SOUTHERN ILLINOIS VENUE SPOTLIGHT
Meet the Instructors: Eric Ulner - Reed Thorne
Click on photos to enlarge them
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Drapers Bluff is the site for the RTR Southern Illinois Venue
Word of RTR workshops in Southern Illinois has been spreading among emergency response agencies since the first Team Skills Rescue Workshop in IL was held in 2006. Since then, rope rescue students from Washington DC Fire Department to Valero Refinery in California to Europe have taken advantage of the TSRW and Personal Skills Rescue Workshop at RTR's premier Illinois training venue, Drapers Bluff. Located on RTR Instructor Eric Ulner's property, the 110-foot-high sandstone cliff- replete with eastern red cedar trees and prickly pear cactus- sits high on a ridge visible for miles and offers dramatic views of Southern Illinois' rolling-hills and oak-hickory forests. Within Eric's half mile-long section of the south-facing cliff, the terrain is greatly varied and includes vertical walls, overhung bulges, low-high angles of slab, opposing dihedral corners, flat roofs, and ledge systems- fitting for simple to complex rigging scenarios. Eric has spent many years developing his cliff area for teaching. It is maintained with fixed anchors, trails, cliff stairs, and optimal instructor's viewing angles, rendering it an ideal venue for training of general rope rescue, cliff-specific rescue, and rope access training. There are even training stations under the natural roofs in the cliff to keep students dry during rains. If essential, privacy can also be guaranteed for contracting agencies such as law enforcement or military.
RTR students can primitive-camp on site, stay in local hotels/motels, or choose from a number of not-too-expensive, nearby bed & breakfasts. The closest are listed here. Mileage indicated is the distance to Drapers Bluff.
Twin Bluffs B&B one half mile <http://www.twin3b.com/>
Valley View Cabins 4 miles <http://www.valleyvcabins.com/>
Tool Shed Corner B&B 4 miles <http://www.tscbb.com/>
Back 2 Basics 5 miles <http://www.back2basics.us/>
The Goddard Place B&B 8 miles <http://www.thegoddardplace.com/>
Bruce Goff-Castle 12 miles <http://www.brucegoff-castle-bandb.com/>
For complete list of B&B info, see <http://www.southernmostillinois.com/lodging.php>
For hotel info, click into a local tourism site for a list: <http://www.wctb.org/p/lodging.php>
For regional airport info, click here: <http://www.wilcoairport.com/>
Interested in training here? Contact Eric Ulner. Eric Ulner bio HERE
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The VERTICAL HEARTLAND CLIMBING SCHOOL in Southern Illinois is the perfect venue for the Ropes That Rescue Ltd. workshops taught there by Reed Thorne and owner, climbing guide, Eric Ulner. Learn more about RTR instructor, Eric Ulner, by clicking HERE.
Left/Middle: An easel A frame with the version 2 AZ Vortex Multipod. Note that belay line is elevated into the head of the AZVM during all edge transitions
Right: The beautiful sandstone walls of VHCS are the perfect backdrop for advanced rigging. All photos from RTR collection.
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Left: Mike Green, RTR lead instructor , and members of Benecia, CA Valero Refinery hang out at the VHCS.
Middle: Students work from the version 2 AZ Vortex Multipod used as a gin pole.
Right: An SA frame high directional
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Left: Rodney Sebrechts of Belgium works with the belay line using the new AZTEK Omni blocks from Rock Exotica.
Middle: AZTEK Omni blocks from Rock Exotica used on a wood frame SA frame.
Right: A group shot of all the students from the area and from around the USA. Reed Thorne in his Utilikilt® Eric Ulner is penultimate next to Reed
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