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Rock Leader Rescue - Tacoma - 2023

Climbing Course

Rock Leader Rescue

Learn to rescue a possibly seriously injured rock climber who has fallen on lead with more than half the rope out

Contacts

Gregg Gagliardi
Gregg Gagliardi
Leader

The only rock leader “rescue”method offered by the Tacoma Mountaineers is belay escape/leader tie-off, a technique that is taught in the basic alpine climbing course. After it is learned, that technical skill usually leaves students puzzling over what to do after the leader has been tied off. Calling or going for help is one common answer to the question but it raises another serious question: Is it safe to leave a lead climber hanging passively from a rope while you search for another climbing team to help you, wait many hours for SAR to respond, or run to the trailhead to get help or find cell phone service? The answer is ‘no’. An injured lead climber, especially one who is passive, free hanging or nearly so, is at risk for several bad outcomes: (1) delay in receiving critical first aid (2) hypothermia/ hyperthermia depending on the weather and (3) harness hang syndrome, which though rare can be quickly fatal. 

In this clinic I present a variety of skills and techniques for rock leader rescue based on methods described by Marc Chauvin and Rob Copppolillo (2017) and David Fasulo (2011). The presented methods assume that you are either (1) an intermediate (peer) level belayer or (2) a rope leader or peer leader from another climbing team who has arrived on, or been called to, a lead climbing accident scene.  

This course is limited to Tacoma Intermediate Rock Module students who have completed the self rescue field trip.

For more info on the course see:

 https://1drv.ms/w/s!AmahJ6ZhL9UuiSaHw1ifwcQLHZpo

https://1drv.ms/w/s!AmahJ6ZhL9UuiTedV77Rw5Uvehf0

Course Requirements

This course has no scheduled activities.

Roster
Required Equipment

Required Gear 

  • 6 medium to large locking carabiners 
  • 6 non-locking carabiners 
  • 6 quickdraws (alpine draws are fine)
  • 2 cordelettes 
  • 4 double-length runners (a PAS can substitute for one of them) 
  • 2 prussik loops (autoblock), or 1 prussik loop and a Tibloc (recommended) 
  • Guide style belay plate (BD ATC, Petzl Reverso, Giga Jul) and a large HMS locker  
  • MicroTraxion (or comparable combo progress capture/ascender)  
  • Harness 
  • Rope (we will be using short club ropes) 

Recommended Reading

  • Chauvin, M. & Coppolillo, R. (2017 pp. 288-290). The mountain guide manual: The comprehensive reference—from  belaying to rope systems and self rescue. Guilford, Connecticut: Falcon Press. 
  • Fasulo, D. (2011, pp. 183-186). Self rescue. Guilford, Connecticut: Falcon Press. 
  • Mortimer, R.B. (2011). Risks and management of prolonged suspension in an alpine harness. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 22, 77-86. 
  • https://1drv.ms/w/s!AmahJ6ZhL9UuiSaHw1ifwcQLHZpo
  • https://1drv.ms/w/s!AmahJ6ZhL9UuiTedV77Rw5Uvehf0

 

Course Materials

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