AA Trade Fair, evening entertainment

[D Mc]

My main concern is that the anchor is low...like they sai,d trunk belays pass the anchor down to your mates...or not mates if you sub around. Food for thought...

 

The fears reflected in the above quote as it relates to a base-accessible belay or lowering device for the rescue/working system is frequently brought up. But please give this some thought.

 

If you feel the people below you might be actively thinking of harming you (i.e., untieing or fiddling with your anchor point) or your work site in insecure to the point that someone might wander in and compromise your belay, this must be changed. This is not a realistically safe environment. Do you actually work in situations where someone on your ground crew is actively thinking of harming you? Would you rely on these same people for any other type of rescue situation? This is a scenario where a lot of bad things could happen to you or the public. The climber is dependent on the people below in a public work environment.

 

Dave

[Andy Collins]

Secondly Andy, i would describe the ability to preform a rescue as a pretty fundamental basic. Wouldn't you agree?

 

At no point did I state that it wasnt a fundamental basic, simply that an overly elaborate system may have the potential to create a bigger problem ie poorly set-up equipment, oversights in the setting up. Basic training covers basic rescue techniques, which is assessed. On-going training fine tunes this. I also stated that I hadnt watched this demo.

I have done an advanced rigging course where at the end we lowered a "victim" on the speed-line to get it to the ground in a fluid and safe manner, in the real world I can never see this being used, but the option is there, to be considered in just such a situation it may be appropriate.

[softbankhawks]

Hi D Mc, for one company I work for I let one of the three groundies there be my rope man when rigging, always the same guy, we know where we are going with running lines, compounded forces and MY SAFETY. It has taken a year or so to form a decent work relationship and he has the mind for the job. I would let him set-up my trunk belay, I would let him control me to the ground from it too. I didn't mean that the other guys would tamper with the set-up system, just that they cant grasp these techniques yet. Saying that though I'm planning an afternoons rope and rescue update so if these ideas will sink in I might have three guys to work closely with.....hopefully. Not everyone has my enthusiasm for climbing...if only!!

[Rupe]

I think one the best thing that the the treevolution demos show is that whilst it may be possible to carry out this complicated scenarios it really is too much hassle.

 

Mark Bridge and Chris Cowell are extremely dedicated to their cause and they go to great lengths to prove that a single line rescue is possible and in proving that they also prove its not worth it.

 

We are all agreed that lowering the SRT line from a trunk belay is the way to go and if we've ever wondered about an srt rescue, we now know what it involves so ever more than before we are going to set up that trunk belay. No more tying it off at the bottom and hoping all will be ok.

 

What they have shown us is: If you are lucky enough to have Chris or Mark on site (with a couple of hundred quids worth of gadgets on them) when a large bit of deadwood falls a knock you senseless during your assent, then you will still die of boredom during the rescue. And so if the rescue is to be done by the best groundie you know, then death is still your best option.

 

Thanks Chris and Mark. We have now got a trunk belay kit bag and my chaps can set that up while I'm getting my throwline stuck.

[Amelanchier]

What they have shown us is: If you are lucky enough to have Chris or Mark on site (with a couple of hundred quids worth of gadgets on them) when a large bit of deadwood falls a knock you senseless during your assent, then you will still die of boredom during the rescue. And so if the rescue is to be done by the best groundie you know, then death is still your best option.

 

Too true sir.

[High Scale]

I think one the best thing that the the treevolution demos show is that whilst it may be possible to carry out this complicated scenarios it really is too much hassle.

 

Mark Bridge and Chris Cowell are extremely dedicated to their cause and they go to great lengths to prove that a single line rescue is possible and in proving that they also prove its not worth it.

 

We are all agreed that lowering the SRT line from a trunk belay is the way to go and if we've ever wondered about an srt rescue, we now know what it involves so ever more than before we are going to set up that trunk belay. No more tying it off at the bottom and hoping all will be ok.

 

What they have shown us is: If you are lucky enough to have Chris or Mark on site (with a couple of hundred quids worth of gadgets on them) when a large bit of deadwood falls a knock you senseless during your assent, then you will still die of boredom during the rescue. And so if the rescue is to be done by the best groundie you know, then death is still your best option.

 

Thanks Chris and Mark. We have now got a trunk belay kit bag and my chaps can set that up while I'm getting my throwline stuck.

 

Nice post Rupert.