Incident:Fall - Mild concussion and sprained wrist in Rattlesnake Canyon (Joshua Tree National Park) 2021/06/02

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Incident:Fall - Mild concussion and sprained wrist in Rattlesnake Canyon (Joshua Tree National Park) 2021/06/02
Date 2021/06/02
Location Rattlesnake Canyon (Joshua Tree National Park)
Severity Injury
Canyoneering-related Yes
SAR involvement No
Navigation problem No
Environmental problem No
Communication problem No
Planning problem No
Skills problem No
Body movement problem No
Rigging problem No
Rappel problem No
Insufficient gear No
Gear failure Yes

Summary

Approached the choke anchor (2nd rappel) about halfway through the canyon to find a rattlesnake (it’s rattlesnake canyon for a reason!) on the ledge directly below the choke anchor where we would have rigged in. We were still able to test the choke anchor and send 2 people down safely around the snake. Third rappeler (me) must have stepped a little too far out of line to avoid the snake, or there was too much weight on the anchor after 2 others, but the choke anchor failed and pulled out of the wall. I fell about 15 feet down the wall into a shallow pool.

All members of our three person team were certified Wilderness First Responders and we were able to evacuate out the canyon and to the nearest hospital in under an hour. No outside organizations were called in. Resulting injuries are black eye, face scrape, mild concussion, sprained wrist, and severely bruised knee.

Moral of the story: Rattlesnake canyon is missing a choke anchor and we got a free quick link out of it!

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