Smith Rock Rescue Saturday

[sean_beanntan]

Two men have been rescued from the Red Wall climbing area of Smith Rock State Park.

 

KTVZ-TV reports 24-year-old Ian Wallace Carlsen of Puyallup, Wash., called 9-1-1 at about 6:45 p.m. Saturday to report that he and 22-year-old Russell Scott Howard of Gresham were stranded.

 

Both had been rappelling and had underestimated the amount of rope they needed to descend the wall. Carlsen was stranded about 250 feet from the bottom and Howard was stranded about 200 feet from the bottom.

 

Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue members climbed to the top of the Red Wall and lowered two mountain rescue members over the edge .

 

The stranded men were attached to the mountain rescue members and lowered the rest of the way to bottom of the Red Wall. Neither was injured.

 

-- Associated Press

 

Link: http://www.oregonlive.com/gresham/index.ssf/2010/11/gresham_man_rescued_smith_rock.html

 

 

[pink]

i don't understand, i'm assuming they had trad gear?

Edited November 8, 2010 by pink

[ivan]

everyone should have to free-solo the 20 feet down to the lower anchor on super-slab!

[KirkW]

i don't understand, i'm assuming they had trad gear?

 

They probably figured it was cheaper and easier to just call for rescue than it was to leave a couple of their shiny new cams behind.

 

I'm sure we will soon hear from the media how smart and well prepared these dudes were.

 

 

 

 

[summitchaserCJB]

If that's the case they need an oldschool Oregon beatdown. I'm sure the Bacon guys would do it for free.

[JosephH]

Hell, at Bacon I've seen folks use their cells for basic belay signalling. That did make me want to do some beating, but the one closest to me was just too good looking for such punishment.

[summitchaserCJB]

[wimsey]

i don't understand, i'm assuming they had trad gear?

perhaps they climbed a sport route up to the bench at the top of super slab and tried to rap with one rope

[ivan]

i don't understand, i'm assuming they had trad gear?

perhaps they climbed a sport route up to the bench at the top of super slab and tried to rap with one rope

thus my: "everyone should have to free-solo the 20 feet down to the lower anchor on super-slab!"

 

probably more like 10 feet though if you have a 60 m rope

[letsroll]

even if they climbed a sport route they still have ways to get down. Heck if they did climb a sport route it is even easier to get down.

 

 

[denalidave]

Hell, at Bacon I've seen folks use their cells for basic belay signalling. That did make me want to do some beating, but the one closest to me was just too good looking for such punishment.

Did you catch his name?

[JosephH]

Why? Does the wife know you're trolling for dates. Dude, stay out of those caves...!

[hemp22]

Seems to me this is a clear case of "sport rappelling" newbies...

probably walked to the top and tried to just rap off using a single shiny new rope.

[wimsey]

even if they climbed a sport route they still have ways to get down.

 

yes, people have gotten into and out of these jams for decades, before cell phones. makes you smarter, or makes you find a new sport.

[pink]

i don't understand, i'm assuming they had trad gear?

perhaps they climbed a sport route up to the bench at the top of super slab and tried to rap with one rope

 

well if they were sport climbers shouldn't they have lower themselves

[wimsey]

i don't understand, i'm assuming they had trad gear?

perhaps they climbed a sport route up to the bench at the top of super slab and tried to rap with one rope

 

well if they were sport climbers shouldn't they have lower themselves

 

the bolted climbs left of super slab are ~300 ft long.

 

I actually have no idea what route they climbed or descended. Just seemed like a possible scenario.

[pink]

i don't understand, i'm assuming they had trad gear?

perhaps they climbed a sport route up to the bench at the top of super slab and tried to rap with one rope

 

well if they were sport climbers shouldn't they have lower themselves

 

the bolted climbs left of super slab are ~300 ft long.

 

I actually have no idea what route they climbed or descended. Just seemed like a possible scenario.

 

i didn't know sport climbers knew ow to rap, i thought they just listened to it

[madrasrock]

I was down there on Saturday climbing at Northern point, we spent about a hour watching the light show on the Redwall area, from what we could see that they were on Helter Skelter about where is makes a turn to the right or route to the left. I do not have the new climbing book.

[stevetimetravlr]

You can walk off the Red Wall, but its faster to rap. but not if you need to get rescued I guess.

[ivan]

how do you walk off superslab w/o having to pull a silly hard (though short) move up that steeepe step above the rap anchor?

[LostCamKenny]

If that's the case they need an oldschool Oregon beatdown. I'm sure the Bacon guys would do it for free.

they'd be chased away from beacon by the yocals the second they returned to the parking lot if they even thought about calling for a rescue out there!

[corvallisclimb]

but its faster to rap.

 

 

Just based on my own experience... ANY route at Smith that does not top out on a summit it is quicker to walk off NO MATTER WHAT, than rap! (MY only exception is the cinnimon slab area if it is clear enough to toss ropes down and rap than yes you might beat someone walking off, please though if its busy walk down cocaine gully) Now I know Smith routes are often set up to rap but please PLEASE walk off if you can! SERIOUSLY IF IT IS NOT A SINGLE PITCH SPORT ROUTE PLEASE FIND THE WALK OFF.

 

Oh and you climb a route with a walk off, and didnt walk off, YOU didnt climb the route!

[Nitrox]

how do you walk off superslab w/o having to pull a silly hard (though short) move up that steeepe step above the rap anchor?

 

I don't know anyone that walks off Superslab. It's not considered a walk off.

 

 

[kevbone]

how do you walk off superslab w/o having to pull a silly hard (though short) move up that steeepe step above the rap anchor?

 

I don't know anyone that walks off Superslab. It's not considered a walk off.

 

 

Not true. I have walked off it many times. You climb left down into the gully behind it. then up and off. Maybe a 5.3 move at best. Super easy.

[stevetimetravlr]

If you don't walk off Red Wall, you miss the cool bee tree, and the opportunity to climb at the sweet little crag at the very top that is hidden away there with the bees.