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SEE PHOTOS OF THE ARIZONA VORTEX: 

STANDARD SETUP - PAGE #1

ADVANCED SETUP - PAGE #2

Designed by Reed Thorne of Ropes That Rescue and Rock Thompson of Rock Exotica

ARIZONA   VORTEX

 AZVrockexotica2
 

WHAT IS THE ARIZONA VORTEX?

The ARIZONA VORTEX (or AZV) is expressly considered an "artificial high directional" used as a true 1) high frame directional (at the edge or over an opening) or 2) anchor frame. It is so named from it's development in the rugged highlands of northern Arizona’s Oak Creek Canyon through the rigging and rescue school, Ropes That Rescue. The term "vortex" came from the many such-named red rock formations in the Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon area which serve the spiritual gnostic cult community and has become a mainstay of Sedona's global tourist popularity. Reed Thörne, the school’s owner developed the AZV with the help of Rock Thompson at Rock Exotica, in Utah. The AZV was created from years of trial and error and of having worked with crude but functional lashed wood frames at RTR. It represents the essence of at-the-edge frames which no standard tripod can match today. 

The A.Z.O.R.P. (AZORP = Arizona Omni Rigging Pod) is a valuable accessory to the ARIZONA VORTEX which adds to its ultimate versatility when used in tandem. Anchoring frame back-from-the-edge rigging monopods, bipods and tripods may therefore be constructed using the AZORP + VORTEX adding valuable rigging elements to any rope rescue or rope access operation or job. 

The ARIZONA VORTEX is manufactured from T-6 aluminum by Thompson Manufacturing Inc. (Rock Exotica) in Clearfield, Utah and is one of the most versatile and state of the art artificial high directional (AHD) available to rescue and rope access in industry. With training from Ropes That Rescue (the "Arizona" designer), you may use this frame in a variety of ways and in any number of environments from industry to wilderness. It is ideal for confined space rescue, mine rescue, cliff rescue and industrial rescue. It is also well suited to bridge inspectors, rope access, the construction trades and the movie industry.

We offer many instructor-level workshops on the Arizona VORTEX in differing locations around the US, Canada, UK and Australia (and around the world). See the RTR Open Enrollment Schedule for these offerings under "Artificial High Directional Workshop" or AHDW. 

SEE PHOTOS OF ARIZONA VORTEX: (all photos are copyrighted)

STANDARD SETUP OF THE AZV - PAGE #1

ADVANCED SETUP OF THE AZV - PAGE #2

To view MANY MORE PHOTOS of the ARIZONA VORTEX in Ropes That Rescue workshops arouind the world, go to our TRAINING VENUES. Click on each venue.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON:

 

THE ARIZONA VORTEX

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    ARIZONA VORTEX

    Photo by Rock Exotica

    NOTE: Most of these AZ Vortex techniques are covered in the Instructor-level, 7 day long Artificial High Directional Workshop (AHDW) which RTR offers at different times of the year and in different US locations and foreign countries. See the latest Open Enrollment Schedule for the AHDW program which suits you.

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    ARIZONA VORTEX

    Photo by Rock Exotica

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    CMC Rescue full Arizona Vortex Kit

    CMC Rescue full Arizona Vortex Kit:

    1. Head assembly (Blue A frame joiner & orange gin pole head)
    2. 4 ea. 1/2" head quick pins
    3. 1 extra 1.5" pulley sheave for head
    4. 7 ea. outer legs (grey powder coated)
    5. 3 ea. inner legs (silver anodeized)
    6. 11 ea. 3/8" quick pins (for legs and feet)
    7. 3 ea. Raptor Feet
    8. 3 ea. Omni Feet
    9. 4 ea. leg bags
    10. 2 ea. foot pouches (3 Raptor and 3 Omni)
    11. 1 head bag
    12. 1 pin bag
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    OMNI Foot
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    Raptor Foot
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    Standard Arizona Vortex Kit

    STANDARD KIT: 1 orange gin pole head, 1 blue A frame joiner (both form the head), 3 inner legs (adjustable-anodized silver), 7 outer legs (grey), 4 1/2" pins for head, 11 3/8" pins for legs and feet, one 1.5" sheave for head, 3 Raptor feet, 3 Omni feet. Bag set and instruction manual. Hobble straps (3) are avaialble with CMC kit only. Shoulder carry pack style bags available from CMC only. 

