Stupid rescue

[plumbbob]

The newspaper, once again, is calling hikers, climbers. Whish they would get it right. And if they are thinking of chaging for rescues this is one they should.

 

Saddle Rock rescue — Stranded climbers unhurt

 

By Sebastian Moraga, World staff writer

Wednesday - May 25, 2005

 

WENATCHEE — Two men were rescued from Saddle Rock on Tuesday evening after they became stranded while climbing.

 

After a three-hour rescue operation by the Wenatchee Fire Department and the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, Eli Ortiz, 19, and Bill Cleverly, 21, both from Wenatchee, were removed from the rock wall, 400 feet from the top, around 8 p.m.

 

Other than a small scratch on Cleverly’s right hand, they were both injury-free and in good spirits after their ordeal.

 

“We were looking for a challenge, and we got our challenge,” Cleverly said with a smile.

 

Ortiz and Cleverly arrived at Saddle Rock around 2:30 p.m., wanting to climb to the top. Neither one was carrying any climbing gear. After about 2½ hours of climbing, they became stranded, not able to climb up or down from the rock wall.

 

Ortiz said that at that point Cleverly started yelling for help. The yells attracted the attention of a man gardening at his nearby home, who called 911 on his cell phone.

 

Aided by a helicopter that flew around the landmark several times, Wenatchee firefighters and the Chelan County Sheriff’s High Angle Rope Rescue Team arrived at the scene and began assessing the best rescue routes. Then, members of both agencies hiked to the top and set up their rescue equipment.

 

Chelan County Sheriff’s Cpl. John Wisemore was lowered on a harness until he reached the two men.

 

First, he rescued Ortiz, rappelling down with the teenager on a harness and with Ortiz’s legs wrapped around Wisemore’s midsection.

 

After being brought down from the rock, Ortiz was in good spirits, cracking jokes, holding on to a cigarette and waiting for his friend, who had the lighter.

 

Wisemore used the

same rope to climb back up to where Cleverly was. After putting a helmet on him, Wisemore brought Cleverly down to safety, ending the rescue minutes before 8 p.m.

 

“It was a nice day, we just didn’t want to sit around,” Ortiz said when asked about the reason for the climbing trip. He pledged never to do it again without the proper gear.

 

Neither Ortiz nor Cleverly said they felt fear while stranded on the rock wall.

 

“I don’t got no regrets,” Ortiz said. “It’s amazing we climbed up that far.”

 

He was concerned about his friend’s well-being, given that he had two surgeries to remove a tumor from his brain, the latter one taking place a year ago. Ortiz said his friend is still recovering but doing OK after the surgeries, although he sometimes has trouble with his balance.

 

“I almost fell off a couple of times,” Cleverly said.

 

Wisemore said Cleverly hit his head on a rock during the rescue, known as a “pick-off rescue,” but the helmet saved him from serious injury. Firefighters at the scene described the surface of Saddle Rock as crumbly and unsafe for climbing.

 

“(The two) would have fallen quite a ways,” Wisemore said.

 

Doug Clark, a firefighter with the Wenatchee Fire Department, said it was the first time he had seen an incident of this sort in the 10 years he had been with the department. He predicted more incidents like these would happen in the future, especially if Saddle Rock is turned into a city park, with more access to the public.

 

The two climbers will not be billed for the rescue, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Harum said. Estimated cost of the rescue was $5,000, he said.

 

 

 

The Wenatchee World Online - http://www.wenworld.com

14 N Mission St., Wenatchee, WA 98801 * Phone: 509-663-5161, Fax: 509-662-5413

 

*This information is supplied as a service of The Wenatchee World. All rights reserved. Not to be photocopied, reprinted or broadcast in any form, including use on web sites, without prior written permission.

[chirp]

[dalius]

“It was a nice day, we just didn’t want to sit around,” Ortiz said...

 

“I don’t got no regrets,” Ortiz said.

 

 

[Stefan]

Where is Saddle Rock?

[Rad]

rappelling down with the teenager on a harness and with Ortiz’s legs wrapped around Wisemore’s midsection

 

Check out the photo. Hey, is that your carabiner or are you just happy to see me?

 

Perhaps Spokane mayor James West will join the Wenatchee SAR as his next career move...

[summitseeker]

Wisemore, ..., Cleverly..., those have got to be made up names. Is this article legit? Maybe Mr. not-so Cleverly should have been a bit Wisemore.

[kenp]

hey Stefan, Saddle rock is in Wenatchee, on the south west corner. it's a big stack of choss, best avoided (I know from experience, I climbed it sans gear on a dare in 1977).

[Alex]

These two should pay for their rescue

[plumbbob]

Sorry about the spelling in the first post. Saddle Rock is just west of Wenatchee. I grew up there and played and hiked all over it. The rock is 'shit'. However it was something that stayed in the back of my mind over the years. The south summit was somethng I wanted to get to the top of and in the early 80s, while visiting, I tried soloing it a couple times. From the south up gullies. Got to an exposed spot and chickened out. Then got together with Jim Yoder and using a rope a bit of gear we did it. Easy 5th class, but on very loose rock. Placed a single bolt in on top and rappeled into the saddle.

[jonthomp]

The two climbers will not be billed for the rescue, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Harum said. Estimated cost of the rescue was $5,000, he said.

 

I thought Chelan County was in the habit of charging for rescues? Maybe it's only that they charge climbers for rescues and these guys while climbing, hardly sound like they qualify as climbers. Are they sure that lighter was for a cigarette?

[kenp]

there was no bolt on top when I was there!

I was with Chelan Co. SAR in the late 70's, no charge for service back then.

I think the two should be given a bill to cover the equipment costs, whether or not they pay it is another story. but how much to charge for endangering the rescue personnel? Stupid people shouldn't necessarily pay for being that way, should they?

