The Mountain Rescue Workshop is a minimalist approach to mountain rescue procedures and teaches the access, stabilization and extrication of patients involved in mid-face free or aid climbing accidents, especially those where the accident site is only accessed from below. The student will learn how to design and build system anchors from bolts, pitons and active and passive rock climbing camming devices. Strong emphasis is also placed on wilderness improvised techniques where specialized or heavier equipment has no place. Rope stretchers (for flat through vertical evacuations) and improvised patient carries are also covered extensively. This, and the Team Skills Rescue Workshop are the courses which fulfill the 90% solution on most rope rescues wilderness locations. This workshop is designed for the serious mountain environment rope rescue practitioner wishing to improve their personal and team rigging skill. The MRW goes well into often overlooked personal top down skills involving solo (one rescuer)and semi-solo (two rescuer) victim evacuations employing the rescuer's personal AZTEK kit. Also, the workshop explores the use of improvised low edge techniques for very difficult litter evolutions as well as artificial high directionals in the remote wilderness location. Gin poles, A frames and sideways (SA) frames are common. The crux of the MRW is where students free climb (or ascend) using the bight-carry technique to position a high directional above the victim on a wall. In this way, a heavy and cumbersome rescue adjunct (litter, etc.) can be brought to the victim high on a wall, under them, and then lowered downward (techniques used in tower rescues). Students also learn the classic differences belays, conditional belays and conditional self belays. Lots of climbing and lots of fun!

Below, students practice mid face, bottom up rescue of hanging victim in MRW-R 2000 under the watchful eye of RTR instructor (left). Top anchored safety lines are used throughout until students master the techniques

• Mountain rescue basics
• Bottom up versus top down rescue techniques
• Introduction to pulley systems
• Physics for mountain rescue
• Use of the AZTEK kit in mountain environs
• Solo rescuer pick off
• Semi-solo rescuer pick offs ("gecko" and hanging) using tools from harness
• Mid face litter scoops
• Lead climbing (optional) using bight carry technique for extreme bottom up rescues
• Belays, self belays, conditional belays and conditional self belays
• Improvisation and a 'minimalist' approach to mountain rescue
• Patient assessment & packaging in mountain environment
• Rappelling techniques with improvisation in mind
• Sound anchoring principles with sketchy rock climbing protection
• Slack backups vs tensioned backties
• Drilled pitons in various rock types
• Active and passive rock climbing protection placement
• Split coil carries; low angle carries
• Wood frame artificial high directionals
• Cocoon stretchers from climbing rope only
• Caterpillar passes and role rotation during litter carries
• Much more....

ROPES THAT RESCUE LTD. is pleased to offer an invitation only, rescue rigging program in Utah's beautiful canyonlands.This workshop is specifically designed for Utah's sedimentary canyon plateaus and slot canyons. This intensive program focuses on both personal and team-oriented skills. The CRW is held on private property at Calf Creek Ranch where Utah Scenic Hwy 12 crosses over Escalante River 14 miles east of the town of Escalante and 16 miles south of Boulder . After the skunk camp officially ends, students are invited to stay over for a few days (strictly volunteer) and go deep into the Escalante for some dramatic rescue highlines and rigging. There are no fees for this training and everyone is on their own for lodging, food and transportation. The BLM is very strict about any commercial courses or programs held on their lands where money is being exchanged!
The Canyon Rescue Workshop is a hands-on workshop stressing a minimalist approach to canyonland rescue procedures and teaches the access, stabilization and extrication of patients involved in canyoneering and mid-face free climbing accidents. Students will design and build system anchors from bolts, pitons, sand picket systems and active and passive rock climbing camming devices. Strong emphasis is also placed on wilderness improvised techniques where specialized or heavier equipment has no place. Rope stretchers (for flat though vertical evacuations). This, and the Team Skills Rescue Workshop (usually taught in Sedona, AZ several times each year) are the seminars which fulfill the 90% solution on most rope rescues. The CRW is designed for the serious rope rescuer wishing to improve their personal and team rigging skill and is designed for rescuers and teams with every type of possible terrain (including slot canyons common to the Southwestern US) from which a potential victim must be retrieved. Student-prepared lectures on relative rescue subjects or physics are common throughout the duration of this workshop. Students, as a team unit, learn how to build seemingly complex arrangements for reaching, treating and extricating a patient from the extremely confined canyon environment.many of these solutions involve highlines however all do not. All the while, emphasis is placed on building everything from the basic materials most teams will have along: rope, carabiners, pulleys, accessory cord, webbing and know-how.

NOTE:
Camping available at the meeting location at Calf Creek Ranch (private) 14 miles east of Escalante on scenic Hwy 12. Camping in the backcountry for at least 3 (possibly 4) nights mandatory for participation. Many of the mountainous locations in the canyonlands where we hold our practical sessions are far removed from the trail head and often involve a rigorous hike at elevations exceeding 4,000 feet. Some hikes are more than a mile in length and on cross country routes

NOTE:
Additional specialized team equipment will be required from each participant (line guns, etc.)

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Above, CRW participants perform multiple rope evolutions using "offsets" learned from earlier programs with RTR before moving into advanced highlines

"Knowledge is  light in the rucksack and not easily left at home"

Arnor Larson