wings and really mentoring me in all aspects of rescue and climbing...I'll write more later when i have some time but attaching some more "back in the day SAR photos" [photo[photoid=385042]id=385043]
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DI
climber
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sorry don't know how to add more then one photo at a time
here's another
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DI
climber
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[photoid=385043]
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| Messages 1 - 33 of total 33 in this topic |
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