You’re belaYing Your partner while he leads the sixth pitch of a cruiser 5.8 in the Cascades with two easy pitches left. It’s a bluebird day, you’re feeling strong, and your psych is through the roof. Your biggest concern is whether that celebra-tory summit brew in your pack is still cold, when suddenly you hear an ear-piercing shriek. There’s a moment of utter stillness

before your body is yanked into the anchor. “Are you OK?!” you yell up to your partner as loud as you can, but hear nothing except the whipping wind in response. Only now do you see the thunderheads rolling toward you in the distance.

So… now what?

November 2012issue 310

page 51climbiNg.com

ga

rr

et

t g

ro

ve

climbiNg's guide to self-rescue

by shaNNoN davis aNd Julie ellisoNillustratioNs by JohN mcmulleN

ClImbIng IS dAngerOuS. And that's part of the fun, isn't it? We learn many standard steps to manage risk and prevent bad things from happening: double-check knots! Pack a headlamp! back everything up! but someday the shit may hit the fan, and you’ll be faced with a scary and

dangerous situation. do you have the skills to get yourself and your partner back alive? Our focus in this package is developing your ability to rely on yourself.

Step one: learn this foundation of self-rescue skills, understand their uses, and know how to adapt them to whatever situation you’ve found yourself in. We worked with rocky mountain rescue group (roc-kymountainrescue.org) and other SAr experts to highlight five basic skills and three important systems in which you’ll use them. read on to discover techniques and information that might just save your life— or your partner’s.

ga

rr

et

t g

ro

ve

river rises aNd crossiNg becomes daNgerous

bad weather comes iN

lightNiNg storm

raiN moves iN aNd soaks rock

dowNclimb is coNfusiNg, get totally lost

bridge over river washes out

caN’t climb through the crux sectioN

get beNighted

marmot eats your ratioNs for 3 days

rope is too short for a loNg rappel

gotta bail aNd build solid rap aNchors

partNer falls oN huge, uNprotected slabby traverse aNd tears half his skiN off

rope is irretrievably stuck

laNdslide wipes out approach trail

rock fall chops secoNd rope

30-foot whip breaks aN aNkle

field uses

asceNdiNg a rope

passiNg a kNot

escapiNg a belay

Save YourSelf!a guide to Self-reScue

November 2012issue 310

page 52climbiNg.com

Core skills

prusik hitch

flemish beNd

muNterhitch

muNter-mule-overhaNd (mmo)

mule hitch oN a belay device

54 | n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 2

Also known as a figure-eight bend, this knot is excellent for quickly turning a strand of cord into a closed loop. It’s easy to tie and untie, even after being loaded.

➔Applications: Making a rescue loop out of cord, foot/waist prusik, joining two ropes

fig. 6 Clip the rope through the locking carabiner.

fig. 7 Make a bight in the rope above the biner and twist it into a loop, as shown.

fig. 8 Slide that loop over the nose of the carabiner, close the biner, and lock it.

This is a friction hitch that allows a closed loop of cord to be attached to a rope and hold a heavy load com-ing from above or below. Prusiks are versatile, easy

to tie, and the equipment required is lightweight and minimal—all you need is 7mm cord that is equal in length to your height.

➔Applications: Escaping the belay, passing a knot, ascend-ing/descending a rope, rappel backup, hauling, crevasse rescue

PruSik HitcH

fig. 1 Take the knotted end of the cord and wrap it around the rope, go-ing through the other end of the cord, similar to a girth-hitch.

fig. 2 Continue wrapping two more times, for a total of three wraps. Three

wraps is sufficient for cord; prusiks tied from nylon webbing might require more wraps.

fig. 3 Pull the loose end of the cord so the wraps tighten onto the rope. Dress the hitch by stacking the coils

neatly next to each other; nothing should be crossed, and there should be six coils in a row. Ideally, position the loop’s connecting knot (Flemish bend or double fisherman’s) near the prusik hitch, so it won’t get in the way when you use the end of the loop.

