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Calling Mountain Rescue

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 Trangia 16 Dec 2013
There is a thread running where people are taking the piss because someone called mountain rescue when in trouble on a gritstone climb.

These sorts of comments are out of order and unreasonable. Those of you doing this are cyber bullying. You were not there, but just imagine the awful consequences that could occur if someone failed to call MR in time just because they were afraid of being vilified afterwards by some of the climbing community?

I'm sure MR would rather have hundreds of "easy" rescues than one call out for a body recovery where the victim didn't call them in time.

 Choss 16 Dec 2013
In reply to Trangia:

totally agree with all that. wise words.
 Si Withington 16 Dec 2013
Couldn't agree more. It's a shame that there are folk out there who are happy to sit in their armchairs and slate someone, happily hidden behind their cloak of internet anonymity, with no real understanding of the situation. Unfortunately it's a bi-product of the internet forum and it is a risk that you take when you post anything on here these days.

I'm confident that I can speak for every member of our rescue team in saying that we'd much rather have a positive outcome from heading out to help someone who simply got out of their depth, than have to go and pick up the pieces as a result of them not calling us. I don't mind saying that I've been there myself in the past - it's a learning curve and is called 'experience'.
 alasdair19 16 Dec 2013
In reply to Trangia:

I agree. i've been rescued of a grit climb and yes if the team who lobbed me a top rope weren't confident then yes mountain rescue would/should be the next call.
 Simon Caldwell 16 Dec 2013
In reply to Si Withington:

> I'm confident that I can speak for every member of our rescue team in saying that we'd much rather have a positive outcome from heading out to help someone who simply got out of their depth, than have to go and pick up the pieces as a result of them not calling us.

You may be right, but you certainly don't speak for every team. There are many that issue public rebukes to people who do stupid things or make unnecessary call outs.
 jonnie3430 16 Dec 2013
In reply to Trangia:

Utter nonsense you miserable old gits!! What are you going to do next? Steal christmas presents from kids that you don't think have been good enough?

He/She was rescued from the first pitch of Valkyrie! (Giggling as I write it!!) You have got to be able to see that there is going to be a bit of a flaming for that, especially when you post about it on a discussion forum. They haven't exactly been crying about the responses either, so for you to be offended for them, when they are happy is just you being hypersensitive fun police. If you want to be helpful, how about starting a thread on the "101 ways to get off the first pitch of Valkyrie!!"
 Offwidth 16 Dec 2013
In reply to Trangia:

Resources are not unlimited and if people ask for help when they dont really need it someone is going to get hurt someday. I think the request for MRT in the other post was probably justified but if they had asked for help earlier I'm sure other climbers would have done the job such that MRT time wasn't wasted.
 TobyA 16 Dec 2013
In reply to Trangia:

> These sorts of comments are out of order and unreasonable. Those of you doing this are cyber bullying.

Oh come on, the chap who posted seems to have taken it all on the chin and is suitably humble and apologetic. Most people seem to put it down as 'one of those things' where no harm was done, and probably the chaps concerned will learn some new skills from it.
 jazzyjackson 16 Dec 2013
In reply to jonnie3430:

> (In reply to Trangia)
>
> Utter nonsense you miserable old gits!! What are you going to do next? Steal christmas presents from kids that you don't think have been good enough?
>
> He/She was rescued from the first pitch of Valkyrie! (Giggling as I write it!!) You have got to be able to see that there is going to be a bit of a flaming for that, especially when you post about it on a discussion forum. They haven't exactly been crying about the responses either, so for you to be offended for them, when they are happy is just you being hypersensitive fun police. If you want to be helpful, how about starting a thread on the "101 ways to get off the first pitch of Valkyrie!!"

+1 ( except for the Xmas bit, still trying to understand that! )
Sees like the OP's genuinely needed rescued which is fine but it's important we discuss the nature of emergency rescue and justification for using such a service.
Cyber bullying? Gimme a break!
Post edited at 14:03
 ScraggyGoat 16 Dec 2013
I have only glanced at the other thread so may have missed something............why on a popular crag did no other climbers sort them out?

That to me is a bigger issue than a couple people getting stuck on Valkyrie, which let's face it has been gobbling ropes and scalping aspirant VS leaders for decades........

