not again!

[DennisAJC]

LOL! I remember the first time I stood at the bottom of LB. I chickened out and NOBODY was going to pressure me. Actually, we all chickened out.

Once you've done it, it's easier to do again.....I think.



AHHHHHHHH!!!! MUTHA FAWKIN PEWTER POWER!!!

[KenP]

http://www.gcsar.org/index.html

02- 9 3- 25- 02 Search on Fins and Things The Mom went shopping in Cortez thinking the Dad and kids were going up to Moab to do Fins and Things. He didn't return and she called.
We responded, dividing into 2 groups to 4 wheeler along all the roads north of Sand Flats and south of Negro Bill.
At 4 am, he showed up at North Maverick. He had been on Poison Spider and was later for being lost several times after dark.
Comments: It has been said that one should not vary a flight plan once filed.
Responders: Frank, Sam, Nancy, Bego, Dave, Lee

02- 12 3- 30- 02 The stoopids get lucky at Lion's Back This was one amazing event.
Two teen boys and 2 teen girls start up Lion's Back. Part way up they came face to face with a descending vehicle. They roll backwards a bit and start to tip. One guy gets out. The vehicle rolls back a bit more and..........rolls side over, then woosh.... off the fin, thru the air and big wham into the crack below. Witnessed by hundreds of onlookers.
The call came in as "Jeep off Lion's Back." Gasp. Archie was there shortly, Louis too. The DPS helo circled above with Steve White talking to dispatch. Responders from town roared up the hill. EMTs climbed up the crack expecting to find total carnage. Arches Helicopters was paged.
Curt Brewer stepped in as IC and a helo LZ was established on the road cuz there were jeeps and people packed in all over the landscape.
Fire Chief Corky was first to helo in to assess extrication needs. By then, the EMTs had one girl on a backboard so out she came. Another rescuer and litter were flown in and the second gal was lifted out. Another litter went in and it took some more time to extricate and stabilize the male driver. Out he went. Time for all this was about 1 hour.
And that's the short version of an event that had 10,000 more convolutions, parts and pieces.
Turns out, the major injuries were a broken arm and a bruised pelvis. At first glance, we figured rather a heap.
Comments: Silt hereby bestows some kind of award on the EMTs and Deputies and helpers for outstanding energy and aplomb in a very awKward place.. Two Extra Rations of Grog go to Arches Helicopters pilot John Ruhl. Awesome.
Responders: Maybe 50? To those who participated, THANK YOU.

02- 15 4- 11- 02 Appalling 4 WD roll over on Hell's Revenge Two 4 WD parties, leap frogging each other for the day on Hell's Revenge. At a place called The Fin, the party with 5 4WDs made it down safely. The first of 2 4 WDs in the second party also made it down. Most in the first party were walking around, watching the last vehicle descend.
The 4WD veered off course to the right, dropped off a little overhang and started rolling. The driver was thrown out and rolled down the steep sandstone slope just ahead of the 4WD. His passenger was not ejected. Part way down the slope, the 4WD came to a stop. When the passenger stepped out, the 4WD started rolling again.
It immediately rolled OVER a guy who was coming up to help. The rest of the crowd parted except a 7 year old who got knocked 30 feet thru the air to land on some brush and sand. The 4WD continued down to a stout juniper.
An immediate cell phone to 911 indicating severe injuries to 3 people. An immediate page for ambulance, GCSAR, Arches Helicopters and Care Flight.
Like the speed of light, everyone responded. Arches Helos flew in an EMT. At the same time, GCSAR made a Landing Zone for the helo near the ambulances. The helo flew in 2 loads of EMTs and equipment. Shortly later, Care Flight lands too. Pretty dang fast, huh?
All 3 subjects were flown to St, Mary's. Deputy Neal came out to investigate the crash site.

Comments: In Charles Well's jeeping book, waypoint 18 says this: "You'll pass a vehicle sized depression before starting down a steep ridgeline off the slickrock. Use a spotter. A miscue here could send you tumbling down the slope." (see photo # 9). Miscue indeed.
There is compelling evidence that the driver had been drinking at least "some" beer. At first he wanted to know how his 4WD fared and didn't know yet that it had hurt 2 bystanders. His passenger walked away with scrapes.
The driver was barely hurt after all. The 7 year old bystander suffered a broken leg and a big scare. The bystander gentleman who got rolled over suffered major internal stuff but will recover over a half year. That, somehow, doesn't seem right and is one of the hard things about this job.
The 7 year old had her parents, grandpa and little sister on the trip. The dad who got rolled over had his 16 year old son along. This kid helped where he could the whole time. Awesomely brave. After Care Flight left, he LOST it big. Watching that is one of the hard things about this job.
Responders: Rex, Brad and a bunch more.