Munter HitcH

Little mistakes with big consequences and how to

avoid them

by MollY looMiS

The fOllOWIng fIve STrAIghT-

fOrWArd SKIllS hAve A WIde vArIeTY Of

APPlICATIOnS In everYThIng

frOm AId ClImbIng

TO Self-reSCue. leArn hOW TO

dO TheSe quICKlY And effICIenTlY, And YOu’ll

hAve The buIldIng

blOCKS TO CArrY OuT

muCh mOre COmPlex ClImbIng SYSTemS.

core SkillS

fleMiSH Bend

core Skill

no.1

core Skill

no.3

core Skill

no.2

fig. 1 fig. 2 fig. 3

fig. 4 Tie a figure-eight in the end of the cord, as if you were tying in to the end of a rope. With the other end of the cord, start where the end of the

original cord comes out of the knot and retrace the figure-eight all the way through.

fig. 5 When you’re done, the cord ends should be facing in opposite directions, and the knot should be pulled tight with no crossing strands.

at the Marmot Buffet

tHe alMoSt ePic: last sum-mer, three separate parties, three weeks in a row, made the mistake of leaving their approach shoes on Broadway ledge in an attempt to lighten their load for their ascent of the diamond on longs Peak in rocky Mountain national Park. they returned to find their shoes munched beyond function—or entirely gone. What would have been the end of a fantastic day turned into the beginning of a long night, trudging 4.5 painful miles in climbing shoes.tHe avoidance Plan: Pack descent shoes with you or bury them beneath rocks.

fig. 4

fig. 6 fig. 7 fig. 8

fig. 5

fig. 9 Take the brake strand of the Munter hitch, pull it above the biner and behind the loaded rope. Twist one side into a loop, and pull the other, longer one into a bight (in the image, it’s the right loop) about eight inches long.

fig. 10 Pull the longer bight around the loaded rope and push it through the loop on the opposite side. Pull that longer loop tight, keeping in mind the new knot (the mule hitch) should sit just above the Munter. This combination is the Munter-mule hitch.

fig. 11 To finish the knot, tie a backup, in this case an overhand. Wrap the longer loop around the rope again and back up through itself, creating an overhand knot with the loop-tail running in the same direction as the load end of the rope. This overhand knot needs to sit almost on top of the Munter-mule.

Every climber should know the Munter hitch. Clipped to a locking carabiner, it can be used instead of a tube-style belay device for belaying, lowering, and rap-pelling.

➔Applications: Es-caping a belay, pass-ing a knot, tying off a climber, belaying, lowering, rappelling

Munter-Mule-overHand (MMo)

This knot is key to get-ting "hands free” on a belay, meaning you’ve tied off your climber so you can take your hand off the brake end of the rope. It builds off the Munter hitch, so a cor-rectly tied Munter is the first step.➔Applications: Tying off a climber, escaping a belay, passing a knot

the gloved Hand

tHe alMoSt ePic: “i’ve been climbing for 15 years, and i’ve worked as a rock guide teaching hundreds of people the ins and outs of belaying. But last spring i dropped my partner. totally embarrass-ing. fatally scary. i felt like an absolute complete idiot.”

the belayer (name withheld so as to avoid preventing him from ever finding another climbing partner) was lowering his buddy off a sport route at idaho's city of rocks when all of a sud-den he felt a sharp stab on his palm. instinctively, he let go of the rope. it was “just a second,” but his partner still dropped enough that had she been near a ledge, or within 15 feet of the ground, she could have broken bones. luckily, he was using a grigri, which caught quickly. His partner also had the presence of mind to reach out and grab the other end of the rope to slow herself. the culprit: cactus spines from a hidden cholla.tHe avoidance Plan: this incident demonstrates one of the benefits of using a grigri. also, use a rope bag if you’re cragging to keep the rope from attracting debris. Most important, wear belay gloves.

fig. 9

fig. 10 fig. 11

how to keep the sh!t from

hittiNg the faN

how to keep the sh!t from

hittiNg the faN

core Skill

no.4

improvise aNd overcomelife-saviNg uses for items iN every climber’s pack.

