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Chockstone Forum - Accidents & Injuries

Report Accidents and Injuries

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Blue Mtns 'copter rescues: 28/12/13 + 5/1/14 + ...
onsight
5-Jan-2014
12:55:31 PM
I've heard about several recent helicopter rescues of climbers in the Blue Mtns but details are sketchy. Can anyone please fill us in on these?

Firstly, 28/12/13, a climber was scrambling around near the base of Dogface, perhaps wasn't yet roped up, fell and badly broke his ankle.

Secondly yesterday, 4/1/14, climbers were winched off the Tom Thumb route, *approximately* 150m down the cliff, at 5pm. The route is 150m long; I really don't know where they were on the route, or if they got ropes stuck rapping in, or what. (My guess, at that time of day, it's more likely they were having trouble climbing out -- but that's only a guess).

Oh and while I'm at it, there was also a third rescue a few weeks back, when climbers rapped in down near Stone Poem instead of their intended Bellbird Wall at Pulpit Rock, and became stuck. They were rapped into the valley by rescuers, from where they were all winched out chopper.

Personally, I'm glad that these rescue were not more serious, or had developed into more serious accidents. Many thanks indeed to the great work by Polair and the Police and Ambulance rescue services.

So does anyone have more info on these --- and what can we all learn from them?

patto
5-Jan-2014
2:03:43 PM
There was also a canyoning accident that occurred on the 3rd and extricated on the 4th via a chopper.

http://m.smh.com.au/nsw/injured-woman-rescued-from-blue-mountains-canyon-20140104-30aew.html
http://m.ntnews.com.au/news/national/bushwalkers-rescued-from-blue-mountains/story-fnjbnvyj-1226794746595
http://media.theage.com.au/featured/dramatic-blue-mountains-rescue-5052244.html

She's a friend of mine and apparently Simey's. It sounds like she lost control mid abseil. Fractured spine, a couple broken ribs and a little internal bleeding. But otherwise ok.
Tree Gypsy
5-Jan-2014
8:42:48 PM
So I am such girl from the canyon, didn't lose control but slipped on a technical section of the canyon and swung under an overhang with my back hitting into a rock, fracturing my spine and breaking two ribs. Mild internal bleeding but nothing serious... Managed to get to bottom of abseil and get off rope but couldn't walk. News didn't really get any facts straight! Happy to answer any other question and would highly recommend staying the night in Claustral, glow worms and fire flies and SPECTACULAR!
PThomson
5-Jan-2014
10:05:11 PM
G'day Such Girl From the Canyon,

Thanks for coming on here and clarifying the facts. Sounds like you're in good spirits despite the injury. TAke it easy and get back to canyoning.
patto
6-Jan-2014
4:33:47 PM
Thanks for setting things straight Kat.

On 5/01/2014 Tree Gypsy wrote:
>News didn't really get any facts straight!
You should consider yourself lucky. They were reasonably close compared to their usual attempt. The last one had a story about a boyfriend who died while trying to rescue his damsel in distress. (The girl was never in any difficulty.)

On 5/01/2014 Tree Gypsy wrote:
>Happy to answer any other question and would highly recommend staying the
>night in Claustral, glow worms and fire flies and SPECTACULAR!
LOL! Talk about being an optimist!

Macciza
6-Jan-2014
5:00:05 PM
> Firstly, 28/12/13, a climber was scrambling around near the base of Dogface, perhaps wasn't yet roped up, fell and badly broke his ankle.

Even though it sounds like it could be me; DogFace, unroped etc the 'fall/injury/rescue' stuff is a bit out of character . . .
Have checked and the ankle seems fine so I'm can confirm that it's probably not me . . .

Anyone keen for some unroped bottom-of-DogFace scrambling, anyway???
DogFace Appreciation Group is open for gatherings this Summer . ..
kowmung jones
8-Jan-2014
8:34:50 PM
Hello Tree Gypsy. I don't think you should be encouraging people to stay overnight in any canyons in the Blue Mountains, it is completly irresponsible and fraught with danger. Canyons are subject to flash flooding. I will assume that you did not know that 2 people died in Claustral Canyon a few decades back because of flash flooding.

Bugger the glow worms and fire flies, if you want to see those drive a bit further to the old railway Glow Worm tunnel near Newnes and stay overnight there. No trains to worry about either these days!
hero
8-Jan-2014
10:03:24 PM
Yes. I second that. Never do anything irresponsible.

ajfclark
9-Jan-2014
7:33:18 AM
I thought she was jokingly trying to see the silver lining in her accident.
hotgemini
9-Jan-2014
8:42:26 AM
No Andrew, she was *clearly* trying to lure people to their deaths, a risk which only internet night-watchmen like our courageous friend Mr. Jones can protect against. We salute you Mr Jones!

sbm
9-Jan-2014
9:39:38 AM
On 8/01/2014 kowmung jones wrote:
>Hello Tree Gypsy. I don't think you should be encouraging people to stay
>overnight in any canyons in the Blue Mountains, it is completly irresponsible
>and fraught with danger. Canyons are subject to flash flooding. I will
>assume that you did not know that 2 people died in Claustral Canyon a few
>decades back because of flash flooding.

