McHenrys Rescue 8/11/22

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GK83
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Re: McHenrys Rescue 8/11/22

Post by GK83 »

quinnwolf wrote: Thu Aug 25, 2022 1:20 pm That's a great story. Thanks for sharing. It helped me just to know a little bit about the decision process of when to stay put and call SAR and when to try to self-evac.

I do have one question though, and I hope I am not being too insensitive, so you definitely don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but were you charged any monetary fee or did you have to pay any money to anybody directly involved in this rescue? If not, is that normal for a helicopter rescue like this to be monetarily free (to the rescuee) or was this specific situation paid for by NPS entrance fees or something like that? I just don't know if it normally costs anything to call SAR.
As a general rule in the US SAR is free to the person being rescued, helicopters included, places where that does not apply would be medical helicopters (flight for life, medflight, etc.) although if you end up in one of these you probably won't be in a condition to have much say in how you are being transported, there's new legislation to control cost in these cases so it's unlikely you would be out of pocket a significant amount, AAC, global rescue, and Ripcord offer insurance that would cover those cost in most cases and are a good idea if you are frequently in dangerous areas... the COSAR card isn't insurance per se, what it does is allow the SAR team that rescues you to put apply to the COSAR fund to reimburse expenses for your rescue if you have the card, you will still get rescued without it but the rescue team will thank you that they don't have to dip into their operating budget to cover any cost incurred...
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NovaDevi25
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Re: McHenrys Rescue 8/11/22

Post by NovaDevi25 »

ClimbingFool wrote: Mon Aug 15, 2022 7:45 am I was rescued off a ledge near McHenrys on 8/11/22 and am providing my story so you can learn from my mistakes and what went well.

For background, I'm from Kansas City, getting close to 50 years old, and have climbed all 14ers except the Blanca group, where I turned around a few weeks ago due to poor conditions. I used to be an athlete, though I've had several surgeries over the years that now limit my running, and I tend to slow down from the altitude once I approach 13k of elevation. I am a strong gym climber, have soloed some 4th and 5th class, and have little issues with exposure. My outdoor roped climbing experience has been focused primarily in local crags plus a few guided alpine adventures. I am not the best route finder. As an actuary, I conduct risk management and analysis of uncertain events. I have a family that strengthens my desire to return at the end of the day. And I am a lay minister with an appreciation of the mystery of the unexplained.

After 2 weeks in Colorado, including several 14ers and hiking to Como Lake, I set out for one more big day by hiking an abbreviated version of Walk in the Park in RMNP, traversing from Flattop to McHenrys and back through Glacier Gorge to my car. Nearly all of this version of the route is class 1 and 2. It is the technical section on McHenrys where I got in trouble.

I started from Bear Lake at 2:20am where there were 11 other cars in the lot though I would not see another person until my rescue. I was gaining 1,200' per hour for the first couple of hours to Flattop and slowed a bit for the last stretch in order to stay on trail in the dark. By 5:30 I arrived at Hallet and was feeling good. I then settled into a comfortable pace and summited Otis at 6:30, Taylor at 8:30, and Powell at 10:00. The forecast indicated a chance of storms at 4:00, and I was cruising, at least compared to my typical conditions.

I was wearing non-sticky Soloman boots and had packed three liters of water, plenty of food, a battery back-up, and the 10 essentials, though I went light on clothes. I had a spare pair of socks and helmet, and I was wearing pants, a long sleeve performance shirt, windbreaker, gloves, and cap. Temperatures were 52 at the start and felt closer to mid 40s at 12k-13k when I was not in direct sunlight. Winds were calm most of the day around 5mph with gusts of 10mph. It was a bluebird day, and I was feeling great.

I put on my helmet for the descent off Powell, which was loose but easy to find. The ledge exit came quicker than expected and was cairned. I debated whether to continue on the ledges all the way to the notch but elected to descend a second, grassy gully to another cairn. From there I saw the notch and headwall to McHenrys. Here, my beta indicated to take the obvious, 300' central gully to the top with 4th class and easy 5th class climbing. I had no rope and no partner, but I was confident (overconfident) from prior climbs. I admitted to myself that the gully seemed steeper than I had hoped and that I had no specific beta of the exact line.

I scouted the route and saw a line up the gully that seemed to go. The initial climbing felt like 4th class and I cautiously ascended. Methodically, I moved up the wall, staying in the climbers-right half of the gully, and quickly entered what felt like easy 5th class terrain. I kept looking up for the next moves and saw possible options. When I was 1/2 to 2/3 up the gully, I didn't like what I saw. The wall became less featured, and the climbing was beginning to challenge me more than I liked. I spied some easier terrain up and towards the right, so I headed that direction even though it was likely off-route. After a few easier moves, I pulled some harder moves to ascend, proud of myself to rely on my gym technique. But soon, I was stuck again. Leaving a small ledge, I used a left-handed under-cling pinch, but found no good options for my feet. I shook out arms for a minute and decided to back-track to the ledge. From there, I saw no good options up or right, and I realized I had pulled through too hard a move sequence to reverse back down. The area had some off-width crack features heading up and a chimney option heading down, and I was uncomfortable with both. For a couple of minutes I assessed the situation, and then I pressed the SOS button on my InReach.

