easiest heli rescue ever?

[genepires]

http://komonews.com/news/local/2-boy-scouts-2-adult-trooper-leaders-missing-on-mount-baker

 

[JasonG]

Too bad BMRU didn't get a ride up.  Sounded like a miserable slog.

[genepires]

not to dismiss the efforts of the rescue personnel.  Seemed like a nice flat landing and walk over to the victims.  but i read later that they had big clouds and wind.  sounds like it was a tough flight in there.

 

 

[Whatcomboy]

Top of Baker certainly does have a huge flat area for landing a chopper. Good that they dug in overnight in a storm but I have to ask, with the crappy weather forecast and heavy rain all day Sunday around Mt. Baker, why did the team go for the summit? Hope those kids recover quickly.

[genepires]

not sure if it is ever valuable to question (in hindsight) the choices of individual or groups in mountains.  the only safe choice is stay home.   We make choices and sometimes they are bad.

I will say that I have been on top of baker in a cloud cap a couple times where I was completely turned around.  Had to pull out a compass to find the way back to the roman wall as the steps were completely gone after a couple minutes of blowing snow.  Kinda funny but one of those times luck saved me.  I was holding my axe and compass in the same hand and the metal axe was giving me a false compass bearing.  (very rookie move)  Luckily the clouds parted just long enough me to realize I was bearing down on the coleman headwall. 

Without a compass or experience on several routes on that mountain, hunkering down on the summit in a cloud cap is a good idea.

[ScaredSilly]

Na, not the easiest rescue. My partner and I's on the east side Denali was easier. We called them in, put out a big ole red space blanket to mark our location, and guided them in with a mirror. It was so easy they did not even both to land the bird or drop a ranger. Just lowered down a couple of screamer suits and off we went. A couple of hours later my partner was in the Anchorage ER getting all kinds of love and attention. He looked pretty good considering he went for the ride of his life when a serac tumbled from ~2000 feet above due to an earthquake that smacked him silly, dumped him into a crevasse, then tired to bury him.

 

As for this rescue; some scout leaders should never be in charge of more than taking the trash out to the curb ...

Edited June 11, 2018 by ScaredSilly

[JasonG]

On 6/7/2018 at 6:23 AM, genepires said:

not sure if it is ever valuable to question (in hindsight) the choices of individual or groups in mountains.

 Often, you're right, but I have to disagree in this case @genepires.

The bad weather was forecast several days in advance.  And, many of us have a rule of thumb of not climbing up into bad weather on a volcano for the very situation that these Scouts experienced.  Unless you're totally familiar with the terrain and have multiple means of determining your position, the margin is just too slim on our big peaks in a storm (of course I learned this the hard way as a young climber!).  Add in minors under your care and the decision to turn back before the summit is a pretty easy and obvious one. 

They screwed up, and many of us would have said as much to them before they left camp that morning.  Moreover, the leaders poor decision put not only the young boys but the rescuers at risk, given the poor conditions.  

I'm not saying I always make perfect decisions (I have no doubt a poor choice of mine could some day kill me), but I would say that there is most certainly something to learn from this rescue.

[genepires]

you are right in that there are always lessons to be learned from bad situations.  I just sensed to beginning of a blame game about to happen.  without the full facts of what happened and what led them to their choices.   Monday morning quarterbacks are usually quick to blame and slow to listen.  Probably the best to learn from is the ANAM journal.