Aaah bull%$!, people stay overnight in canyons and go night canyoning all the time. The risk isn't any greater at night, it's not like floods are nocturnal. Obviously you need a clear weather window, these days we use these things called weather forecasts.

Photos of canyons and people in canyons at night were featured in the National Geographic article about Blue Mountains canyons a few years back, maybe you should complain to them as well. Claustral has even seen a nude midnight winter descent, or so I hear.

>Bugger the glow worms and fire flies, if you want to see those drive a
>bit further to the old railway Glow Worm tunnel near Newnes and stay overnight
>there. No trains to worry about either these days!

Ironically the Glow Worm tunnel has less glow worms these days, and they often don't glow, due to increasing traffic and too many people shining torches at them.

Best wishes Tree Gypsy, that's a horrific list of injuries. I hope your recovery goes better than expected!
DaveN
9-Jan-2014
5:54:15 PM
On 9/01/2014 sbm wrote:

>
>Aaah bull%$!, people stay overnight in canyons and go night canyoning
>all the time. The risk isn't any greater at night, it's not like floods
>are nocturnal.

In fact - the chance of flash floods is less during the night (in summer)

> Claustral has even seen a nude
>midnight winter descent, or so I hear.
>

This has not been confirmed. The person who claimed to have done this was later exposed as a fraud.

Dave
Mr Poopypants
9-Jan-2014
6:03:13 PM
DaveN

I'm disappointed, I thought you would have done this already?

Now, there's a challenge I'm sure you are up (or down?) for it this July!

G.

IdratherbeclimbingM9
9-Jan-2014
9:17:25 PM
On 9/01/2014 DaveN wrote:
>On 9/01/2014 sbm wrote:
>
>>
>>Aaah bull%$!, people stay overnight in canyons and go night canyoning
>>all the time. The risk isn't any greater at night, it's not like floods
>>are nocturnal.
>
>In fact - the chance of flash floods is less during the night (in summer)
>
... So, after a typical Blueys afternoon-evening thunderstorm the run-off water considerately waits till next morning?
Heh 3 x ;-P
DaveN
9-Jan-2014
9:41:16 PM
On 9/01/2014 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>On 9/01/2014 DaveN wrote:
>>On 9/01/2014 sbm wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>Aaah bull%$!, people stay overnight in canyons and go night canyoning
>>>all the time. The risk isn't any greater at night, it's not like floods
>>>are nocturnal.
>>
>>In fact - the chance of flash floods is less during the night (in summer)
>>
>... So, after a typical Blueys afternoon-evening thunderstorm the run-off
>water considerately waits till next morning?
>Heh 3 x ;-P

Hey - I did say "in summer" - and in summer, nights tends to be rather shorter than days - so less probability of a T storm during the night!

Dave

IdratherbeclimbingM9
14-Jan-2014
9:43:43 PM
On 9/01/2014 DaveN wrote:
>On 9/01/2014 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>>On 9/01/2014 DaveN wrote:
>>>On 9/01/2014 sbm wrote:

>>>Aaah bull%$!, people stay overnight in canyons and go night canyoning all the time. The risk isn't any greater at night, it's not like floods are nocturnal.
>>>
>>In fact - the chance of flash floods is less during the night (in summer)
>>
>... So, after a typical Blueys afternoon-evening thunderstorm the run-off water considerately waits till next morning?
>Heh 3 x ;-P
>
>>Hey - I did say "in summer" - and in summer, nights tends to be rather shorter than days - so less probability of a T storm during the night!
>>
>>Dave




☻☻☻
daave
15-Jan-2014
6:20:21 AM
On 14/01/2014 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>On 9/01/2014 DaveN wrote:
>>On 9/01/2014 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>>>On 9/01/2014 DaveN wrote:
>>>>On 9/01/2014 sbm wrote:
>
>>>>Aaah bull%$!, people stay overnight in canyons and go night canyoning
>all the time. The risk isn't any greater at night, it's not like floods
>are nocturnal.
>>>>
>>>In fact - the chance of flash floods is less during the night (in summer)
>>>
>>... So, after a typical Blueys afternoon-evening thunderstorm the run-off
>water considerately waits till next morning?
>>Heh 3 x ;-P
>>
>>>Hey - I did say "in summer" - and in summer, nights tends to be rather
>shorter than days - so less probability of a T storm during the night!
>>>
>>>Dave
>
>
>
>
>☻☻☻

Awww...the old farts have discovered internet memes...how cute
martym
16-Jan-2014
10:07:58 AM
On 15/01/2014 daave wrote:
>Awww...the old farts have discovered internet memes...how cute
Dude, M9 knows shit about the interwebs others only dream of knowing... his little heheheh thing still has me stumped!

There are 18 messages in this topic.

 

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