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    Rock Exotica Bag Set

    Complete Arizona Vortex bag set from Rock Exotica: 3 outer leg bags (grey), 1 inner leg bag (black), 1 foot bag (for both the 3 Raptor feet and the 3 Omni Feet) and the Head bag (with pin bag). Photos from Rock Exotica. No shoulder carry (pack style) for these bags is available. 

    The Rock Exotica leg bags do not have the optional shoulder carry back pack option available. Those must be ordered through CMC.

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    CMC Rescue AZV Leg Bags

    CMC Rescue leg bags are all the same, unlike the Rock Exotica Bags which have a seaprate shorter bag (black) for the AZV inner legs. All CMC bags can accomodate the Sedona Shoulder Harness as well. 

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    CMC Rescue "Sedona Shoulder Harness"

    Turn your Arizona Vortex leg bags from CMC Rescue into back packs for the long carry into the wilderness! "Sedona Shoulder Harness" sold separately for CMC Rescue AZ Vortex leg bags. 

    Note: Not available from Rock Exotica at this time.

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    CMC Rescue "Sedona Shoulder Harness"

    Turn your Arizona Vortex leg bags from CMC Rescue into back packs for the long carry into the wilderness! "Sedona Shoulder Harness" sold separately for CMC Rescue AZ Vortex leg bags. 

    Note: Not available from Rock Exotica at this time.

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    CMC Rescue

    The CMC Sedona Shoulder Harness quickly attaches to the leg bags with heavy duty Velcro double back flaps which will inure you can carry the heaviest loads without worry. 

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    CMC Rescue AZV Head Bag - Front

    This Arizona Vortex CMC Rescue head bag has a carry handle or a shoulder back pack system. 

    Note: Not available on Rock Exotica head bag at this time. 

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    CMC Rescue AZV Head Bag - Rear

    This Arizona Vortex CMC Rescue head bag has a carry handle or a shoulder back pack system. 

    Note: Not available on Rock Exotica head bag at this time. 

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    CMC Rescue AZV Head Bag - Inside
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    CMC Rescue AZV Hobble Straps - Omni Foot

    Special Arizona Vortex leg hobble straps made by CMC from hardened steel and special material for strength. These are not your typical hardware tie down straps! The hooks simply hook around the small part above the ball socket in the Omni Foot.

    Note: Not available from Rock Exotica at this time.

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    CMC Rescue AZV Hobble Straps - Raptor Foot

    Special Arizona Vortex leg hobble straps made by CMC from hardened steel and special material for strength. These are not your typical hardware tie down straps! The hooks simply hook into the holes of the Raptor Foot on each leg. 

    Note: Not available from Rock Exotica at this time.

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    Arizona Vortex Head Sheave

    This extra 1.5" diameter rope sheave will fit onto the 1/2" pins in the Arizona Vortex blue A frame joiner to reduce the gain of a pulley. One of these comes included with each AZV kit.

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    CMC Rescue AZV Foot Bags

    Each set of 3 Raptor Feet and 3 Omni Feet have their own long carry pouch. This pouch has a loop so it can be hung up. The 2 pouches fit inside the leg bags of your choice.

