dawuda Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Trip: Mt Hood - Another accident on Hood, but life is good Date: 2/1/2009 Trip Report: My buddy Josh is just getting into climbing and really wanted to try Hood. The weather looked like it'd have a great window this weekend on Saturday night and sure enough, low winds, gorgeous clear skies, and styrofoam snow up the palmer snowfield. We got an early start and made fast headway up past the top of palmer. About a thousand feet below Devil's Kitchen Josh started getting tired, but wanted to push on. We slowed, but managed to make it up to the hogsback in five hours from the car. The snow was chunky and thick with blue ice all the way up from the top of Palmer up. Well, winds were picking up and the Old Chute looked like it might have a bit of wind deposit on it. A recent avalanche still had a trail down from the rim and things didn't look to safe. Given Josh's exaustion and the questionable safety we made the safe call to bail, not wanting to be another story in the Oregonian. While plunging down the slope from the Hogsback, Josh started getting leg cramps. He changed methods of descent and managed to make it most of the way to the mellower terrain. Just as he was shifting his body way to turn, he lost his footing, slipped and with the awkward weight of his snowboard on his pack and his exaustion, flailed to the ground landing with his right hand above his head. He managed to arrest his fall as he had his left hand on the pick. But as he came to stop, i heard the most gruesome growl of pain and agony. He couldn't move his right arm at the shoulder and was quite sure he had dislocated it. We quickly determined it wasn't safe for him to work his way off the mountain and put an emergency plan into action. I got him seated safely and dug out his down jacket. Then i called 911. The SAR crews were activated, but i was told it would take awhile for them to get rolling. The wind had picked up and it was hard for Josh to stay warm. I tried to help move him down to flatter more protected ground, but he was in too much pain. Not even 10 minutes after Josh's fall, a party of 3 rounded the corner. They came and immediately started helping. They were better prepared and more experienced. One member set to isolating and restricting his arm with an ace bandage. Then they provided hot tea, hand warmers, gu, and IBUprofen, and another down jacket. After he was more comfortable and his legs cramping less, another member helped him up and supporting him from his good side, headed down the mountain. The other two and i divvied up the gear and followed. Josh was making good headway and we decided to continue down, knowing it would ease in the rescue. A party of 6 had passed us on our way down the hogsback and they had turned around now too. First down and catching us quickly was a guy with a radio. He was in contact with SAR and had heard the call on the radio. Between the four other climbers, me, and Josh, we managed to self evacuate from Devils Kitchen to the top of palmer with all the gear and injured climber intact by 11 o'clock. 10 minutes after arriving at the top of Palmer, SAR show up in a cat. Perfect timing! We all made it down safely and the awesome group effort made for a clean, well executed rescue. Josh is fine. Went to the ER and got his shoulder reset and is feeling great. Thanks a ton to Scott, Rod, Shannon, and Jeff for all your support, contributions, and bailing on finishing your climb to help us out. Thanks to Clackamas County Sherriff SAR and Reach and Treat for helping us down. If one of you who helped reads this report, Josh and I would appreciate getting your email addresses, so please e-mail at dawuda@gmail.com So, another accident on Hood, but as i said, Life is good, all are safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweatinoutliquor Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Good work guys. Safe "mostly" self-rescue kicks ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhrmabum Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 (edited) I will concur with the "good job" on the rescue. Glad everyone is safe and sound. This story affirms why, especially on day climbs in the winter, I think carrying a thermos of tea is a great idea. . . Edited February 2, 2009 by dhrmabum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WageSlave Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I'm glad things went as well as they could for you two. Weather rolled in not long after you got down and turned into a whiteout in the afternoon. No time to be finding your way down the south side while injured. Hope he heals up well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbw1966 Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I watched a small lenticular form on the summit around 1 p.m. and was glad I wasn't up there then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jclements Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Glad he's okay and you all made it out safe. Goes to show that one can be down out of the more obvious objective hazard zone and still be far from a pleasant stroll out. A few weekends back (the weekend the lady died on the Old Chute) I tried Hood the Sunday the winds were fierce. I tripped once on all that knobby ice above the Palmer lift and got a nice knee-knocking to remind me that shite is treacherous. Not to criticize, but is there anything he did or failed to do that contributed to his fatigue and cramps? New guys commonly forget to eat enough, especially at altitude when the appetite goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Not to criticize, but is there anything he did or failed to do that contributed to his fatigue and cramps? New guys commonly forget to eat enough, especially at altitude when the appetite goes. more commonly i think folks cramponing for thier first time do too much frontpointing - they need time and encouragment to perfect the french technique and generally get into a state where they don't feel like they're burning any one set of muscles too harshly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawuda Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 I'm pretty sure he needed more food, sugars, and water. We were going to eat a little more before turning around, but the winds picked up and we opted to get the hell out of the wind before we froze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jclements Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 more commonly i think folks cramponing