Incidents:Struck underwater rock while on rappel in Monmouth Creek, British Columbia

Struck underwater rock while on rappel in Monmouth Creek, British Columbia
Date	2016/08/20
Location	Monmouth Canyon
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	Yes
Insufficient gear	No
Gear failure	No

Summary

A canyoner struck an underwater boulder/ledge at the bottom of a rappel, resulting in a broken fibula. A small party assisted rescue was successful in getting the injured party to safety and medical care.

Accounts

A team of eight intermediate-expert canyoners set out to descend Monmouth Creek. On Rap 4 (if I recall correctly), a canyoner (male, mid-20s, seasoned caver) struck an underwater ledge/boulder at the bottom of the rappel. The subject described rappelling at a moderately high rate of speed into the pool, and his outstretched right foot/ankle unexpectedly struck a boulder/ledge beneath the surface of the water. The patient complained of ankle pain and was unable to bear weight on the leg. Due to the large, flat, dry boulder and ease of exit at the bottom of R5 (according to my memory), the patient and a few others in the group decided that it would be best to move to that area. The subject determined that he could complete R5 on his own. Once at the bottom of R5, the patient was situated on a large, mostly-flat boulder. A member of the team (a physical therapist) made an assessment and applied two SAM splints to the lower leg/ankle/foot with Gorilla tape. Pain reliever medication was also administered. The team decided to send two canyoners to assist the subject to safety while the remainder of the team descended the rest of the creek.

The patient was able to crawl down the steep trail—sometimes using a sturdy stick for balance, and sometimes utilizing help from the two team members accompanying him. Meanwhile, a text message was sent out to a family member to arrange for a car pickup on the Spit Road for transportation to the hospital. Once on the flatter part of the trail, the team used a two-person carry technique with one person on each side of the injured canyoner. Crossing the Squamish River required ferrying both the canoe and the patient cross two gravel islands. Once on the other side of the river, the injured canyoner was transported by car to the hospital. After 6 weeks of wearing an air cast and not bearing weight on the leg, the canyoner fully recovered.