RopeEvacuation litter / Sleeping pad

Socks Mittens / Soak with water (dew, shallow puddle, mud) and wring into mouth / Padding for impaled object

ShirtTourniquet or cravat / Sun-blocking do-rag / Sling for injured arm / Wound dressing / Padding for splints

Hydration reservoirUse pressure and delivery tube to clean gaping wounds

c l i m b i n g.c o m | 55

56 | n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 2

fig. 15 Now wrap the bight back around the loaded rope.

fig. 16 Complete a circle around the loaded rope, and run the bight up through it to tie an overhand backup knot.

fig. 17 Notice how the overhand backup sits close to the top of the mule hitch.

Mule HitcH on a

BelaY device

This is the same mule hitch used in a Munter-mule-overhand, but it’s tied on top of a tube-style belay device instead of a Munter hitch. The begin-ning steps of this version are slightly different because the brake strand isn’t run through the carabiner as it is with a Munter. It’s important to learn this method because most American climb-ers belay with a device instead of a Munter. While you’re tying this, it’s vitally important to keep the brake end of the rope bent sharply through the belay device. This ensures a tight belay for the climber.

➔Applications: Tying off a fallen climber, escaping a belay, passing a knot

core Skill

no.5

fig. 12 Pull a bight from the brake strand through the locking belay cara-biner. The bight will need to be about two feet long.

fig. 13 Run that bight behind the rope and twist one side into a loop (shown on the right side in the image above).

fig. 14 Run the untwisted part of the bight through this loop and pull it tight.

fig. 12

fig. 15

fig. 13

fig. 16

fig. 14

fig. 17

where sh!t goes dowN...

who it happeNs to...

how bad it was...

aNd why...

Number of accideNts

oN the asceNt / oN the

desceNt

terraiN

moNth

how to

keep the sh!t

from hittiNg

the faN

Number of deaths

0 600 800 1000 1200 1400 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

devil in the details

tHe alMoSt ePic: While climb-ing durrance (5.8) at devil’s tower, Wyoming, a guide’s client was ascending the second pitch when a knife fell out of his pocket. the client and the guide yelled a warning to a party below them, waiting at the base of the climb. the knife struck a rock and popped open mid-air, striking one of the climbers below. Miraculously, her only injury was a slice

on the back of her neck, the surface she presented skyward as she ducked her head. tHe avoidance Plan: this incident may land in the .00001 probability percentile, but the moral of the story is applicable to anything unexpectedly falling out of the sky—carabiners, dislodged rocks, cameras, poo, whatever. the point is to think carefully about other parties, especially on routes that attract less experienced climbers who are arguably more apt to drop items and pluck out rocks.

if you hear someone yell

“rock!!!!” (the generic term for anything unintention-ally dropped or dislodged), or distant, unintelligible screams, don’t duck your head! that exposes the back of your neck and the ridges of your spinal column. instead, present the top of your helmet and scrunch your shoulders to protect your vertebrae against impact. fall-ing objects tend to bounce away from the cliff, so scoot into the wall as close as possible. also, if you pack a knife (for those new to multi-pitching, a small knife is an important item to

have on your harness), tape it shut.

Skinny rope

tHe alMoSt ePic: losing control of a belay or rappel because a skinny rope doesn’t generate enough friction in the belay device. Hands burn. tHe avoidance Plan: Wear gloves.

river

rocksNowice

Jan Feb Mar apr May June July aug Sept Oct nOv Dec

NoNE/LITTLE

MoDERaTE

ExPERIENCED

Under 15

15-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-50 Over 50

age

immediate cause

Nightmare. Mount Lemmon, aZ: On August 11, 2011, a party of four climbers stumbled into a beehive near the summit. The climber yet to summit was stranded and suffered more than 1,000 bee stings before a technical rescue.

Mystery. Yosemite National Park, Ca: On an El Capitan at-tempt, a climber lost the tip of his thumb when he fell high-stepping above his aider in an attempt to place his next piece. He’s still not sure exactly how it happened.

Belay on? american Fork Canyon, UT: While trying to make the first ascent of a route, the climber was pulled off the wall by his belayer, resulting in a 60-foot fall and 15 broken bones.

Unlucky. Red River Gorge, KY: While relaxing on a boulder in the sun under a route at the Solarium, a climber was struck in the head and shoulder by a falling rock.

