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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

 Page 1 of 5. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40 | 41 to 60 | 61 to 80 | 81 to 94
Author
Arapiles Summer (warning nanny-state ahead)
kieranl
15-Oct-2012
10:14:52 PM
A new summer’s coming up at Arapiles so it’s time for the annual nanny-state lecture.

It shouldn’t need saying, but take care of yourself on hot days. Make sure you take enough water and drink it. Rest during the hottest part of the day. Check out the shade. Maybe don’t do long climbs in the sun if you’re climbing slowly or are already dehydrated from a big night before (though I'm reliably informed that climbers don't do alcohol or drugs to excess,even at parties). When you’re in the sun, loose, light-coloured clothing is more protective than tight skimpy stuff or bare skin. Wear a good hat when walking and maybe use sunflaps on helmets.

As I said, it shouldn’t need saying but severe dehydration can lead to collapse and be life-threatening. There’ve been a few rescues at Arapiles caused by this.

Another thing worth thinking about is that a staggering 50% of emergency calls from Arapiles in the past 12 months that I am aware of have been made for people who hadn’t asked for a rescue and didn’t require one.

If you think another party needs a rescue, please check with them before calling 000. They may have the situation in hand or have called 000 themselves. Just because a climber is injured doesn’t mean that an ambulance is needed; ask and see if it is needed. Lots of people have hopped or even crawled back to the car and then to hospital. You’ll usually find that people who need a rescue because of illness or injury are in no doubt about it and will be screaming “Help” to attract your attention.

If there’s no injury, it’s a matter of judgement. For myself I cannot see how a party of fit adults stuck after dark at Arapiles in fine weather warrants a rescue call-out. Either their friends can bring them torches and extra ropes to get off or it will be a character-building night. Their friends could have an even better time around a fire at the foot of the cliff with a few beers, shouting up the occasional warming word. On the other hand, if it was a party of school-kids after dark in deteriorating weather it might be a different story.

People are entitled to decline an offer of rescue, but once the 000 call is made the rescue services (minimum of Police, SES and ARG) will attend. The Police won’t cancel until they have contacted the subjects of the call and worked out what the situation is.

End of sermon.
Of course none of this needs saying, that's why I'm saying it.

Miguel75
15-Oct-2012
11:38:27 PM
All excellent points KL though I reckon something more proactive could/should be done to free up rescue services by speeding up slowpokes, putting an end to benightments and minimizing dehydration related rescues.

To this end I propose the rifle range be reopened between 1200-1500 on the hottest days, and from 2030 of an evening.... Alternatively you could just open it at random times/places to keep everyone on their toes;)
One Day Hero
16-Oct-2012
12:17:55 AM
On 15/10/2012 kieranl wrote:
>Their
>friends could have an even better time around a fire at the foot of the
>cliff with a few beers, shouting up the occasional warming word.

Just to make sure I've got this straight............you're advocating that people should light campfires at the base of Tiger Wall, in the middle of summer? They should then stay up all night getting pissed and shouting like idiots?

Been converted to born again hooliganism, eh?
kieranl
16-Oct-2012
9:32:50 AM
On 16/10/2012 One Day Hero wrote:

>Just to make sure I've got this straight............you're advocating
>that people should light campfires at the base of Tiger Wall, in the middle
>of summer? They should then stay up all night getting pissed and shouting
>like idiots?
>
>Been converted to born again hooliganism, eh?
I can't possibly comment on hypothetical scenarios.

shortman
16-Oct-2012
9:52:27 AM
On 16/10/2012 kieranl wrote:

>I can't possibly comment on hypothetical scenarios.

Did pretty well in your rant.
kieranl
16-Oct-2012
10:20:18 AM
I can't win.
I can't even put one little bit of lightness into a post without having it jumped all over as hypocrisy and other bullshit.
If you don't want me on here just tell me to f--- off and I will.

shortman
16-Oct-2012
10:27:21 AM
Geez Kieran I was just windin you up a bit.
kieranl
16-Oct-2012
11:09:28 AM
Stressful morning at work. Not in the right frame of mind to deal with internet crap. Should have just left it.

IronCheff
16-Oct-2012
11:26:30 AM
Does anyone have any suggestions or pics of home remedy visors or flaps they have fitted to a climbing helmet for keeping the sun off? A wide brim would be ok for belaying but can get in the way and reduce field of view when climbing so something that can be added or removed or folded away would be ideal.

ajfclark
16-Oct-2012
12:49:09 PM
Cancer council sells things the go on bike helmets with a brim and legionnaire flap. They should fit climbing helmets too.

