Climber's Rescue Group

Practice day 11/11/97

In attendance : (X15) Ian Carr-Boyd, Robbie McKillop, Greg Moore, Richard Delaney, Bernie Whitelock, Shell, Parish Robbins, Darren Trew, Scott Fegent, Mick Holton, Gilbert Meunier, Mark Savage, Thomas Schattovits, Jarrad McCulloch, Lucas Trihey.

Location : Narrowneck - top cliff near bend in pumphouse track.

First exercise - we began with a practice lift using edge rollers and a 3:1 hauling system. A patient in a stretcher was lowered in with a stretcher attendant to the bottom of the 15m top cliff. Both were then hauled out using 4 people on top edge to help get the stretcher over the edge.

Second exercise was same location, same 3:1 system but we used the Larkin Frame to clear the edge. Attendant and stretcher was lowered to bottom, patient was packaged then all were hauled to top. 4 people were placed on the Larkin Frame legs to prevent it from moving under load.

Location : Narrowneck - main cliff above Catchendangle.

Third excercise was above Catchendangle on the main cliff. Two climbers were positioned on a ledge 10m above the ground, underneath a 10m overhang and approx 35 metres from the cliff top. The rescuers lowered a stretcher and attendant down the cliff. The attendant threw a rope in to the climbers and then pulled across to the climbers using a jumar on the rope. Once on the ledge with the stretcher, the patient was packaged into the stretcher and prepared to be lowered out. The hauling team was asked to lift a metre and then the stretcher was lowered out from the ledge by the other climber. Once lowered out fully the stretcher was hauled to the top. Communications was facilitated by a person half way down on a rope (who also helped get the litter over the first major overhang) and by the edge communicator. The 1/2 Larkin was used at the top to proved a trip for a high take off point. It was not used in its standard rocking configuration but was held stationary. This was because there were few appropriate low anchors to provide a back stay line. Hauling was done with 4 haulers and a 3:1 system, it was considered by the haulers to be a bit too difficult.

Fourth exercise was essentially the same as the third but a 4:1 system was used with three (and at times four) haulers.

System Notes :

A Gri Gri was used in all exercises as the separate belay line with an 11mm dynamic rope. It operated very well but was not weight tested with a load.

Instead of independant anchors for various components (rescue line, belay rope, reversible brake & hauling system) it was decided to keep all components on one central anchor. The reason for this is to keep all components in line for greater efficiency. Obviously this central anchor must be absolutely bomb proof - equalised to a number of solid anchors. A rigging plate would be useful to minimise clutter at the central anchor.

Edge rollers proved to be problematic unless well seated and square to the cliff edge / rescue line. If off centre they had a tendency to topple.

On a big and/or complicated haul (as in exercises 3 & 4) effective communication was vital. Extra people positioned on ropes on the cliff to the side of the rescue line were important to relay communications between top and bottom.

For smoothness of hauling it was important to have enough haulers or to increase the advantage so the hauling crew do not strain. If the haulers are straining there is a tendency to pull in a jerky or bouncy manner.