911 - man on ledge

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Messages 1 - 8 of total 8 in this topic
Anguish

Mountain climber
Jackson Hole Wyo.
Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 21, 2009 - 04:38pm PT
From NPS Morning Report 7/21

Yosemite National Park (CA)
Rangers Rescue Climber Perched On Tiny Ledge

Park dispatch received a cell phone call from climber Daniel Susman around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15th, in which Susman reported that he’d become ledged-out while scrambling on a dome near Merced Lake and that he’d need assistance getting off the ledge. He said that he wasn’t in any immediate danger, but that he was unable to ascend or descend from his location. Upon flying past, rescue personnel were shocked to discover that Susman had downplayed his predicament. They found that he was standing on minuscule ledge, clinging to the rock on a nearly vertical wall approximately 800 feet above the valley floor. Susman’s position was deemed to be too tenuous to try to retrieve him directly by short haul. The concern was that the buffeting winds from the aircraft might dislodge Susman from his stance before he could be made secure. The pilot, Richard Shatto, and the two spotters, Jeff Pirog and Boots Davenport, had a difficult time maintaining a steady hover with the aircraft due to gusting winds. Ranger Keith Lober was short-hauled into a location 50 feet above Susman’s perch where he power drilled three anchor bolts. Ranger Eric Gabriel was then short-hauled to the anchor station. Lober lowered Gabriel down to Susman, who was then secured in a “screamer suit;” he and Gabriel were then short-hauled off the face. Cell phone coverage in Yosemite backcountry is generally nonexistent. Susman was incredibly lucky, as the location where he became stuck was just high enough for the cell signal to peek over the surrounding rock faces and hit the Sentinel Dome repeater, the only repeater in that area of remote wilderness. Incidentally, Susman had sustained and recovered from two short falls just before deciding to stop and request help. [Submitted by Keith Lober, Emergency Medical Services Program Manager]

SteveW

Trad climber
The state of confusion
Jul 21, 2009 - 04:45pm PT
That's one lucky dude!
Captain...or Skully

Social climber
way, WAY out there....(OMG)
Jul 21, 2009 - 04:46pm PT
Oh, He'll still get his Darwin award.......just missed today, is all.
happiegrrrl

Trad climber
New York, NY
Jul 21, 2009 - 04:48pm PT
That's quite a dramatic scenario! And pretty amazing about the cel reception....

There's a typo in the headline though. They spelled "Wanker" C-l-i-m-b-e-r.....
Mighty Hiker

Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Jul 21, 2009 - 04:52pm PT
A Dan Susman seems to have been the vice-president of the Dartmouth Outing Club a year or two ago.
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~doc/annualreports/2007/

The club seems to do a fair amount of climbing, but it doesn't say if Mr. Susman does.
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
Jul 21, 2009 - 04:58pm PT
Crazy, glad everything turned out alright...

Double D

climber
Jul 21, 2009 - 05:03pm PT
That's going to be expensive for him...
Mighty Hiker

Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Jul 21, 2009 - 05:54pm PT
They can charge you for endangering the rescuers, and if you're convicted you may be fined. There's a judgment call on the part of the NPS and the prosecutor as to whether what happened was truly accidental, negligent, or wilful.
Messages 1 - 8 of total 8 in this topic
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