Tyrolean Traverse

Wednesday, December 2
Austin and Sean again but this time we're working at several locations to set up systems that, based on our extensive experience, we think make sense to eventually make a transfer loop up and down and around various terrain. I say that I want to work on z-drags which I have yet to get hands-on time with and that we are required to know by the end of the day. Why? BECAUSE, tomorrow is a big WFR scenario and apparently the tyrolean traverse and all its components will come into play. Word is it's a college wide emergency scenario and we need to come prepared to stay until 6 so that we get to play in the dark.

Jen, George, and I hike up to the point and I say, mainly to Jen, that I need her calmness so that I can think through how and why the system works. We start assembling a z-drag. I process the layout and theory in my head and run questions by Jen because she seems to have a better handle on the deal. I remember a good amount from the first two days and am reasoning the theory to practice. Finally done with the zip setup, Austin approves it after a few minor changes, one that involves me climbing the tree again and connecting some carabiners for the hoist to the main pulley. We send Aaron down as the bumble bee harness test case, a slow ride given that he simulates a patient with potential life threatening injuries. He survives, laughing and without incident, other than knocking off a few dead branches on the way.

Austin is happy with the time it takes us all to set up 3 or 4 systems in the loop. He says that he thinks there are few rescue teams in the area who have the experience that we now have to set up these systems. Erin volunteers to be the first patient to be sent in a litter through all systems. She is not dropped, even on the uphill carry by 4 people who are clipped into her litter and hauled up by 4 or 5 others along a rope system.

Austin has reiterated that we should take time to fully acquaint ourselves with the system today, mum on any info about tomorrow. I ask for one-on-one help and I set up as far as I can and then explain what I've done and my thinking behind it. This time is beneficial to help me think through the systems and make connections to other ways we've done similar systems this week. I finish and Mike calls me suggesting that I take a shot on the bumble-bee zip line before they take it down. I say yes, climb up to the point and into the bee harness which pretty much envelopes you as you put your arms through the holes and it clips around and up like a diaper. George hoists me up and clips me in. I yell down to Aaron, Jake and Austin that I'm coming down and Jen begins the belay. It's a little disconcerting because I'm going down backwards and they've said to watch where I'm going given the branches and trees along the way. I can't see too much although the harness swings around and now I see where I'm headed--way down there. I'm jumpy with the jerks of the hoist and belay and catch my breath when I see in my minds eye or through my real eyes the space below me. Eventually I make it to the landing spot and they unclip the harness after my feet touch ground. It was a kinder gentler zipline than yesterday's. I'm aware that I've made it down with less fear than other tests. Am I becoming slowly desensitized?

Tuesday, December 1
Austin and Sean today. I was running late so decided to meet the group back at Barton Cove. The groups switched locations and set up the same systems as yesterday. This time it was more or less a group build as there were no assigned tasks. Much colder than yesterday though there was a short point when the sun shone and warmed us. I drove to the Wagon Wheel for lunch/hot drinks with Ian and Sarah.

Ian and Anna played with the slingshot and shot the line across on the 2nd attempt. After the set-ups were complete we started riding the ropes. Our group was on the fairly level system so it was a slow ride to somewhere in the middle and then you pulled yourself the rest of the way. I harnessed up and rode with little thought about any fear. Something about it was benign but my arms were done in by the time I finished pulling myself across. Sean and Mark hoisted me up and out of the dismount system and then I headed up to the zip line for a ride. I harnessed up in the bumble bee body harness but couldn't make myself take the zip leap off the hill. Jake was going to belay me and tried to get me to go for the fun but there were only tears of frustration and disappointment. We're promised a new location and new surprises tomorrow.

Monday, November 30
9:15ish Drove the van from GCC to Barton Cove to learn about Tyrolean Traverse. Austin and Beth drove together to talk over the plans.

Lots of gear: ropes rated to 9000 lbs, pulleys rated to 5000 lbs, carabiners, prusiks, webbing, harnesses and helmets. Oh, and a slingshot on a pole. Nice to have toys.

The Problem
Someone has been injured and we have two hours to rescue them (I don't think the threat of patient death was noted initially because we were also told to play with our tasks--keep it light.)

Beth and Austin would be available for clarity but mainly, we were on our own. Two groups, each given a location to set up their respective Tyrolean rescue systems. What is a Tyrolean Traverse? It's a tensioning system that spans a chasm or water. In these cases, we would send someone over the water.