On some routes when I knew I'd be in the sun for a while (Where Angels Fear to Tread springs to mind), I've put a tea towel on my head before donning my helmet. Keeps the sun off your neck and ears pretty well and doubles as a sweat mop.

ajfclark
16-Oct-2012
1:03:23 PM
Here's a link to the Cancer Council site with the things I'm talking about: http://www.cancervic.org.au/store/search.asp?keywords=helmet&CurrentPage=1&FormSubmitted=1

They have a shop in the city so you should be able to go in with your helmet and check they'll be suitable before you buy one.

IronCheff
16-Oct-2012
1:30:16 PM
thanks ajfclark.

I have a soft visor on my kayaking helmet which is quite handy. It needs 1 side of the Velcro stuck onto the helmet. One handy unintended feature is if you need max visibility you can push the brim up and it will stay up at an angle. When you want shade you can just push it back down again. No protection for the neck though.

Here's a link to it............ http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=2043
kieranl
16-Oct-2012
1:43:45 PM
You could use some velcro to stick a sunflap on the back of your helmet and carry one of those tennis visors clipped to at the back of your harness and put it on over your helmet at belays. Something I'll have to try out. I usually avoid the issue by avoiding the sun.
maxdacat
16-Oct-2012
2:46:23 PM
I just use a legionaires cap (Mountain Hardwear) and put my helmet (Petzl Elios) on top of that...works well.

Sabu
16-Oct-2012
6:09:49 PM
On 16/10/2012 IronCheff wrote:
>Does anyone have any suggestions or pics of home remedy visors or flaps
>they have fitted to a climbing helmet for keeping the sun off? A wide
>brim would be ok for belaying but can get in the way and reduce field of
>view when climbing so something that can be added or removed or folded
>away would be ideal.

I have a soft bucket hat that I clip to my harness on hot days. Allows me to switch to the hat when belaying the second (unless there is a risk of things dropping from above).

IdratherbeclimbingM9
16-Oct-2012
6:25:19 PM
On 15/10/2012 kieranl wrote:
>Of course none of this needs saying, that's why I'm saying it.

I reckon you nailed Chockstone generally in one with that remark!
Heh, heh, heh.

... and for what it's worth, I also appreciated your humour within the post, but perhaps only a long termer or someone who knows you, would have picked up on that!

Do you think the prevalence of 'lack-of-common-sense', is a generational thing related to the way climbers go about learning the art these days, or is it that the statistics include enough old-farts who should know better, but are just getting lazy?
kieranl
16-Oct-2012
9:52:09 PM
On 16/10/2012 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>Do you think the prevalence of 'lack-of-common-sense', is a generational
>thing related to the way climbers go about learning the art these days,
>or is it that the statistics include enough old-farts who should know better,
>but are just getting lazy?
The numbers are too low to make even the wildest assertion of cause. I don't believe that we were any more blessed with common sense when I was young. But maybe that was just me.
patto
17-Oct-2012
9:55:41 AM
On 15/10/2012 kieranl wrote:
>If there’s no injury, it’s a matter of judgement. For myself I cannot
>see how a party of fit adults stuck after dark at Arapiles in fine weather
>warrants a rescue call-out. Either their friends can bring them torches
>and extra ropes to get off or it will be a character-building night. Their
>friends could have an even better time around a fire at the foot of the
>cliff with a few beers, shouting up the occasional warming word.
>
+10000

One evening a few months ago I found myself looking for a few wayward friends. There were three people in the group somewhere around Arapiles. Unfortunately (in my opinion) the generous help of some overhelpful outsiders was accepted.

The situation quickly got escalated to a search and rescue with a central command and control being requested. Its difficult to descalate a situation once it has been escalated. Not at all surprisingly the group was merely slow, without much lighting and slightly lost. There was no trouble.

It can be a tough decision if you don't know where you friends are. But calling for a rescue every time somebody is out after dark is just silly. The fact of the matter is that unless they're greatly inexperienced, known to be injured or facing severe weather then not much use calling for a rescue at night.

shiltz
17-Oct-2012
10:22:39 AM
Your sermon made perfect sense to me Kieran. I'd hate to waste volunteer time for a few otherwise healthy benighted climbers. Use up the goodwill of our volunteers and they might not be there when we really need them one day.
mikllaw
17-Oct-2012
12:09:00 PM
reason number 2 to think a bit - if you don't, it makes you look stupid

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There are 94 messages in this topic.

 

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