The team may have got themselves into difficulties beyond their experience, but they shouldn't be blamed for asking for help, better that, than a messy silent pile at the bottom.
 Simon Caldwell 16 Dec 2013
In reply to ScraggyGoat:

> why on a popular crag did no other climbers sort them out?

It was dark and wet so presumably everyone else had gone home
 GridNorth 16 Dec 2013
In reply to Trangia:

Being rescued because you are stuck on a remote mountainside with serious injuries is one thing. Having your finger hurt by a nut sliding down the rope on a small gritstone crag in site of the road is quite another. The former is an understandable and justifiable call-out the latter isn't.
 Choss 16 Dec 2013
In reply to GridNorth:

> Being rescued because you are stuck on a remote mountainside with serious injuries is one thing. Having your finger hurt by a nut sliding down the rope on a small gritstone crag in site of the road is quite another. The former is an understandable and justifiable call-out the latter isn't.

Agreed, they could have been Better Prepared. They were Caught out but did the right thing at the Time, with the right outcome. I do think that makes his decision correct.
 GrahamD 16 Dec 2013
In reply to GridNorth:


> Being rescued because you are stuck on a remote mountainside with serious injuries is one thing.

Buxton MR don't have any remote mountainsides AFAIK but they still exist.
 Lukeva 16 Dec 2013
In reply to Trangia:

Jeez. If it delivered in jest and received as such it is ok? Come on, it is a bit Carry on Climbing. They made a call, nobody hurt. All good!
 balmybaldwin 16 Dec 2013
In reply to GridNorth:

The injury to the finger was not the reason for the call out. If you actually read the account in the other thread, this and the weather and impending dusk are what made them choose to retreat. The reason MRt got called out was because the second could not free their rope and was essentially stuck (admittedly with the option of just jumping off which would have resulted in a nasty injury)
 Ban1 16 Dec 2013
what difference does it make if it was on grit stone or not? honest question?
In reply to Ban1:

Just that gritstone crags are only about ten feet high.

jcm
In reply to balmybaldwin:

>The reason MRt got called out was because the second could not free their rope and was essentially stuck

No, it wasn't. It was because the second could only free one of their two ropes and was too incompetent to escape from the situation by any of the reasonably large number of totally obvious methods.

jcm
 Michael Gordon 16 Dec 2013
In reply to Trangia:

It is easy to criticise, but then one might expect those with less experience to find it harder to extricate themselves from situations. Kind of by definition? At the end of the day these experiences are memorable and good for learning from.
 Dan_S 16 Dec 2013
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

> >The reason MRt got called out was because the second could not free their rope and was essentially stuck

> No, it wasn't. It was because the second could only free one of their two ropes and was too incompetent to escape from the situation by any of the reasonably large number of totally obvious methods.

> jcm

The reason that the guy called out MRT was because he could not effect a rescue for himself, because he didn't have the required skill set. Incompetence maybe, but inexperienced definitely, and probably/hopefully it'll be a learning experience.

I think everyone involved in MR would rather be called out to assist getting someone off the crag than scrape up a corpse from the bottom. If the poor bloke didn't have the knowledge, better he make the call than try something he wasn't sure about, foul it up and hit the deck from 15 m up.
andyathome 16 Dec 2013
In reply to Michael Gordon:

> It is easy to criticise,

+ 1.

And all of the armchair critics who have come up with a lot of logical and reasonable solutions to the situations ('why didn't you just...? but surely you could have...?) really need to factor in the darkness, the rain, the wind, the lack of communication the jammed rope, the pain from the fingers and ask themselves - honestly - just how they think they would have fared in the same situation. Honestly, now!
 angry pirate 16 Dec 2013
In reply to andyathome:

Couldn't agree more.
Wonder if all the rock ninjas who have been having a pop would ring the fire brigade if their house was ablaze or just sort it out themselves?
 Michael Gordon 16 Dec 2013
In reply to angry pirate:

I think we agree in general but that is hardly a good comparison!
 Jayboy 16 Dec 2013
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

Yeah Millstone for sure
 angry pirate 16 Dec 2013
In reply to Michael Gordon:

True! But my weary brain has been beaten into submission by a nativity play so it was the best analogy I could manage.
billy no-mates 16 Dec 2013
In reply to angry pirate:

> Couldn't agree more.