Miscalculation. Eldorado Canyon State Park, Co: A climber fatally fell while attempting the popu-lar Yellow Spur (5.9). The length of the sling on the cam that held his fall brought the rope across a sharp edge, causing the new 60-meter rope to sever.

type of iNJury

(data since 1984)

experieNcelevel

BRUISE

SPRaIN/STRaIN

aBRaSIoNCoNCUSSIoN

HYPoTHERM

Ia

FRo

STBI

TE

DISL

oCa

TIo

N

PUNC

TUREaC

UTE

MoUNTa

IN SI

CKNES

SHaPEHaCE

FRaCTURE

LaCE

RaTI

oN

source: these stats are limited to the accident reports the american alpine club has collected in the last 60 years (many accidents are not reported). some numbers are for single states and others cover geograph-ic regions. Join the aac (dues vary, americanalpineclub.org) and get rescue insurance with your membership.

fall or slip oN rock

slip oN sNow or ice

falliNg rock, ice, obJect

exceediNg abilitiesillNess

straNdedequipmeNt failure

lightNiNg

asceNdiNg too fast

avalaNche

rappel failure/error

exposureloss of coNtrol/glissade

Nut/chock pulled out

failure to follow route

fall iNto crevasse/moat

faulty use of crampoNs

pitoN/ice screw pulled out

CarabinerBottle opener (beer is still important)

PhoneHave power? Turn on every hour or so—rescuers may triangulate your location by cell tower pings / Dead? Use screen for emergency signal

(1-3 YEArS)

58 | n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 2

The fOllOWIng Three

TeChnIqueS:

1.ascending

a rope

2.passing a

knot

3.escaping

a belay

Are The fOundATIOnS

Of Self-reSCue. PrACTICe

AT hOme unTIl dIAled. Then

PrACTICe SOme mOre. We dOn'T COver InfInITe SCenArIOS ThAT

COuld befAll YOu, rATher SKIllS ThAT

CAn be APPlIed brOAdlY.

Many techniques described in this article were adapted from Climbing Self-Rescue: Impro-

vising Solutions for Serious Situations, by Andy Tyson and Molly Loomis. See page 61 for

four more books that should be on every climber's bookcase.

field uSeS

fig. 18 You need two lengths of cord and two locking biners to build two prusik loops: one for your waist, and one for a foot. The waist cord needs to be as long as you are tall, plus at least six inches. Join the two ends with a Flemish bend (A). For the foot prusik, you need a cord that is twice your height. on one end, tie a figure eight on a bight with just enough of a loop to clip a biner to—this loop will be clipped to your belay loop as a backup (B). The other end gets a figure eight on a bight that leaves a loop six to eight inches in length; this loop will be girth-hitched to your foot (C). In the middle of the cord, tie a figure eight on a bight with a 10-inch loop that sits at about hip level (D). Note: This is what the setup will look like when everything is measured properly,

but you will have to unclip from your belay loop and foot so you can do the next step: attaching it to the rope.

fig. 19 attach both the waist and foot prusiks to the rope with a prusik hitch. (If there are two strands of rope, make sure your hitches go around both strands.) Notice that the waist prusik (E) is above the foot prusik (F). Clip the belay loop-end of the foot prusik to your belay loop and lock the biner (G). Girth-hitch the other end to your foot (H). Push the waist prusik up on the rope as high as possible, so it goes taut. Sit back a little and let the waist prusik take your weight, then slide the foot prusik up as high as you can while still being able to step up onto it (I).

fig. 20 Step onto your foot prusik (J) and stand up so that your body moves upward, pulling on the rope above both prusiks (K) for balance and to gain upward momentum. Now that the foot prusik is weighted, the waist prusik (L) can be moved upward again. Weight the waist prusik, then repeat the sequence, alternating weighting each prusik and moving them up the rope. To descend a rope, reverse the sequence.

field uSe 1

aScending a roPeMoving up and down a taut (fixed) rope is a vital and basic skill, and might be needed for anything from escaping a crevasse or climbing past a too-tough overhang to retrieving a stuck rappel rope or aiding an injured partner. Practice this skill to get smoother, quicker, and more efficient, so you won’t waste a lot of energy when an accident actually happens.