Titles and Tasks
Everyone pulled a card from a manila envelope that said what their specific title and task would be. We split into two groups with instructions that we could not show our cards to anyone, nor could we read the description and if we did so, would be charged time penalties. We could describe instructions verbally if we needed help with something but we were to do the actual task drawn. We could also confer with our counterpart in the other group.

There was an incident commander and a safety officer for both groups. Safety could say or do nothing other than observe, take notes, and say "stop" if they saw a problem but they could offer no explanation or help so that we would stop and figure it out. Other titles all ended with "expert." For example, I pulled "Finish Anchor Tie-off and Guy Expert." What? I groaned when I saw pictures of trees, ropes, and knots. Instructions included 4 wraps and half hitches but the pictures involved two systems that I had to figure out from fuzzy pictures and minimal instruction. I feel confident wrapping. After that I really have to dig.  I've seen so many ways to tie the same knot and it's the kind of thing that if you don't do it daily, you confuse it and lose it.

Oh, and then Austin hands me a 2nd sheet. Now I was also the "Back-up Brake System and Dismount Expert." I had two jobs! More wraps and half hitches but also Truckers knots, carabiners, pulleys, belays, and harnesses would be involved. Multiple tree anchors for each "system." Truckers knots--we learned those in September to tie boats and kayaks to the trailers. If we remembered it when camping, it could come in handy tying tarps to trees.

Austin pointed out the trees we were to use traversing from point A to point B. After conferring with my counterpart, we determined that our instructions sent us both to the receiving "dismount" shore. Ultimately, my group's system would be a zip line from above and down to the other shore. We needed to figure out what and how much equipment we needed to bring. The two dismount areas would be about 100' apart. The two launching areas were much farther apart, out of sight from each other.

It took a while to pull the groups together, figure out our particular responsibilities and how we thought those might be accomplished. Incident Commander's had their work cut out for themselves. After questioning anyone who heard me why I had to get knots and systems, I decided to not sink into what I don't know and look at it as an opportunity to learn. That's what we're supposed to do. I'm on the right track.

I tried to focus on one task at a time but I also needed to make sense of the big picture. I decided to start becoming the "Finish Anchor Tie-off and Guy Expert" since that appeared to involve the main rope on which the patient would travel. Why isn't a guy rope a guide rope?

Katie was the harness expert but since that didn't come into play until later, she came with me to the lower shore, Point B. Figuring out a plan, I realized that I had to climb a tree with no limbs to set the main transport rope 9' high. Katie ran back up to Point A to get her knot fieldbook. I wanted to be sure I knew how to tie the knots before I climbed. We had at least 3 people trying to figure out how to tie the knots. It was good for my ego but not much else. Clock is ticking. Okay. I think I've got it.

Anna had tied steps out of webbing at Point A so she made steps for the limbless tree. I struggled into the steps but they didn't let me reach quite high enough. I didn't know I was doing it but apparently I was standing on Anna's head and my full weight was a problem while I was trying to hold on to the tree and wrap the rope 4 times. I was getting tired fast. It was a ridiculous maneuver and hindsight said I should have used a harness for safety and it would have freed up my arms for working the rope. Or, as Austin mentioned late in the game when time was up but we were still trying to finish the system, I could have leaned against the adjacent tree and been hands-free. Duh worthy. But I didn't think of it and I was frustrated with exhaustion and no good solutions. Finally the wrapping and half hitches were done--in theory. I followed them up with a barrel knot given that the whole thing looked loose and sketchy. I didn't have the strength from my position to work the rope and do it properly. I was clearly frustrated. I didn't figure out a way to make the task easier and no one else came up with ideas. And, I was the only one who could complete the task. Jen knew it looked bad and called Beth to approve it which she didn't. I had to take it all out and do it again, this time standing on Mark's shoulder and him pushing my butt so I could stand straight. He asked if he was being inappropriate but context is everything. I tried to bring some humor into the situation and asked for a massage since he sometimes gives shoulder massages.

Austin informed us that our time was up and our patient died. So did the other group's patient. But Austin stuck around to make sure that I completed the "Back-up Brake System and Dismount" and then we had someone do a test run. And then we took it all down and had a debrief. And then we talked a lot about the frustration that seemed pervasive in both groups and the potential solutions we had but didn't see. Austin said that he hoped we all felt good about the learning experience given the piece-meal information, lack of communication, unfamiliar terrain, all of which could mirror a real situation.