> Wonder if all the rock ninjas who have been having a pop would ring the fire brigade if their house was ablaze or just sort it out themselves?

Having been in that situation (they were on strike,) I would say it was a bit different. We are climbers, part of our experience has come from mistakes which we paid for with the obligatory piss takes and whisky. Why would drolex expect any less?
 Timmd 16 Dec 2013
In reply to TobyA:
> Oh come on, the chap who posted seems to have taken it all on the chin...

Which makes comments to do with him needing a helicopter rescue if he ever had something more than a rap on the knuckles from a Hex 9 happen to him perfectly reasonable?

His body temp had dropped to 34 degrees after him being out in the wind and rain for a few hours. I don't know enough about the body to know when we start to lose some of our abilities to think clearly and do things in an unfumbling way, or how we can decline from that temperature onwards, but to me it seems like calling the rescue was a pretty good idea, irrespective of context.

People should be able to post about their experiences on forums like this and not expect to have the p*ss taken, because some folk have 'smaller chins'.

I've gained from reading his thread, like other people probably have, where as if people didn't post from not being arsed with having the mickey taken, useful knowledge wouldn't spread quite like it can.
Post edited at 23:25
 FreshSlate 16 Dec 2013
In reply to Trangia:

The analogy doesn't really quite work but it's quite funny.

Yeah the O.P has been a little inexperienced and has obviously made mistakes and errors of judgement to be calling out MRT. It once snowed when I was on a repeat of that climb and we left it a little late so just did a quick abseil from the belay as my 2nd was fairly inexperienced. This was after completing the traverse, then traversing back, back cleaning on the way back. Could have finished it but, wasn't sure if my 2nd would be up to it in the dark.

Was pretty embarrassing at the time. I wonder what would have happened had I finished the climb and left my 2nd there... It would I imagine have been up to me to go abseil down and fetch him. But I think I made the better choice at the time.

It's one of those things that you learn from, and we've all had epics that we look back and cringe at. I've had a fair few, learnt loads from them. Better to cock up at the Roaches than somewhere remote and much more inhospitable.
 TobyA 17 Dec 2013
In reply to Timmd:

> His body temp had dropped to 34 degrees after him being out in the wind and rain for a few hours.

I guess lots of us can't quite work out how he could end up spending a couple of hours there after his partner had got to the top and they had double ropes. Of course they messed up and clearly didn't have enough skills to work out a plan B. I'm not sure if you can really expect not to have the piss taken in a generally un-moderated forum if you post that. Not everyone does, indeed most people seem to say not much beyond better luck next time, but some will.
 Sir Chasm 17 Dec 2013
In reply to Timmd: What did you gain from reading his thread that you didn't already know from 11 to 20 years climbing?
 galpinos 17 Dec 2013
In reply to Timmd:
> His body temp had dropped to 34 degrees after him being out in the wind and rain for a few hours. I don't know enough about the body to know when we start to lose some of our abilities to think clearly and do things in an unfumbling way, or how we can decline from that temperature onwards, but to me it seems like calling the rescue was a pretty good idea, irrespective of context.

A body temp of 34* degC would be classed as mild hypothermia so decision making and probably motor function, would be affected.

*It's actually hard to measure temps this low on a standard "clinical" thermometer so I doubt it would be accurate, just used to see rouhly where the paient's tempurature is.
 Simon Caldwell 17 Dec 2013
In reply to Dan_S:

> inexperienced definitely

A few people have said this. In the other thread, he claims he's got 20 years' experience.
In reply to Timmd:

He was out in the wind and rain for four hours *because* he called the MR, you berk, not before he did it. He only waited a few minutes before doing that, according to his own account. Evidently lowering some warm clothing to him during that time would have required some specialist expertise and therefore wasn't possible.

In fact if he's learned nothing else I'd like to think he's learned that a little investment of adrenalin and effort in dealing with these situations yourself frequently renders them less of an epic than the other thing.