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    Rock Exotica AZORP (Blue outer)
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    AZORP (Orange inner)
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    Rock Exotica AZORP (Top view)
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    Rock Exotica AZORP (Side view)
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    CMC Rescue AZORP with Carry Sack

    Available with CMC Rescue AZORP Only

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    CMC Rescue AZORP (blue outer)
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    CMC Rescue AZORP (orange inner)
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    CMC Rescue AZORP 1
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    CMC Rescue AZORP 2
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    AZ Vortex Leg Bumper Mount

    AZ Vortex Leg Bumper Mount made by Skyhook® only. See use at "Capstan Winch Stands"

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    AZ Vortex Leg Bumper Mount

    AZ Vortex Leg Bumper Mount made by Skyhook® only. See use at "Capstan Winch Stands"

    NOTE: Most of these AZ Vortex techniques are covered in the Instructor-level, 7 day long Artificial High Directional Workshop (AHDW) which RTR offers at different times of the year and in different US locations and foreign countries. See the latest Open Enrollment Schedule for the AHDW program which suits you.

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    Ropes That Rescue "Adopt-A-Highway" on Hwy 89A

    Ropes That Rescue "Adopt-A-Highway" on Hwy 89A

    RTR has been 'sponsoring' (Adopt-A-Highway) a two mile section of Arizona scenic highway 89-A in Oak Creek Canyon since 1993. This beautiful scenic section is just above Midgley Bridge and includes a spectacular vista of the red rock Mitten Ridge and famous Teapot Rock (just behind the right sign post). 

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    The Lady of Shalott

    This John William Waterhouse painting illustrates Alfred Tennyson's poem The Lady of Shalott. Draped over the boat is the fabric the lady wove in a tower near Camelot. But she brought a curse on herself by looking directly at Sir Lancelot. With her right hand she lets go of the chain mooring the boat. Her mouth is slightly open, as she sings 'her last song'. She stares at a crucifix lying in front of her. Beside it are three candles, often used to symbolize life. Two have blown out. This suggests her life will end soon, as she floats down the river.

    From Reed Thorne: The classic Brittish Pre-Raphaelite style John William Waterhouse painting of The Lady of Shalott from the Tenneyson Poem. The painting is my favorite classical piece found in the Tate Museum in London. I stood in awe of it when I visited the Tate in 1974.

 

 

 more-info

 
Historical development of ARIZONA VORTEXPhelps Dodge Morenci

The general concept of the ARIZONA VORTEX was developed in the desert-alpine mountains of northern Arizona from expertise gained during the improvised rigging of wood timber frame "artificial" high directionals constructed for vertical rescue work (see right). This initial work was accomplished during Ropes That Rescue seminars since the late 80's under the direction of Reed Thorne. The first metal AZV prototype design was an "easel-style A frame" welded together from heavy steel square tubing and plate at the Arizona Phelps Dodge Morenci copper mine fab shop in a 1996 RTR mine rescue program from plans scribbled out on a pizza restaurant table napkin. Needless to say, it was very heavy and cumbersome to deal with, but the concept was there.

Harpers Ferry prototype 2Left: AZV prototype #2 being demonstrated during the Team Skills Rescue Workshop at Harpers Ferry, WV at Maryland Heights in 1998.
Upper right: Improvised timber frame SA Frame at Phelps Dodge Morenci copper mine in southern Arizona. Click on photos to enlarge. Lower right: Wren Industries AZV v.1.0 being used by LA County Fire during highline at costal beach. 

It was soon thereafter that an aluminum model (prototype #2, see left) was manufactured by Wren Industries from more elaborate plans drawn by Thorne. This lightweight prototypes was tested in four 7 day Ropes That Rescue rigging seminars before the third prototype (AZV v.1.0) was made by Wren. In this design, all legs would fit together by welded couplings without any telescoping capability. In v.1.0, all adjustment in the final height and positioning of the AZV head was done by extending the legs past the head. Problems occurred with this v.1.0 non-telescoping design because many times in confined locations, particularly in industry, these legs were unable to be positioned. A new foot design, dubbed the "Raptor" because of it's shape, was developed for v.1.0 to help direct downward forces in soft soil like that which would be common in a mine or wilderness area. Version 1.0 has been used in several RTR open & contract seminars around the world. It is through the practical use of AZV v.1.0 during these seminars that much needed knowledge regarding improvements to design were ultimately had. This knowledge has lead to the improvements found in AZV v.2.0.

LA County Fire Training