for thier first time do too much frontpointing - they need time and encouragment to perfect the french technique and generally get into a state where they don't feel like they're burning any one set of muscles too harshly Word. I was doing a little cramping myself that morn, only my 2nd time using them, (1st time was easy Mt Adams in July), as I submitted to the wisdom of the duckwalk. Forgot my damn bottle o' Hammer Gel at home, too. Couple years ago below Mount Langley in CA I slogged up a mighty scree slope that rendered the same effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluck Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Good work on the self-rescue! As I'm sure you know now, SAR takes several hours to drive up from town, get organized, and climb up to the scene. Often, self-reliance, self-rescue, and help from other climbers is the best way to resolve the situation. Bummer your bro had an accident, but kudos to you and the folks who helped you for handling it responsibly without the need for a major SAR event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
111 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 This story affirms why, especially on day climbs in the winter, I think carrying a thermos of tea is a great idea. . . I disagree. I think that the tea only helps pass the time and perhaps makes the injured feel more comfortable. From a physiological standpoint it isn't going to change the temperature in any noticeable way; it is like adding a cup of hot water to 20 gallons of lukewarm water(no effective temp change). You would be better off carrying handwarmers or a Sam splint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alewarrior Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I am glad you made it. I now hope your friend has not lost his nerve. I agree with Ivans comment. French can be hard to perfect, It burns more energy, both in body and mind. Nevermind the ever present danger of crampon tears in your gators, causing a trip and slide. One can never underestimate the value of staying hydrated and eating a LOT. Even when completly not hungry. You must forse yourself to eat to keep up with absorbation rates from your digestive tract, and not fall behind in that respect. A TON of calories are burned climbing, and you must respect that effect on your body. Just my thoughts. Again I am glad to hear it went well for you and i truly hope your buddy takes a lesson well learned and keeps climbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnhippy Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 In all that I've learned, if someone is suffering from pre-, mild, or even early moderate hypothermia, giving them hot, sweetened fluids is a recommended form of treatment. Then followed by more simple carbs. The body needs calories (sugars) in order to produce heat. I agree the warm drink can help the subject's mental state, too. Then more treatment to warm the body core. Giving warm fluids is not trying to warm up 20 gallons of water with one cup. It's providing calories for metabolism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanfear Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Congrats on getting off the hill or at least down to the snow cat. yea on the rescue timetable, if PMR is not patrolling, then its 90 mins to drive from town, 15 min cat load/unload, 45 min cat ride, 90mins to hogsback thats 4 hours minimum. It can be a long wait when the biggest exposure to the patient might be shock and hypothermia. On your comment about the avalanche on the rim, the debris that you saw was caused by wind and a melt cycle and not a slide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 This story affirms why, especially on day climbs in the winter, I think carrying a thermos of tea is a great idea. . . I disagree. I think that the tea only helps pass the time and perhaps makes the injured feel more comfortable. From a physiological standpoint it isn't going to change the temperature in any noticeable way; it is like adding a cup of hot water to 20 gallons of lukewarm water(no effective temp change). You would be better off carrying handwarmers or a Sam splint whaaaa? i've done climbs on hood where it was so cold and windy the only way i could stop for more than a minute was by sipping boiling hot tea. the psychological effect alone is invaluable, but then you might well be a harder man than me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Displaced Native Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Congrats on getting off the hill or at least down to the snow cat. yea on the rescue timetable, if PMR is not patrolling, then its 90 mins to drive from town, 15 min cat load/unload, 45 min cat ride, 90mins to hogsback thats 4 hours minimum. It can be a long wait when the biggest exposure to the patient might be shock and hypothermia. On your comment about the avalanche on the rim, the debris that you saw was caused by wind and a melt cycle and not a slide. What about the RAT team? It's my understanding that they are up at Govy from about 9 am to dark or so...does that not offer a faster response? It's also my understanding that when they are not at Govy, they are in an ambulance down around Sandy 24/7 Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanfear Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 The RAT team is Reach and Treat. Its medical treatment. No high angle or even low angle litter evacuation capacity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Displaced Native Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 The RAT team is Reach and Treat. Its medical treatment. No high angle or even low angle litter evacuation capacity. I hear what you're saying. I have heard rumor though that they have been known to medicate to help control the pain then assist the patient walking down. Guess it all depends on the needs at that moment. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanfear Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 I dont mean to speak for them but in cases where the climber has fallen and is injured, there is often distracting pain and several other things happening that will not allow med folk to clear the spine. This means its a backboard and litter evac. ....an exception may be where the patient is upright and walking before anyone med folk get there. I am a WFR and know how difficult it is to clear the spine in the field Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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