I mean, really, what happened?? One rope out of the two got stuck, it got dark and started to rain, and he decided he didn't fancy following the route after all and it was better to drag 20 people out for hours to help him. It's not very glorious, is it?

jcm
Removed User 17 Dec 2013
In reply to Trangia:

Jaysus wept I don't know what world you come from buy surely the aftermath of these sorts of 'epics' should be dealt with a heavy dose of piss-talking.

I glad I don't climb with you and your po-faced ilk on here...
 Dan_S 17 Dec 2013
In reply to Toreador:
> A few people have said this. In the other thread, he claims he's got 20 years' experience.

He referred to 20 years of mountain activities in the other thread, so not specifically climbing. In his profile he states he's only been climbing for a year since doing some as a child. On top of that (and this makes me seem like a stalker!) he's logbook doesn't really suggest a huge amount of experience with only 28 climbing routes listed, the majority on 2nd. Hence my suggestion the he's inexperienced, rather than incompetent.

Whilst this poor bloke is attracting some really unpleasant attitudes and comments, I think that a large portion of the problems he encountered were caused by the person on lead. Taking a 2nd onto a multi-pitch who can't apparently effect their own rescue, and as a leader, not having the ability to rescue their 2nd when needed is somewhat irresponsible.

Having said that, none of the people posting negative, nasty, unpleasant comments are the bloke or the leader in question. No-one knows how they react when the chips are down until it actually happens. No-one apart from them actually knows their actual abilities. It's common for people to freeze, for their minds to go blank, to be afraid and feel out of their depth. It's nothing to be ashamed of, and whether it happens 400 m from the road, or 4000 up in the alps, calling out the people who's Raison d'être is to keep a level head and provide assistance is the most sensible plan.
Post edited at 18:16
In reply to Dan_S:

>It's common for people to freeze, for their minds to go blank, to be afraid and feel out of their depth. It's nothing to be ashamed of,

Well, yes, it is, actually. Shit happens; people pull off loose rock, fall off and hurt themselves, etc. Nobody minds that. But to inconvenience 20 other people because between the two of you can't get your arses off a gritstone crag when you've got a rope leading to one of you at the top is definitely something to be thoroughly ashamed of. The whole point of the game is to acquire skills and use them in a self-reliant manner. Fannying about getting out of your depth on the basis that if you become afraid you'll just get the mobile out is not on; if it happens, it happens, but you'd bl**dy well better be ashamed and embarrassed.

>and whether it happens 400 m from the road, or 4000 up in the alps, calling out the people who's Raison d'être is to keep a level head and provide assistance is the most sensible plan.

This attitude is precisely the problem. This is not the raison d'etre of the people who run the mountain rescue services. Their raison d'etre at 5 pm on a December Saturday probably involves doing a load of things that are a whole lot more entertaining than pissing about in the rain showing a couple of bedwetting beginners how to set up an abseil. Other people's convenience is also important.

jcm
 FreshSlate 17 Dec 2013
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

Are you in a MRT?
 Doghouse 17 Dec 2013
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

Couldn't agree more. Well said Sir!
 alasdair19 17 Dec 2013
In reply to FreshSlate:

Of course he isn't. Is MRT not voluntary so people are keen to help others. And these others are likely to be out of their depth cause that's why they got into trouble. IF you start talking "worthy" rescues you rapidly end up in a daft place logically, practically and morally.

The widespread attitude that you must be (expensively) equiped, only climb in the most Adventurous (and eye wateringly expensive) style is unpleasant, selfish and is a very real barrier into our sport.

 FreshSlate 17 Dec 2013
In reply to alasdair19:
Precisely, I don't think people who volunteer to help people are 'inconvenienced' by doing what they volunteer to do. This is where JCM's rantings fall down. The specific team said they were happy to help, so I guess we're left with John's own moral objections. Which he is entitled to have, but he can't preach on about someone else's Saturday night.
Post edited at 20:23
 jonnie3430 17 Dec 2013
In reply to alasdair19:

> The widespread attitude that you must be (expensively) equiped, only climb in the most Adventurous (and eye wateringly expensive) style is unpleasant, selfish and is a very real barrier into our sport.

The most expensively dressed and equipped climbers I see are the beginners, all the ones that have been climbing for a while are in worn gear and have lots of ways to bodge stuff so they don't have to buy more.