fig. 20

core skills required: prusik hitch, flemish beNd

➔2 locking carabiners ➔ one 7mm Perlon cord, your height plus 6 inches

➔ one 7mm Perlon cord, twice your height

staNdard rescue kit

fig. 18 fig. 19

a

B

C

D

E

FG

H

I

J

K

L

This technique comes into play when you have a knot joining two ropes, and you need to get the knot from one side of an obstruction (belay device, Munter hitch, prusik hitch) to the other. For example, you might need to lower a climber more than one full rope length with two or more ropes tied together. The technique shown here allows you to move the knot past your belay device or other obstruction even while the ropes are weighted by a heavy climber.

Editors’ Note: The method described here is employed when lowering a climber off a tube-style belay device clipped to the master point on an anchor, but the same skills can be applied to any situation when passing a knot might be necessary. For clarity, the system is illustrated under no tension.

PaSSing a knot

fig. 21 When the knot is one foot from the be-lay device, get hands-free by tying a mule hitch on the belay device. Instead of an overhand backup, clip and lock a biner onto the strand leading down to the climber.

fig. 22 Prusik-hitch a loop of cord below the backup biner on the load side of the rope (A). Clip another locker on the same side of the anchor, and attach the cord with a Munter-mule-overhand (B). Slide the prusik down to tighten; now you have a backup for your hands-free system. on the knot side of the rope, tie a Munter-mule-overhand in the section of rope beyond the passing knot (C) on a locker connected to the master point.

fig. 23 Undo your original belay system com-pletely (D), so the prusik cord will take the load. Untie the overhand and mule hitch on the cord, and use the Munter (E) to slowly transfer the load to the new belay system: the Munter hitch you tied beyond the passing knot (F).

fig. 24 Remove the cord completely (G) and untie the overhand and mule hitch on the new belay system. The knot is “passed” and you can continue lowering the climber with the new Munter (H).

core skills: muNter hitch, mmo, flemish beNd, prusik

hitch, mule hitch

field uSe 2

fig. 21 fig. 22

fig. 24fig. 23

Lip balmFirestarter (coat dry tinder or toilet paper)

JacketRoll up and wrap neck for C-collar / Pin cuff to opposite shoulder for a sling.

Energy bar wrapperEmergency signal (clean silver side and flash sunlight at rescuers)

D

E

F

HG

a

C

B

c l i m b i n g.c o m | 59

60 | n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 2

eScaPing a

BelaYIf your partner gets injured while leading or following and can’t move, you may need to get into a position where you don’t have the responsibili-ties of belaying to help him or her. Don’t be scared away by how complicated this system looks at first glance. You will be taking the simple core skills described in previous pages and applying them in a logical order to free yourself from the loaded belay rope and thus, assist your immobilized partner. Escap-ing the belay is the first step in many rescue scenarios, and getting this dialed makes you an exponentially more competent climber and partner. Editors’ Note: The following steps are based on belaying a leader with a tube-style device off your harness but can be adapted to a variety of belaying situa-tions. It also assumes you have an upward-protected anchor, meaning you have at least one bomber piece of protection (preferably two) that is placed to protect an upward pull.

field uSe 3 core skills: muNter

hitch, mmo, flemish beNd, prusik hitch, mule hitch

fig. 25 The first step of escaping the belay is to get hands-free. Tie a mule hitch with an overhand backup on your belay device (A). Now you need to connect the climber’s rope directly to the anchor. Set up a length of cord into a closed loop using a Flemish bend, then use a prusik hitch (B) to attach that cord to the rope. Use an MMo to attach the cord to the anchor’s master point (MP). To do this, add a locker to the anchor and tie a Munter hitch with the free end of the loop and pull out all the slack. Put the Munter into a lowering position by pulling enough on the load end so the hitch rotates through the biner. Then tie an MMo in the cord (C). Now, push the prusik up along the rope so there’s no slack in the system (D), but make sure you can still reach the prusik.

a

B

D

➔➔

fig. 25

fig. 26 The weight of the climber needs to be transferred from the belayer to the cord. Undo the mule-overhand on your belay device, and slowly let slack out (E) until the cord goes taut to hold the rope in place (F).

