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Show The Tlmes-lndependen- Thursday, t, June 28, 1979 B1 Mr' Arches National Park Rangers prepare to lower a Stokes litter during a demonstration of rescue techniques near the Devils Gar-den trailhead Sunday, June 24. Throughout the summer, the demonstrations will take place the fourth Sunday of each month, beginning at 1 p.m. pedal Park crew ready to help in case of emergency By Bill Davis In those odd moments during TV commercials or waiting for the waitress to bring you your soup, do you ever find yourself wondering, How do you get an injured person down a sheer sandstone wall? Perhaps a more likely time for such thoughts is when you are trying to figure out how to get yourself down a sheer sandstone wall while questioning whether you . made your last insurance payment, If such an incident takes place in Arches National d Park, a search and rescue team can be on the scene within minutes. The team mem highly-traine- bers are trained in both Garden trailhead. Last Sunday, June 24, rock climbing and first-ai- d techniques. During the the rescue team, under summer, on the fourth the direction of Ranger Sunday of each month, a Mike Meyer, gave the first of the exhibitions. training exercise and pubThe first step in the lic exhibition is conducted at 1 p.m. near the Devils exercise consisted of carrying necessary equipment to the top of a sandstone fin near the Perhaps the most familiar and graceful moutaineering technique is the rappel, a method used by climbers to quickly descend a vertical wall. Using a system of metal loops with spring gates (called carabiners) to provide friction on the rope, the climber can easily control the rate of descent. Devils Garden parking lot. Near the top of the fin, a number of expansion bolts had been sunk in the soft sandstone to provide anchor points for the ropes. While frowned upon by recreational climbers, the bolts can be placed in any rock surface, unlike pitons or wedges, which must be placed in cracks. The use of the bolts can become vital when a persons life is at stake and normal climbing methods cannot be used. The ropes used during the training exercise were a climbing goldline, with a breaking high rope strength. During actual rescues, more expensive perlon ropes are used. In addition to great strength, both kinds of rope are designed to act as a shock absorber, reducing the impact of a fall on '11?11?, demonstration of rescue techniques put on by a climber. The rope is attached via a metal loop with a spring gate, called a carabiner to a nylon web sling which circles the climbers waist and legs. The harness provides comfortable support and distributes shock loads mere evenly than would a loop of rope Guided by a rescue team member, a Stokes litter is lowered from the top of a sanaround the waist: The dstone fin to the ground. The position of the ranger allows him to guide the stretclimbers outfit is com- cher down the wall, while preventing it from banging into the rock. pleted with a pair of stiff the climbers up and down climbing boots, a pair of the rock wall, but what gloves and a helmet. about our mythical injured To open the demonstrawho is stranded high party tion, one of the team above the ground? Before members rappeled to the moved, the victim bottom of the cliff. To being is immobilized in a Stokes provide extra friction, litter, a wire mesh stretchthus allowing greater con- er which prevents movetrol while siding down the ment of the extremeties lican Organizing Conven-an-d rope, a carabiner with a protection tion will be held Saturday, provides brake bar is used to and June 30, at 10 a.m. at the bumps against control the descent. scrapes. Highland High School Reversing the process, The litter is lowered to Auditorium in Salt Lake a second team member the 2166 South 1700 ground using a varia- ascended the rope using tion of a rappel, with a City, Jumar ascenders, a mechfclso be debated and voted ranger along to guide the anical clamp which can be stretcher and prevent it hazardous position while on. preventing further injury, slid easily up a rope, but from banging H against the Th cnfiflVs when H. Keith Haines of Utah weight rock. In addition to the grips tightly was demonstration , small, n is applied. The ascenders rope which lowers the infestadue m and.WcJfn, artl0an are attached to rope loops stretcher, a belay rope is tion who of seemed gnats around the climbers feet, used to provide extra candi- determined to remove the Crty areforannounced Chairmansallowing him to move protocuon for the victim dates the ariiKia nhjpnpfj in fixed rope P background, the system of ropes which support both to the bolts at the attached Service personnel near the Devils Garden the stretcher and the climbers can be seen. The ropes trailhead in Arches National Park, Ranger Mike Meyer are attached to expansion bolts, which the provide a firm . These assembles the Stokes jitter. The wire mesh stretcher is hold m the soft sandstone. techniques are all well immobilize to the and good for moving victims body. In the designed toPf 11 and climber if a problem should develop with the main stretcher rope. This method allows a victim to be lowered quickly from a chunks exoected thaT IttendLice will increase program known aT becomes the better Dolores of Cache County and Geor&a Jen9en of Weaver County will vie for the shiP- - |