The biggest barrier in our sport is the ego. People don't want to be seen as unknowledgeable and inexpereinced, so pretend that they know what they are doing. The ego's usually get given the heave ho after a scare, when people become far more receptive to learning as many tricks and skills as they can. I think drolex may be in this state?
 jonnie3430 17 Dec 2013
In reply to FreshSlate:

> Precisely, I don't think people who volunteer to help people are 'inconvenienced' by doing what they volunteer to do.

They obviously are, it's just that they volunteer to be. I don't think any MRT members would regret being told that a rescue has been called off because the party has got off under their own steam.
 Doghouse 17 Dec 2013
In reply to alasdair19:
> (In reply to r0x0r.wolfo)
>

>
> The widespread attitude that you must be (expensively) equiped, only climb in the most Adventurous (and eye wateringly expensive) style is unpleasant, selfish and is a very real barrier into our sport.

Surely the most adventerous style is soloing - how is that 'eye wateringly expensive' you don't need any gear at all!
 FreshSlate 17 Dec 2013
In reply to jonnie3430:
> (In reply to r0x0r.wolfo)
>
> [...]
>
> They obviously are, it's just that they volunteer to be. I don't think any MRT members would regret being told that a rescue has been called off because the party has got off under their own steam.

I don't think many MRT members would describe themselves as 'inconvenienced' by their role or having to be called out. I imagine they find their work quite rewarding. Kind of asking someone who volunteers at homeless shelters if they are 'inconvenienced' by being there. Yes, in a sense they could in fact be somewhere else, that's true, but that's not really the point is it?

This is separable from whether or not they regret not having to go out there. People who volunteer and do things for cancer charity would be chuffed had their job became redundant, for obvious reasons. But that does not mean that they don't enjoy helping people.

People who feel inconvenienced by such things do not do them, generally at least. Obviously JCM would get all hot and bothered about it, but he's 200 miles south watching strictly come dancing on a saturday night anyway.

 ffdalton 17 Dec 2013
In reply to Si Withington:
Couldn't agree more, I can say the same for all the team members here at BMRT.
 jonnie3430 17 Dec 2013
In reply to FreshSlate:

> 'inconvenienced'

They are human, so I imagine that they are happy to help when someone is in extremis, but I imagine they are going heavily into their sense of humour reserve when they are out in the rain looking for someone who is in a pub with no mobile reception...
In reply to FreshSlate:

> I don't think many MRT members would describe themselves as 'inconvenienced' by their role or having to be called out. I imagine they find their work quite rewarding.

I suppose that depends on
a) what the nature of the call out is
b) the timing of said incident i.e. the time between realising they were in trouble and actually making the call.
 Blizzard 17 Dec 2013
In reply to Trangia:

I hate to say it but that thread was humourous.
 FreshSlate 17 Dec 2013
In reply to jonnie3430:

Yeah fair point, same goes for any prank callers etc. I'd definitely make an exception to cases where there isn't actually a person to help.

 Robert Durran 17 Dec 2013
In reply to Removed User:

> Jaysus wept I don't know what world you come from buy surely the aftermath of these sorts of 'epics' should be dealt with a heavy dose of piss-talking.

Absolutely. And to suggest that calling out the mountain rescue should be seen as anything other than a last resort is, quite frankly, irresponsible.

And the person who compared it calling out the fire brigade is talking nonsense. To treat mountain rescue like a service we have aright to because our taxes have paid for it goes against the grain of the sense of self responsibility that is absolutely intrinsic to climbing.



 FreshSlate 17 Dec 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:

> Absolutely. And to suggest that calling out the mountain rescue should be seen as anything other than a last resort is, quite frankly, irresponsible.

> And the person who compared it calling out the fire brigade is talking nonsense. To treat mountain rescue like a service we have aright to because our taxes have paid for it goes against the grain of the sense of self responsibility that is absolutely intrinsic to climbing.

I wouldn't call the fire brigade unless it was absolutely necessary either. Do you have the fire service round for tea at your house or something?
 Robert Durran 17 Dec 2013
In reply to FreshSlate:

> I wouldn't call the fire brigade unless it was absolutely necessary either. Do you have the fire service round for tea at your house or something?