fig. 27 Clip another locking biner onto the anchor and tie a Munter hitch on it (G) with the brake strand of the belay rope that’s still in your hand. Take out most of the slack, but leave enough be-tween yourself and the new Munter hitch to remove your belay device.

fig. 28 Keeping a solid brake hand on the rope run-ning through the Munter, take your belay device off the rope and pull in the rest of the slack. Now tie an MMo in the rope (H).

fig. 29 Untie the mule-overhand on the prusik cord, and using the Munter hitch that is still there, slowly let out slack until the climber's rope is tensioned on the anchor. Untie the Munter in the cord (I).

fig. 30 Remove the cord entirely from the rope and its locking biner from the anchor. Now you’re left with the weight of the climber completely on a locking biner on the anchor with an MMo to hold it in place (J).

tangled up and Screwed?

tHe alMoSt ePic: evening was rapidly approaching as two climbers began rappelling nevada's crimson chrysalis (5.8) in red rock canyon. With four rappels to go, one climber rigged the ropes and tossed them into the twilight. down he went, until he saw that one of the ropes was tangled up and caught on a chickenhead.

there was enough slack for him to continue rappelling to a better stance a few feet below, where he figured he’d be more comfortable while working on pulling the rope down. But the rope wouldn’t budge. luckily, because he could unweight the rope, his partner was able to put herself on rappel and slide down the line to a point just above the tangled mess. She engaged her rappel backup (also known as a third hand), and freed the rope from above

the tangle while he backed himself up below.tHe avoidance Plan: rappelling below a stuck rappel rope is an all-too-common yet easily avoidable mistake. even if it means having to engage your third hand (an important skill every rappeller should know) and hanging out in thin air while you pull your rope out of a deep crack, tree, or rat’s nest, take the time to do it right—be-fore rapping and just hoping for the best.

Bad glissade

tHe alMoSt ePic: rangers at both rocky Mountain and grand teton national parks have responded to multiple accidents involving hik-ers and climbers losing control while glissading. tHe avoidance Plan: Slick mate-rials like gore-tex are dangerous for glissading—they increase speed to uncontrollable. don't use garbage bags, either.

➔➔

how to

keep the sh!t

from hittiNg

the faN

fig. 26

fig. 29

fig. 27

fig. 30

fig. 28

Stuff sackNeck brace (fill with sand to stabilize potential spine injuries) / Vapor barrier (to trap heat between socks and boots)

Sleeping padSplint

BackpackFill and prop feet to treat for shock / Cut bottom from large pack to carry injured climber

HarnessCinch below waist to stabilize pelvis

C

MP

F

E

G H

I

JClimbing Self-Rescue: Improvising Solutions for Serious SituationsBy andy Tyson and Molly Loomis$19.95; mountaineers-books.org

Self-Rescue 2nd (How to Climb Series)By David Fasulo$16.95; falcon.com

Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 8th editionBy The Mountaineers$39.95; mountain-eersbooks.org

Rock Climbing: Mas-tering Basic SkillsBy Craig Luebben$22.95; mountain-eersbooks.org

ultimate self-reliaNce

libraryThese four books are the absolute best resources for all things involving tech-

nical climbing skills and self-rescue for the vertical world and beyond.

c l i m b i n g.c o m | 61

62 | n ov e m b e r 2 0 1 2

Mojave JacketGo-To Gear:

9 oz of DownTek waterproof down

Pho

to b

y Pe

ter D

ou

cett

e

www.brooks-range.com

CLIMB ON! is for ®

EVERYONE!

e - info@climbonproducts.com

p - 1.877.966.2600the quiz

1. Bob is leading up a dihe-dral, running it out, when his left foot blows off a small ledge, causing him to fall. His last piece holds, but his right leg takes the brunt of the force of the fall. He hears a crack, feels the sharp streaking pain up his right leg, and lets out a scream. You lower him, and after an initial assessment, the only injury noted is pain at his ankle, which is beginning to swell. He has feeling in his toes and you are able to feel a pulse be-low the injury. What’s next?

