Author |
Gear left Belougery Spire abseil Accident 6 Oct'15 |
|
|
20-Oct-2015 12:13:50 AM
|
Mr arrse about stugang, I was wondering if this was similar to another accident where the end markers were mixed up with the middle marker.
|
20-Oct-2015 1:09:26 PM
|
Good to see it works . . .
We had come up with a similar solution in a similar imaginary situation as a mental exercise . Great to see that you came up with a successful solution and it all worked out somewhat in the end.
If I were or am able to get up there I'd surely grab the gear for you gratis . .
|
25-Oct-2015 12:46:20 PM
|
Hi Guys. I'm the doofus who didn't positively identify the middle of the rope, who didn't tie knots in the ends, who didn't tie a stein knot, who didn't listen to his own instincts after he said "the ends don't look even" and who didn't keep a close eye on whether there was enough rope below him to reach the bottom (or next rest point). I'm very very grateful to my partner for her innovative (and brave) daisy chaining, and similarly with everyone involved in getting me to hospital. Some very kind locals have collected our gear, so thanks Mikl (we knew each other back in the day), but no need for gear retrieval. Sooo, I think I'm going to be an evangelical convert to the Stein knot. 40+ years of climbing, caving and canyoning, including probably over a 1000 abseils, without serious incident, I got complacent on a small descent abseil, after a great day's climbing (we did it from the bottom). My partner was tired and I was a bit euphoric and not as switched on to safety as I normally am. 3 fractured ribs, coccyx, sternum, 3 vertebrae (1 serious) and a bit chopped off my ear (by my helmet presumably, which is cracked wide open) later, I'll never make those mistakes again,
|
25-Oct-2015 12:59:16 PM
|
Oh, and the middle is marked by 2 dark smudges. Pathetic really. We probably got fooled by some dirty smudges elsewhere on the rope. I'm thinking a little bit of bright reflective weave thread around the mid-point would be ideal. I'm going to get some bright rope-friendly texta to mark all my ropes now. Some thing which can be identified easily. My rope's smudgy dark mid-point marker can't be seen if the rope is in motion (as in, while it's being pulled through an abseil chain or collected into a pile for tossing). I was having to stop it with every tug to look hard for the smudges, which is too time-consuming to be practical, or sensible, considering how serious mistakes can be (and were).
|
25-Oct-2015 1:24:05 PM
|
Stoked to hear you're on the up and up Andrew. Notwithstanding your current wounds it sounds like you dodged a mighty large bullet. Kudos to your partner and her presence of mind. Take care.
|
25-Oct-2015 9:43:52 PM
|
Andrew! Awesome that you survived (the coccyx is the one injury that will keep giving). Thanks for sharing the details, with a bit of imagination we can feel that we had a near-death and learn.
I did 5 abseils today and wanted to check my setup 5m down each time, way too late!
|
26-Oct-2015 4:10:38 PM
|
Best trip report I've read for a while. Your honesty with yourself and others is refreshing, and the rescue storey is awesome.
|
27-Oct-2015 12:25:58 PM
|
On 26/10/2015 widewetandslippery wrote:
>Best trip report I've read for a while. Your honesty with yourself and
>others is refreshing, and the rescue storey is awesome.
>
+1, and thanks for the feedback from both of you, as it contains salutary lessons for us all, and this especially when climbing in adventure locations like the Warrumbungles.
Best of wishes for a full recovery.
It is also great to hear that you got your gear back. Were the locals who retrieved it for you from Coonabarabran? If so, it is good to hear that they are still active in the climbing game, and when I used to climb with them, many were also in the rescue game, as well as firefighting too.
|
27-Oct-2015 1:42:21 PM
|
On 27/10/2015 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>...SNIP... as well as firefighting too.
Ahhhhh firefighters, dashing (and rugged) good looks, can do attitude and usually super cool too. Is there anything they can't do?
Heh heh heh;)
|
1-Oct-2016 7:08:16 PM
|
Andrew Collins' Warrumbungles Rescue, as published by Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.
The link was obtained from another now locked thread.
|
4-Oct-2016 11:52:43 AM
|
Thanks mods, I'd missed this thread. I was up at the Spire this weekend (walking not climbing) and it is a very impressive piece of rock.
|