No, but because I pay my taxes I would expect the fire brigade to help out if my house caught fire. If I f*** up in the mountains I don't have any sort of right to getting helped out.
 Jayboy 17 Dec 2013
The impossible challenge
 Tom Valentine 18 Dec 2013
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

I'm actually a bit worried that some "bedwetting beginners" might take your comments on board and make a wrong decision somewhere in the hills later on this winter, feeling that to call for help is an admission of failure on their part and worrying that it might be too much of an inconvenience to call the rescue team out before the votes have been cast on Strictly.

 Dan_S 18 Dec 2013
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:
> But to inconvenience 20 other people....

Don't judge others by your own standards. I am 100% certain that not one person from the MRT that turned up felt inconvenienced. It's that reason that MR should always be done by volunteers who are willing, and happy to provide assistance whenever and where ever it is needed. That altruism runs through the core of MR.

> This attitude is precisely the problem. This is not the raison d'etre of the people who run the mountain rescue services. .... Other people's convenience is also important.

I appreciate that it's hard for you to understand and accept, but not everyone thinks like you do and you'd find that MR folk for the most part actually enjoy going out in the rain to provide help to people in distress. It's to do with being a part of a team of like-minded caring, compassionate individuals, utilizing skills and training in helping your fellow man. (That and having people to go drinking with occasionally)

Being on call 24/7/365 isn't an inconvenience, people actively choose to give up their own free time for training and for call outs. They offer that commitment because they want to.
Post edited at 02:07
 Misha 18 Dec 2013
In reply to Trangia:
I think people should have the skills and experience needed for being able to rescue themselves, within reason. However if people lack the skills to sort it out themselves and there is no one around who can help, calling rescue is the sensible thing to do. May be they shouldn't have got themselves in that situation in the first place and they should have had the skills to get out of it, so they can be criticised for that - but not for calling rescue.

Slugain Howff 18 Dec 2013
In reply to FreshSlate:
> I don't think many MRT members would describe themselves as 'inconvenienced' by their role or having to be called out. I imagine they find their work quite rewarding.

> This is separable from whether or not they regret not having to go out there.

Turn that statement around and you are a bit closer to reality.
Inconvenienced often.........regretful never!

S
Post edited at 05:50
 Carolyn 18 Dec 2013
In reply to FreshSlate:

> I don't think many MRT members would describe themselves as 'inconvenienced' by their role or having to be called out. I imagine they find their work quite rewarding.

I think it depends greatly on how frequently it happens. The odd "unnecessary" callout a year for a fairly quiet team - no one's going to be too fussed. But when it gets to the stage of being woken up in the middle of the night for the third night in a row because yet another person has decided to attempt the 3 peaks without ever having set foot on a hill before, and having neglected to take a map, I doubt the teams concerned would consider that particularly rewarding....

I don't think jcm's all wrong, you know.......although clearly that means I am turning into a grumpy old sod, as I was accused of at work last week

In reply to FreshSlate:

> Are you in a MRT?

No, although like most climbers I've engaged in the odd rescue of sheep, beginners and lost walkers occasionally.

To be fair, I'm not sure there is a London mountain rescue team. Although perhaps I should start one. There's parts of Hampstead Heath where it would be terrible to be caught in a blizzard - you could wander for days unless you happened to meet a passing dogger.

jcm

In reply to Tom Valentine:

> I'm actually a bit worried that some "bedwetting beginners" might take your comments on board and make a wrong decision somewhere in the hills later on this winter, feeling that to call for help is an admission of failure on their part and worrying that it might be too much of an inconvenience to call the rescue team out before the votes have been cast on Strictly.

I am reminded of a friend who went to Snowdonia with an East European climber and his girlfriend. GF went off for a walk while they went climbing. ABout ten she hadn't come back and they called out the MR. MR took it a bit seriously and within half an hour there was a team setting out from Llanberis, another from Bethesda, another from Pen y Pass, couple of dogs, police liaison officer on the way, etc. About midnight the door of the hut opens and in strolls Valentina. Oh, they said, thank God you're safe. Yes, she said, it was a beautiful night so I stayed out to look at the stars. I'm a bit tired now; I think I'll go to bed. And she did. I don't think the MRT were too amused about that.

jcm
In reply to alasdair19:

>The widespread attitude that you must be (expensively) equiped, only climb in the most Adventurous (and eye wateringly expensive) style is unpleasant, selfish and is a very real barrier into our sport.