[Alex]

Stupid people shouldn't necessarily pay for being that way, should they?

 

When stupid people do stupid shit and and rescued by trained, comptent personel (which takes time and money), and have no remorse, you bet they should!!

 

To exposit a bit, from the quotes it sounds like these two young men might just try climbing it again, when they get bored again, now knowing full well they can get rescued (ergo: no consequence for their actions) for free if they take a cell phone.

 

Sounds like Chamonix.

[kenp]

you are probably right about them trying again, Saddle rock is very visable from all over Wen. and they obviously had a good time on the decent so the temptation just might be to much. if they were injured during the operation, you know the city and county would have been help responsible.

 

when climbing is a crime only criminals will go climbing

[jonthomp]

Stupid people shouldn't necessarily pay for being that way, should they?

 

It's an interesting point of discussion. We as a society never seem to question the $ impact of people's stupidity when it comes to providing emergency services for say the person who smokes in bed and lights up their house, the hunter or hiker that needs rescuing because they entered the wilderness underprepared with say a storm forecast to move in, and so on. Yet there seems to be more and more places that will charge for rescuing climbers.

[kenp]

I understand an accident, a person outdoors for example either hiking, climbing or whatever and they are equiped with gear & knowledge ends up twisting an ankle and being unable to walk out...send in SAR - no mandatory bill. but the person who is (clearly) in a situation where they have no training/gear or business being, like the above situation, I think they should pay one way or another...a fine perhaps, community service? When I said the commit about stupid people not having to pay I wasn't saying they were exempt,I was only trying to start a topic about it.

[Drederek]

I once read (and heartily agree with) something that went like: Stupid people should be allowed to do stupid things and die so they don't pass their stupid genes on to their offspring. I submit that for the good of the human race these two people are not in need of rescue.

[Alpine_Tom]

I understand an accident, a person outdoors for example either hiking, climbing or whatever and they are equiped with gear & knowledge ends up twisting an ankle and being unable to walk out...send in SAR - no mandatory bill. but the person who is (clearly) in a situation where they have no training/gear or business being, like the above situation, I think they should pay one way or another...a fine perhaps, community service? When I said the commit about stupid people not having to pay I wasn't saying they were exempt,I was only trying to start a topic about it.

I'd agree -- especially about the community service part -- but it gets completely subjective. What if these guys had been able to get down, or get themselves to safety otherwise -- would that prove that they had business up there? If you're equipped and trained, but don't get a current weather report and end up needing rescue, do you have to pay? The most valid reason for not charging, though, is that it would encourage people to endanger themselves (and others) by taking big risks to save the $$, which in this case was dauntingly big for such a comparatively straightforward rescue. (I've never had to call for a rescue, and I can't remember the last time I was in a place where I was wimpering for my mommy, where I could have even GOTTEN cell phone reception, but knowing that I'd be on the hook for several months' mortage payments would certainly encourage me to tough it out.)

But anyone who says “I don’t got no regrets” after requiring others to risk their lives and spend a bunch of money to rescue them, OUGHT to be forced to pay!

[catbirdseat]

One of the guys had had brain surgery. The surgeon probably scooped out a fair amount of prefrontal lobe, I'd say.

[sobo]

Or maybe the surgeon opened him up, took a look around in there, saw a large empty space, and said, "Well, not much here for me to work with in the first place. Let's close him up!"

[foraker]

does the Coast Guard ever charge anyone for rescuing stupid boaters?

[catbirdseat]

Nowadays, they refer you to private outfits (if they exist) if you just run out of gas. If you are a member, a la AAA for cars, they bring you gas for free. If not, you pay a hefty fee. The Coast Guard will rescue you only if you are in immediate peril.

[Cobra_Commander]

You know what's stupid? Climbing Liberty Ridge. Climbing Mount Stuart. Climbing at Vantage. Those are stupid activities. They are inherently dangerous and you are putting yourselves in environments that are well beyond your control. That's a genuinely stupid thing for someone who wants to survive to do. Who has the gold standard of what stupid means written down, to determine whether to charge someone a "stupid tax"?

[Dechristo]

AAC RELEASES MAJOR STUDY OF CLIMBING RESCUES

The AAC has just published a comprehensive analysis of climbing rescues and the

move to hold climbers responsible for rescue costs. The report, "Climbing

Rescues in America: Reality Does Not Support 'High-Risk, High-Cost' Perception,"

was prepared by Deputy Director Lloyd Athearn, who showed that the fatality rate

at major climbing destinations has declined dramatically over the last several

decades, and that climbing rescues occur far less frequently than with seemingly

safer activities such as hiking, boating, and hunting. The report proves that

climbers are not a significant drain on the public-safety system, and it debunks

many of the arguments used to support discriminatory charge-for-rescue policies

specifically targeting climbers.

 

The Associated Press prepared a feature story on Athearn's study that was picked

up by newspapers throughout the West and in New England. The report also

received television coverage in Colorado. The full report is posted online at

www.americanalpineclub.org/docs/AAC%20Rescue%20Report%20med.pdf .

[miladugga]

I"ve worked for a paid urban fire department for 16 years and we rescue a lot of stupid people who make obviously bad choices, sometimes over and over. They don't pay anything and wouldn't/couldn't even if they were charged. Everyone pays when they pay taxes. It works. We also help people who are just in the wrong place at the wrong time, or can't help themselves. Activities like climbing are the least of the problem. Drinking and driving is the one that starts to piss you off.

[blue_morph]

The newspaper, once again, is calling hikers, climbers. Whish they would get it right.

 

Well I usually agree that they get it wrong but in this case I think everyone would agree that what they were doing may not have been an example of trained climbing, it was most certainly not an example of hiking either.

 

It was an example of climbing by non-climbers.