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Rescue on Arapiles - Melbourne Cup Weekend

benwolf

9-Nov-2009
2:00:34 PM

Hi all,

For anyone who saw (or heard about) all the emergency vehicles around The Pines on Cup weekend here's the full story of what happened. And by the way this was my first rock climb! What an introduction :)

Many many massive amounts of thanks and general groveling to Muki, Lachlan and Aaron who showed up to scrape my lead climber off the side of Tiger Wall. Extra thanks also to Lachlan who resurrected my weekend by taking me climbing the next day and showing me how it's supposed to work.

I'm publishing this at Lachlan Hick's suggestion that it might help prevent someone else doing the same thing.

Read it here Climbers Rescued on Mt Arapiles

Interested in everyone's thoughts...


ambyeok

9-Nov-2009
3:06:53 PM

Many thanks for posting that, it was a very insightful report.

Wollemi

9-Nov-2009
3:32:47 PM

" “I’m Lachlan. Did you guys have a big night last night?
“Um, I think Andy might have.” I admitted. The guilt on my face must have been evident."

Yet you go on to pay with a six-pack to the bloke who suggested such - the same bloke
who queried your having a 'big night'?

If we as a nation stopped promoting alcohol as a social necessity, scenarios such as this
rescue may be alleviated.


nmonteith

9-Nov-2009
3:35:42 PM

I'll drink to that!

Seriously - this is quite an eye opening account as to what can happen with heatstroke. I never realized it could incapacitate someone so quickly and so thoroughly. Thanks for sharing.


Sabu

9-Nov-2009
3:37:06 PM

Thanks for posting that.
I'm interested though as to why the system for mobilising ARG didn't work.
To me that seems like a bit of a concern.

Just as well everyone's a stone's throw away from each other over there though!


evanbb

9-Nov-2009
3:43:34 PM

On 9/11/2009 Sabu wrote:
>Thanks for posting that.
>I'm interested though as to why the system for mobilising ARG didn't work.
>
>To me that seems like a bit of a concern.
I've heard that the tsunami warning system on some island or other failed under a similar scenario.

>
>Just as well everyone's a stone's throw away from each other over there
>though!

Good on the boys for getting of the couch too. Bomber, you've done your reputation a world of good.

martin saint

9-Nov-2009
3:55:23 PM

On 9/11/2009 Wollemi wrote:
>" “I’m Lachlan. Did you guys have a big night last night?
>“Um, I think Andy might have.” I admitted.
>
>If we as a nation stopped promoting alcohol as a social necessity, scenarios
>such as this
>rescue may be alleviated.

Knowing Lachlan quite well I can say that he doesn't view alcohol as a "social necessity" - more a fond hobby.

patto

9-Nov-2009
4:05:26 PM

First off fantastic report benwolf. Thanks for taking the time and effort to write and post it.

Also great work Lachy and Muki!

On 9/11/2009 Wollemi wrote:
>If we as a nation stopped promoting alcohol as a social necessity, scenarios
>such as this
>rescue may be alleviated.

How exactly is this the time or the place to push an alcohol agenda? While the agenda might have merit is is absolutely not the appropriate forum. If Lachlan wished to suggest a friendly payment for his rescue then I don't think you are one to comment on his desires.

On 9/11/2009 Sabu wrote:
>Thanks for posting that.
>I'm interested though as to why the system for mobilising ARG didn't work.
Yes and I'm surprised that word didn't filter down to the campsite and other climbers. Even if many climbers aren't equipped with the appropriate rescue skills they at least could have attended and brought water up much quicker. While Lachlan and Muki would be amoung best rescuers to have on the scene I'm sure at least water could have been brought to the situation much quicker.

It seems to me there was severe failures in communication in bringing the appropriate resources to the scene as soon as possible. There likely would have been any number of capable climbers around the campsite that could have offered aid had it been requested.

What happened to those that initially made the call to the emergency services? Why didn't they try to assist or at least gather people to assist? If they were inexperienced then the least they could have done was bailed and seek assistance.


cruze

9-Nov-2009
5:08:01 PM

Really interesting read. Food for thought - perhaps relying on the anchor set by your delerious leader to hold your efforts at prussicing may not have been the best idea anyway. In the event of his "anchor" failing you might inevitably pull him off the ledge he is sitting on, causing harm.


IdratherbeclimbingM9

9-Nov-2009
5:59:39 PM

Thank you benwolf for posting your account of that incident.

I have heard from authorities and read published resources about the effect of dehydration and heat stroke, but never from someone first hand or closely acquainted with it, … particularly in a climbing context.

Scary in its insidiousness is all I can say.

Well done to the rescuers.

It gives me cause to consider how close I may have come to being in the same situation as your leader on that climb, during my climbing career. Rational decisions are hard to make when one is unaware of how badly they are affected.