What utter twaddle. The people who think that you have to be expensively equipped are the very people who also think that it's fine to call out the mountain rescue at the drop of a hat.

jcm
 dr_shred 18 Dec 2013
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

> Well, yes, it is, actually. Shit happens; people pull off loose rock, fall off and hurt themselves, etc. Nobody minds that.

But if you're experienced enough to attempt a route with loose sections, you should be able to identify a bit of loose rock and therefore not pull on it, shouldn't you?

And falling off might be acceptable, but if you hurt yourself that means a lack of judgement; maybe you tried moves you just aren't capable of, or your gear placement isn't up to scratch.

So doesn't your argument that people should be "self-sufficient" mean there isn't any point in having mountain rescue?
 FreshSlate 18 Dec 2013
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

Except the ones who wear the best gear... sponsored climbers and people on funded expeditions.
 danm 18 Dec 2013
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

When did you last climb? From the amount of bile spewing from your orifices I'd say you could do with getting out and feeding the rat before you burst something internally.

Bedwetting beginners become experienced rock cats from going out and making mistakes, and learning from them. Twight says this far more eloquently than I ever could in Extreme Alpinism.

My first ever trip to the Peak involved a near benightment, the more experienced member of the party got hung up abseiling off Hen Cloud in the dark and I ended up running down to the old Mountain Rescue box, fetching a dubious looking hawser laid rope from it and dropping it from the top for him.

As a newcomer to the sport I assumed that this sort of escapade was par for the course, especially as my first experience of multi pitch climbing on the Cromlech earlier that year had also involved jammed ropes, finishing in the pitch dark and abseiling off bushes past a waterfall (also my first time abseiling!)

I count myself lucky that none of these scrapes resulted in injury, or far worse, having to be rescued. They prompted me to learn the skills and get the experience to look out for myself in the mountains, but I'd hope never be judgemental about others like some of the posters on here have been.
 Mr Lopez 18 Dec 2013
In reply to Trangia:

What a strange thread responses... I might as well join in not to be outdone.

Was the rescuee right in calling a rescue? Yes.

Should the rescuee have ever got in that position? Different thread altogether.

Simples
 Kemics 18 Dec 2013
In reply to Carolyn:

I agree, I dont know if he's necessarily wrong. I cant help think of this clip about JCM -

youtube.com/watch?v=Vdoo43sp3ZY&
 Robert Durran 18 Dec 2013
In reply to Mr Lopez:
> Was the rescuee right in calling a rescue?

Arguably (it seems). Can't be bothered to read the whole thread, though skimming it is absolutely hilarious.

> Should the rescuee have ever got in that position?

No (obviously)

And should the rescuee accept, with good grace, the piss being mercilessly taken?

Yes (of course)

Post edited at 16:45
 Tom Valentine 18 Dec 2013
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

I think the attitudes displayed by Drolex and your Valentina are a bit different, John, and I suspect the MRT's reactions to them might be a bit different, too.
 JamButty 18 Dec 2013
In reply to Trangia:

Can we start a third thread on the same subject, I don't think everyone has had an opinion yet........
 Robert Durran 18 Dec 2013
In reply to Tom Valentine:
> ........feeling that to call for help is an admission of failure on their part and worrying that it might be too much of an inconvenience to call the rescue team out.

Of course calling for help is an admission of failure, but I fail to see why that should stop anyone actually doing so if they have failed.
Post edited at 18:03
 chris j 18 Dec 2013
In reply to Robert Durran:

> And should the rescuee accept, with good grace, the piss being mercilessly taken?

> Yes (of course)

To be fair I haven't seen the rescuee not accepting the piss being taken, this thread is due to someone else being vicariously overly sensitive on their behalf.

However hopefully all this will inspire them to book in for some self-rescue tuition for a Xmas present.
 wintertree 18 Dec 2013
In reply to Trangia:
I was appalled at some of the responses.

If anyone gets themselves into a situation they feel that they are unable to extricate themselves from, I would hope that they call the relevant help in rather than let the situation degenerate to a worse outcome. I imagine most of the responders would rather provide help than a body recovery service.