A. Wait 20 minutes for the pain to subside, then encourage Bob to walk it off. “Be a man, Bob.”B. Ask climbers in the area for pain medication and materials to start construct-ing a rescue litter. It’s best to immobilize Bob for the evacuation. C. Throw the switch on your SPOT device. D. Splint the injury, and if there are other climber’s around, recruit help to hobble Bob to the trail-head. If not, consider carry methods—like the split-coil carry—to evacuate.

2. While on the second pitch of a long climb in the Cascades, a party above dislodges a rock that hur-tles down the face, striking Bob in the thigh and tear-ing a deep gash. You lower Bob to the belay ledge and see an oozing wound and exposed muscle. A head-to-toe exam reveals only

the bleeding, and it is not arterial. What’s next?

A. Apply direct pressure to the wound and tie a shirt around it to control bleed-ing during the rappel to the base of the climb.B. Pack the wound with spare clothing, wrap with an ACE bandage, administer ibuprofen, and continue climbing. C. Bandage the wound and splint the leg above and below the wound. Begin evacuation.D. He insists he’s fine, so you don’t treat the wound, but you begin to set up a rappel.

3. Bob, climbing at the New River Gorge and leading a climb well within his abili-ties, makes a move to the right, placing his hand on a ledge. He immediately yells and falls 10 feet, and de-mands to be lowered. Upon reaching the ground, Bob says he thinks he got bit, and his right index finger shows small punctures and is beginning to swell.

A. Probably a timber rattler bite. The quickest fix is to suck the venom out. B. Check to make sure Bob doesn’t have on his gold rings and watch. Wash the finger with water and fashion a sling for Bob with his hand sitting just below his heart. Then reassure Bob that it’s all good. C. Take a length of cord and tie a tourniquet around the finger. D. B and C

4. During a scramble across loose rocks to the start of a climb, Bob slips and slides down the side of a six-foot-tall boulder (dammit, Bob!), scraping his left calf and arm before hitting the ground. He is bleeding along both limbs and has dirt plastered into the wounds. He is mentally alert and complains of no other pain.

A. Tell Bob he should have worn approach shoes with stickier rubber, then ask him for a sip of whatever he’s been drinking. B. Do a head-to-toe exam to make sure there are no other injuries masked by Bob’s mild panic due to his fall.C. Wash the wounds with water from your Nalgene and dress it with clean gauze and tape to keep debris out, and then discuss whether to continue. It’s up to Bob. D. Keep going. It’s really not that bad.

5. True or False. If you aced this quiz, you are pretty much good to go.

Score: 5 – Bob survives. Bob owes you bigtime. 3-4 – Brush up on first aid skills—and quit climbing with Bob. GO TO CLIMBING.COM/SKILL/BASICCARE for a basic first aid primer. 1-2 – You need a new climb-ing partner—good luck finding one!

YOu’re ClImbIng WITh A dude nAmed bOb. bOb geTS

In A lOT Of ACCIdenTS. dO YOu hAve The

KnOWledge TO SAve hIS ASS?

gIve YOurSelf One POInT fOr eACh COrreCT

AnSWer.

Will You

Save BoB?

1. d. Consider removing climbing shoe, so you can continue to monitor for feeling and pulse below the injury. Administer ibuprofen if available. Control swelling by cooling in running streams if possible. 2. a. After rapping down, reassess the wound, clean it with drinking water, and bandage it with sterile gauze from a first aid kit (spare clothing or

bandanas also work). Then begin to evacuate.3. B. This will help keep the venom from spreading throughout Bob’s body. Mark the progress of swelling using a pen every 15 to 30 minutes and cover with a loosely wrapped ster-ile dressing. You should call the local hospital to ensure they have antivenin and begin to slowly walk to the car, taking frequent breaks. Never

apply a tourniquet—this can cause death to the extremity. 4. c. If Bob wants to continue, reassess his condition before roping up. 5. False. We hope the quiz was fun and informative, but we highly suggest taking a Wilderness First responder class as many of our editors have.

aNswers

(all of the following sce-narios are adapted from

real incidents listed in the american alpine club’s

annual accidents in north american Mountaineer-

ing. all of the actual names have been changed to bob.

sorry, bob.) XX