Perhaps another point worth empathising is the communication angle. From your account it is clear that you had your reservations and felt uneasy about how things were developing at different points along the way. Discussing this with your partner at that time might have led to a different outcome.
☺


ambyeok

9-Nov-2009
6:51:27 PM

On 9/11/2009 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>It gives me cause to consider how close I may have come to being in the
>same situation as your leader on that climb during my climbing career.

Ill second that, me and a friend went up Syrnix in full sun on a 34+ day and it was hot. I think there is a lot more to be learned from this incident than say an abseil off the end of the rope type accident.

benwolf

9-Nov-2009
7:45:54 PM

On 9/11/2009 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:

>Perhaps another point worth empathising is the communication angle. From
>your account it is clear that you had your reservations and felt uneasy
>about how things were developing at different points along the way. Discussing
>this with your partner at that time might have led to a different outcome.
>☺
>

I totally agree with that. I think when my partner was starting the 3rd pitch and running
into trouble it would have been logical to call it off then. If your far more experienced
partner can't get up something then that's a worry.

I think even when under instruction you have to make your own decisions. It's a discipline I learnt in Alpine climbing but failed to apply in this situation. Lesson learnt.

kieranl

9-Nov-2009
8:03:17 PM

Interesting account.
We're trying to find out why it took so long for the pagers to be set off; whether it's a procedural or a technical issue.
If you've calling for rescue because someone is ill or injured it's a good idea for the initial call to be for an ambulance. You want the paramedics to be there as soon as possible. Police and other services will be called out as a matter of course.
In this case the ambulance didn't arrive until the patient had reached the ground.
Even when the paramedics can't get to a patient on the cliff it is invaluable to have them on hand to consult with about the patient's condition and management.


IdratherbeclimbingM9

9-Nov-2009
9:33:51 PM

On 9/11/2009 evanbb wrote:
>Good on the boys for getting of the couch too. Bomber, you've done your reputation a world of good.

Bomber is bomber, and what we see is what we get.

His rescue skills and willingness to perform it, were never in doubt from my perspective.
benwolf and partner are not the only ones to appreciate his, and his comrades, efforts.
☺

Different slant on the topic.
... All the best fot a speedy recovery to Andy in that Syrinx exercise.


nmonteith

9-Nov-2009
9:50:33 PM

Do pagers still exist?

benwolf

9-Nov-2009
9:52:43 PM

On 9/11/2009 Wollemi wrote:
>" “I’m Lachlan. Did you guys have a big night last night?
>“Um, I think Andy might have.” I admitted. The guilt on my face must have
>been evident."
>
>Yet you go on to pay with a six-pack to the bloke who suggested such -
>the same bloke
>who queried your having a 'big night'?
>
>If we as a nation stopped promoting alcohol as a social necessity, scenarios
>such as this
>rescue may be alleviated.
--------------

I think I need to address this response. Whilst I take your point and agree that alcohol
can be a problem in our society this was not, in my opinion, an alcohol related incident.
It's a fine distinction but an important one because if we pigeon hole this as alcohol
related the real lessons will be lost.

Consumption of alcohol did play a major part in setting the scene for my partner's
dehydration on the following day - which is why I mentioned it. The thing is that
dehydration can also be influenced by a range of other factors such as weather, fitness,
food, illness (such a gastro), not drinking enough water - and the list goes on. In this
case it was alcohol but for other people it might be something else. The lesson is (for
me anyway) that it's possible to wake up and continue on your merry way hopelessly
dehydrated and not realise it. You need to pay close attention to your body.

As for Lachlan... his whimsical suggestion of a six pack as payment for saving my
mate's life was Aussie tradition at it's finest. He knew we wanted to repay the debt
somehow and he let us off the hook for the price of half a dozen scotch and cokes..
Besides what else are you going to buy someone in Natimuk. Flowers?

patto

9-Nov-2009
10:04:20 PM

On 9/11/2009 benwolf wrote:
>As for Lachlan... his whimsical suggestion of a six pack as payment for
>saving my
>mate's life was Aussie tradition at it's finest. He knew we wanted to
>repay the debt
>somehow and he let us off the hook for the price of half a dozen scotch
>and cokes..
>Besides what else are you going to buy someone in Natimuk. Flowers?

You're just lucky you weren't a woman. Or you might have had an entirely different request!


IdratherbeclimbingM9

9-Nov-2009
10:16:19 PM

... yeah, flowers are hard to obtain in Nati once the summer heat sets in.
;-)

hero

9-Nov-2009
10:30:17 PM

Yes, most of us lost them many years ago.


gordoste

9-Nov-2009
11:42:48 PM

On 9/11/2009 Nmonteith wrote:
>Do pagers still exist?

Yes, I believe most emergency services still use them. I am not sure why, but I can only guess that it's because when you send an SMS you don't get any confirmation that the person received it.

There are 33 messages in this topic.