Lower leg wound in Tanner Creek, Oregon
| Lower leg wound in Tanner Creek, Oregon | |
|---|---|
| Date | 2015/09/05 |
| Location | Tanner Creek |
| 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 | Yes |
| Rigging problem | No |
| Rappel problem | No |
| Insufficient gear | No |
| Gear failure | No |
Summary[edit]
A canyoner slipped and fell on a sharp rock, wounding her lower leg just below the knee. The injured party self rescued with assistance from other members of the team.
Accounts[edit]
A team of seven intermediate to expert canyoners set out on the initial day of establishing a route down then-undescended Tanner Creek. To reach the objective, the team descended a minor tributary from the east which confluences with Tanner Creek just above Wahclella Falls. The team had descended two pitches (141 ft and 75 ft) in low flow conditions. Just before reaching the final pitch at the confluence, one member of the team slipped and fell on a sharp rock, wounding her lower leg just below the knee. The patient was not wearing a wetsuit at the time due to the low water conditions. Another team member was nearby and gave first aid. The patient's balaclava was wrapped around the leg and secured with Gorilla brand tape. This effectively stopped the bleeding. Since the weather was favorable and the tributary was nearly dry, hypothermia was not an issue.
The team quickly convened. Descending the planned route was fraught with complications: a first descent, many bolt anchors that needed to be placed, very swift water, cold conditions, high technical difficulty, and the possibility that the descent would continue into the night. The team made a decision to self rescue, with one canyoner accompanying the injured party back to the parking area. One of the team members had scouted the location on two previous occasions and was able to find a tree along the cliff with a webbing anchor that he had left. The rope was rigged, and a best option route was scouted to get the patient safely to the anchor, about 300 ft away. The patient was carefully escorted to the tree anchor, which involved walking on uneven terrain and downclimbing a short steep section just above the anchor. One team member descended the rope about 200 ft to a scree slope above the Wahclella Falls trail. The patient then descended the pitch, while the team member below provided a bottom belay. The patient and team member walked together on the trail back to the parking area and drove to the hospital in Hood River. The patient received eight stitches and fully recovered.
The remaining five members of the team continued with the planned objective and successfully descended Wahclella Falls just after sunset.
Analysis[edit]
The area where the incident occurred is a wet streambed full of slippery basalt rocks, moss, downed logs, and vegetation. Slips are common in this environment, even among experienced canyoners. Many factors can compound the risk, such as mental and physical fatigue, swift water, and cold temperatures. The conditions were favorable on the day of the incident: low water level and pleasant temperatures. The patient was in good physical condition, had significant experience in that environment, showed no signs of fatigue, and was feeling well prior to the incident. The patient was not wearing a wetsuit at the time; the team later speculated that it is possible that a layer of neoprene could have further limited the severity of the injury. However, wetsuits limit mobility and increase fatigue, especially if worn in dry conditions, and the conditions at the time did not warrant wearing one.
Several significant factors contributed to the success of the self rescue:
- The nearest team member to the patient is a member of a mountain search and rescue team and trained in wilderness first aid. He carried Gorilla brand tape, and the patient carried a balaclava that together combined for an effective wound dressing.
- One team member had developed knowledge of the area by scouting on two previous trips. He was able to quickly locate the established anchor. Had this escape option not been available, the self rescue would have been much more difficult.
- The patient remained calm and used caution during the self rescue. The fact that the patient was an experienced canyoner helped the operation go smoothly.
Preventative measures[edit]
Often, canyoners focus on technical hazards such as rope and swift water. However, slips and falls are almost a constant hazard in the rainforest environment of the Pacific Northwest. Canyoners should do their best to be well-rested, nourished, hydrated, and move carefully and efficiently without expending unnecessary bursts of energy.
Understanding that rescue is difficult in canyons, canyoners should be mindful of their surroundings and how they are feeling and communicate concerns to the group. The group, in turn, should listen to anyone who voices a concern and strive to make the best decisions possible in response.
Groups should never allow a team member to become separated; rope teams of two is a good strategy, and those two people can resolve to stay together for the duration of the trip.
To better respond to an incident, potential escapes and areas where escape is impossible should be identified and discussed prior to the trip. Wilderness first aid training is often valuable when incident occurs.