As far as going for the summit or staying to help, in this case it seems the summit was the best option since there is no hope of a cell signal in Kilpacker. At least on top they get a line of sight to Telluride and can call for help. Sounds like he was pretty tough and handled it well.
As always, situation dictates.
I was on Snowmass last Monday and it felt like standing in the jet stream, maybe it was.
Alan
Mt. Wilson rescue
Forum rules
Please be respectful when posting - family and friends of fallen climbers might be reading this forum.
Please be respectful when posting - family and friends of fallen climbers might be reading this forum.
- GA_peach
- Posts: 67
- Joined: 6/13/2007
- 14ers: 58
- 13ers: 43
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Mt. Wilson rescue
There's a fine line between hardcore and stupidity.
- tlee83
- Posts: 84
- Joined: 7/2/2007
- 14ers: 58
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Mt. Wilson rescue
Made the summit of Mt. Wilson at 10:40am on Sunday. Brutal wind all the way up and back. On way down at about 13,200, it literally knocked me off my feet and I'm a buck35. Hit the ground, cut my leg, hit my head but still had my helmet on, thank goodness. Had climbed El Diente July 9 and it was the clearest blue sky, no wind day- what a difference in Kilpacker Basin! Did not know about the injured climber until reading this forum. Glad it all worked out, must have been quite a night for him.
"We reached the tree line and I dropped my pack
Sat down on my haunches and I looked back down
Over the mountain
Helpless and speechless and breathless"
-James Taylor
Sat down on my haunches and I looked back down
Over the mountain
Helpless and speechless and breathless"
-James Taylor
- timstich
- Posts: 488
- Joined: 6/21/2007
- 14ers: 11
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Mt. Wilson rescue
I just talked to my friend about this accident yesterday. The guy that hurt his hand is a co-worker and had borrowed his blue helmet for that trip. Victim also had first aid training, possibly EMT certs. The problem was that he cut an artery in his hand, so stopping the bleeding was rather difficult. He applied a tourniquet, but then his arm would go cold and numb. When the helicopter came, a medic came down with a staple gun to close the wound and that worked well. Then on the flight back, the winch didn't work and they ended up flying fully extended below the helicopter on the cable. Wow! I'll bet that was interesting. Eventually the winch was fixed and they reeled them into the aircraft.