rescue incident in alaska with SPOT

[James holden]

The two climbers had a SPOT device, a global positioning system messenger that can be used to send satellite messages, but McRae wasn't able to get a signal to send a message until the next morning so the two climbers had to spend the night in the tent. Sterns was in a tremendous amount of pain the whole time, McRae said.

more at link …

http://www.adn.com/2013/04/21/2874041/helicopter-rescues-man-from-mountain.html

[Dena Kelley]

SPOT rescues are getting more common up here. And generally it's with good cause – an accident that leaves someone injured or without the means to self-rescue such as this incident, or a plane crash, or a flipped boat. We don't hear a lot of frivolous rescues, and hopefully it stays that way. Even once you've called for rescue, it is likely to take hours in a best case scenario and days in a worst (IE, really bad weather prevents helicopters from flying). We're fortunate up here to have a local Air Force Pararescue squadron that does a lot of the rescues, and also the Army National Guard. They even do rotations on Denali (AKA Mt. McKinley) for high altitude rescues.

[Paul Mason]

I went with Find Fast.

Compare the technical specs between Spot and other PLBs – sat'l used etc.

[Stephen M]

An Acr user here, also have a sat phone.

[spelt with a t]

So how do you do that descent with someone so incapacitated? Rappel yourself down then hope they're still conscious to push themselves off to be belayed?

[rOg w]

deleted

[James holden]

there are several options to get someone down

you can do a tandem rappel, a counterbalance rappel, lower the person first, etc … it all depends on the situation

if youre on a more remote wall, you should know and practice these skills beforehand

[Jason Torres]

Unfortunate incident. Sounds like his partner had the skills to get him down safely. Good to hear he made it out alive.

Not sure as to the reliability of SPOT. Anyone have any real life experience with SPOT? I wonder if his partner tried to get to a clearing or some elevation to try and get signal? Did he try and send for rescue while on the wall?

Really, assessing the injured is key here to getting down quickly and safely. Broken foot is vastly different from an almost unconscience partner. Then based on the assessment, you rappel using the best method.

[Author]

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