After the event - regardless of the severity, both perceived and actual - I would hope that the people concerned would take stock and ask themselves how they could be better prepared in the future, and in the cold light of day would consider how they could have rescued themselves at the time. Such reflection leads to them being better prepared in the future. This is how we learn.

What really worries me is that people reading some of the responses might now try and extricate themselves from a situation they are not equipped to handle based on some of the responses here on UKC.

In my naive view, it doesn't matter at what "level" someone is participating at in the great outdoors (e.g. North face of the Eiger vs a 2 pitch gritstone climb vs a walk in the hills) - if you are out of your depth, you are out of your depth. It's relative based on skills and knowledge. At times I imagine that we have all found ourselves in a situation well out of our depth, sometimes we luck out, sometimes we keep it together and fix it, and sometimes people need help. Far better that than the alternative.

The suggestions from some people that someone being in need of rescue on such a minor climbing venue makes the situation laughable is poisonous crap in my view. It's not about the "extreme" factor of the activity, but about the relative difference in the level of the activity and the experience of the victim. Otherwise we must accept that 90% of mountain rescue activities in the UK (rescue of lost/injured hillwalkers) is equally laughable as that's even less extreme than becoming cragfast on an E1. It's not often I openly pass judgement but some people are so far up their posteriors on this one.

I feel that some posters are mixing up a somewhat valid judgement (getting oneself into a fix) with a totally invalid judgement (calling for help when recognising that one is in a fix.) Personally I wouldn't even judge people for getting in to a fix as I recognise that we all start somewhere and things happen. I've never got myself into that situation in climbing but have been perilously close in other activities.
Post edited at 20:04
 thomm 20 Dec 2013
Oh, please. This was not cyber-bullying. I quite admire the guy for voluntarily humiliating himself and reminding us all how stupidly things can go wrong, but both kinds of responses are also quite natural and reasonable. For many people (by no means all), self-reliance is at the heart of climbing.
If the whole of UKC had just replied, 'good on you son, you did the right thing, MRT is always there to help, make sure your phone is charged up, stay safe, maybe next time hire a guide' I think I might have given up climbing on the spot.
 jimbo85 20 Dec 2013
In reply to wintertree:
> I was appalled at some of the responses.

> What really worries me is that people reading some of the responses might now try and extricate themselves from a situation they are not equipped to handle based on some of the responses here on UKC.

I was also appalled at some of the responses.

What really worries me is that people reading some of the responses might now think it's OK to get themselves into a situation they are not equipped to handle based on some of the responses here on UKC.

What will they do if there is no phone signal or manage to drop it, nobody else at the crag, a time critical scenario that needs sorting before MRT could get there etc etc?

The argument that doing relatively unadventurous activity negates the necessity to have even basic ability to sort oneself out doesn't wash I'm afraid. Incidents 1 pitch up a grit route could have consequences just as serious as those 10 pitches up the Eiger. People can and do die of exposure in the UK.

Clearly when significant injury or a complex situation occurs one may well need to (and probably should unless very experienced) call the MRT. I cannot understand though why people consider it acceptable not to be able to get oneself out of straightforward situations without outside help.

After all it doesn't take much effort to read a chapter in a book on problem solving scenarios and practice a couple of skills. Not that any kind of rescue specific skill will be needed normally anyway as most things should be fairly straightforward to sort with common sense having done a bit of homework beforehand.

I would consider reading up on common problem scenarios to be an essential part of training for rock climbing. I therefore don't understand why there are so many threads asking advice about which beastmaker or brand of cam to buy but none about which skills book to read.

I also don't understand people repeatedly asking how to go about spending hundreds of pounds on a rack (and why people reply) when a few quid spent on a book would tell them these things as well as much, much more.

These guys did the right thing by calling MRT but needing to do so in that scenario is inexcusable. I just hope some other people in addition to the OP and partner might learn from their mistakes and go wise up a bit.
Post edited at 11:17
 Robert Durran 20 Dec 2013
In reply to wintertree:

> What really worries me is that people reading some of the responses might now try and extricate themselves from a situation they are not equipped to handle based on some of the responses here on UKC.

What really worries me is that people reading some of the responses might now treat the MR as a convenient safety net just a quick phone call away.


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