It was just after 11:00, and I hoped a team could be assembled to reach me before the chance of storms. Little did I know it would take 8 hours before I stood on lower ground. The ledge was small but secure, and I had a place for each of my hands if I kept both arms outstretched. When facing in, the left hand was secure on the aforementioned undercling pinch, and the right fit on a small sloping protrusion. I could even turn around carefully to shift the weight on my feet. I fired off a Garmin message to my wife who was in staying in Estes Park, but I didn't want to worry her. The message read "I'm safe but stuck on ledge in McHenry's notch. Contacted SOS. Pls call 911 and send SAR. In trouble when it rains."

Garmin reached out within minutes. An hour later I established communications with the NPS rangers. I cried out, not yet out of fear, but more out of embarrassment of the trouble I was causing others and my mistakes of getting to this place. I also was getting cold since I was shaded from the sun and hadn't been moving for some time. At 1:00 (2 hours on ledge), I was informed that help would arrive in 6 more hours. I was starting to shake from the cold. I let my emotions flow like a river, and I shook in fear and from the cold. I was fine for the moment but understood conditions could change quickly, and they would.

My ledge had about 3 feet of usable surface in length and 8 inches in width. It sloped slightly away from the vertical wall in front and also down to climber's left. It had one small patch of engrained dirt, and lots of lichen. To the best of my ability I scratched off the surface with my boots to make it as grippy as possible. I was scared of my legs tiring and of rain. I then provided a more truthful update to my wife who immediately enlisted our family, friends, and what seemed like the entire facebook community to engage in prayer. No matter your perspectives of faith or higher power, I hope you can understand that I was overcome with the concern and compassion of all who were rooting for me. I did not want to let them down.

At 1:30 (2.5 hours on ledge), I told my wife that I was crying uncontrollably, but at least that activity was keeping me warm. She said she couldn't afford to lose me, and I admitted I just had to stand 6 more hours, but even that thought caused me to break down emotionally. I was practicing pressure breathing, which seemed to help me focus.

At 2:00 (3 hours on ledge) the sun briefly reached me. I also saw clouds forming in the West. They weren't building up yet, but some were turning darker. I received several more messages of support. I was in contact with the rangers throughout this time providing information of my location, personal state, clothing, and supplies. I carefully removed my pack, squeezed it between the wall and me, and retrieved my battery backup to charge my phone, and somehow extracted my space blanket and wrapped it loosely around my torso under my shirt before putting the backpack on again.

Near 3:00 (4 hours on ledge) it started to hail with wet, pea-sized pellets. I attempted to shield the ledge as much as possible, but it hailed two more times, and the outside of my boots and windbreaker were soaked. More troublesome, the ledge was glistening with moisture. Shortly afterwards I started making phone calls to my family, thinking they may be my last. My nephew, who has never responded to any of my texts, sent a short message of support.

At 4:00 (5 hours on ledge), I received word that a helicopter was on the way and a second team was hiking in. I was wet and shivering uncontrollably. I hadn't dare move my feet for an hour because the ledge was so wet, but I tried to rock my weight ever so slightly from one foot to the other. A few times one foot slipped a few inches. The rangers kept telling me I was doing great.

At 4:30 (5.5 hours on ledge) I heard the helicopter. It made several passes above and behind me, but then it trailed away again. I was afraid it couldn't see me since the rocks above me were slightly overhanging, and I was partially covered from a short wall behind me as well. When it came back again, I strengthened my grip of the right hand, and waived my left arm as much as I dared. Only once did I give the briefest of glances backwards, and I could see the helicopter behind me with its open door and a man in army fatigues sitting at the opening. The helicopter hovered for some time. One time I felt it straight above, smelling the gasoline fumes of the engine, and nearly being thrown off the wall by the force of the rotors. It again disappeared.

Near 5:00 (6 hours on ledge) I heard a voice calling my name from above. I yelled back and blew my emergency whistle that I always keep on the strap of my pack.

Around 5:30 (6.5 hours on ledge), one of the rescuers rappelled behind me and attached a harness without my having to lift my feet. When I was clipped in, I still didn't quite have the courage to move out of position. Then I relaxed, and started ascending the rope using jumars. About halfway up, he adjusted the system (I believe we had arrived at an anchor and were transitioning to a second rope, but I was not coherent enough to pay attention). We jumared up the second pitch, and then I scrambled (still on belay) the last part to arrive at the second rescuer a bit after 6:00.

Around 6:30, the helicopter returned and we were hoisted up. At that moment I was flooded with an appreciation for the technical expertise of our military service people from the National Guard as well as the volunteer mountaineers from Rocky Mountain Rescue and the NPS team at RMNP command center. We made the quick flight to Beaver Meadows where I was welcome by a group of approximately 10 stern-faced NPS personnel. I felt I was sent to the principal's office. We drove to park headquarters where the rangers had plenty of detailed questions and fortunately determined I did not act in gross negligence. Contrary to my earlier impression, and consistent with all the communication during the day, the NPS were kind, concerned, and gracious. I am indebted to them in leading this rescue. I am also so thankful to my wife who may not have enlisted boots in the air and on the ground, but enlisted hundreds to pray for my safety.

This was a long account, and I'm sure you can find plenty of mistakes as well as some things that came together to make the rescue possible. Let me know if I can clarify anything in more detail. I was not hurt and am grateful to be alive.

Be safe out there.

Andreas
Reading this was harrowing. It takes humility to share this experience, thank you for sharing it so we can all learn. I'm glad they got you out of there safely.
"The effort yields its own rewards." - Commander Data

“It is only when I return to life below that I feel the world’s weight in my shoulders.” - Anatoli Boukreev

"Why climb [everest]? Because it is there." - Mallory
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