Flash Flooding in Canyonlands National Park- Hummer as boat- frightening ride for a family

On Saturday, September 7, at approximately 4:15 pm, the Island-in-the-Sky District of Canyonlands National Park was buffeted by high winds and torrential rains that deposited 3/4" of water in under one hour. There were extensive backcountry road wash-outs accompanied by flash-flooding. The flash flooding was the most significant flooding documented in the history of the Island in the Sky.
At approximately 6pm, a family of four from Provo, Utah, was driving up Taylor Canyon. The four wheel drive road winds in and out of a dry wash. At approximately 6 pm, the family saw a four inch curb of water approaching them down the wash. Within a minute, the water had swelled up to mid-level of the windshield of their 1998 Humvee and shortly thereafter was 10' deep.
At peak flow the wash was estimated to be flowing at approximately 2,000 cubic feet per second which is nearly double the current flow of the Colorado River. The wash was approximately 300' wide at peak flow with a water temperature of approximately 55 degrees.
The vehicle floated downstream for approximately 4 miles over the next 15 minutes at which time the family was able to exit the vehicle, get to shore, and seek shelter in an alcove. During this process, the father stated he had to swim with his 5 month old and 3 year old sons tucked under his arms after exiting from a door while his wife was exiting through a window.
Later in the night their cries for help were overheard by campers nearby, who took them in for the night, and gave them a ride out to the Island in the Sky Visitor Center the following morning.
The vehicle was recovered and is totaled. Vehicle loss is estimated at $60,000.
The 100 mile White Rim backcountry road is currently closed to through traffic. A damage assessment is being conducted on the backcountry road system. Cost estimates for the repair of extensive damage will be completed.
The Shafer Trail may take several months to repair and will remain closed until repairs are done. It is hopeful that repairs at Upheaval Bottom, Taylor Canyon and Lathrop Canyon can be completed within the next week. Ranger Paul Downey was the Incident Commander. [Steve Swanke, RISKY]

[ROX]

Alec: I always show people those pics you took out the window of your car while driving down LB solo! What were you doing with one hand on the wheel? I think the bottom pic is where I finally stopped hyperventilating and quit breathing. I did look at the tiltmeter right there and it said "too f$ing steep"!

[h2co-pilot]

[PARAGON]

I am doing Lion's Back, so make room in the pewters for whitey, albeit a blacked out whitey. My wife says if I do it she will ride but my 4 yo daughter is saying she wants to stay at the bottom and watch (she loves Seth's video)

[PARAGON]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by tower:
I'm asking for the third time; do we bury the hatchet? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

[LoLo]

Well, Alec, after looking at those photos, I am definitely not doing LB! My GOD... I would have had a heart-attack with that view out my windshield!!! (Maybe that is why I had to trade the Pewter rig... not enough "power" in me to handle that! )

...can someone direct me toward the "kiddie" zone?

[KenP]

LoLo, I understand you can just look out the sunroof when going down.

[CO Hummer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by KenP:

02- 15 4- 11- 02 Appalling 4 WD roll over on Hell's Revenge ....

Comments: In Charles Well's jeeping book, waypoint 18 says this: "You'll pass a vehicle sized depression before starting down a steep ridgeline off the slickrock. Use a spotter. A miscue here could send you tumbling down the slope." (see photo # 9). Miscue indeed.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I wonder if this the same spot where Tower almost tipped over (I was immediately behind him when it happened).

[DRTYFN]

Anybody else would have simply just reversed out of it.

[tower]

Shaggy said I could have gone forward scraping my front a little and gotten out. Others said I might have been able to back out. Many said I was close to a right-hand roll. I don't have enough experience at this to know. All I can say for sure is that it was really good to have you guys around me to keep things safe. Thank you.

[h2co-pilot]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LoLo:
Well, Alec, after looking at those photos, I am definitely not doing LB! My GOD... I would have had a heart-attack with that view out my windshield!!! (Maybe that is why I had to trade the Pewter rig... not enough "power" in me to handle that! )

...can someone direct me toward the "kiddie" zone? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I totally agree, do they have a bunny hill or something?

I wonder if they hose off your hiney before they put you in the coroner van?

[LoLo]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Alec W:
They do have Baby Lion's Back for babies </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

...would that be "kitten's back"?

[PARAGON]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LoLo:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Alec W:
They do have Baby Lion's Back for babies </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

...would that be "kitten's back"? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>It would more accurately be referred to as "cub's back."