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Deschutes County SAR rescues a senior hiker at Smith Rock

Injured Hiker Rescued at Smith Rock
Madras Woman Has No Fun on Misery Ridge
By Mackenzie Wilson, KTVZ.COM
May 1, 2012
Cool, sunny weather made for the perfect day of exploring at Smith Rock on Tuesday. But 71-year-old Lois Fuller's fun came to a halt 3/4 of the way up Misery Ridge when she slipped on loose rock and suffered a minor injury.

"We went up there with the proper rescue equipment and were able to get her down safely," said Liam Klatt, assistant SAR coordinator for the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office.

A caller to 911 dispatchers reported the woman's injury shortly after 11 am saying she was unable to continue the hike at Smith Rock State Park, Klatt said.

It took eight men to get the Madras woman down safely; four had their hands on the stretcher while the other four gripped onto a long piece of rope behind.

"It was just a braking system," Klatt said. "That way, if someone were to slip that's manning the litter, the litter doesn't go out of control. So it's just a braking system,"

Despite crews having to carefully maneuver the stretcher down stairs while on loose rock, one rescuer told me the hardest part was going slow.

But going fast is a sure way to slow things down.

"We're not going to do anybody any good if we're in a big hurry and we get somebody hurt while we're trying to save them," Klatt said. "We would wind up having to double the work so to speak." It took the crew less than 30 minutes to carry Fuller down Smith Rock's sketchy switchbacks.

"She was real appreciative of the fact that we were helping her down, and we're happy to do it," he said.

After crossing over the Crooked River, she was placed in the back of a pickup truck which took her on one more bumpy ride out of the canyon, to a waiting ambulance.

Fuller was taken to St. Charles Medical Center-Redmond for treatment at the end of a rescue operation that took about two hours in total.

Rescue crews say this is a reminder to bring your cellphone with you, and to call if you get lost or injured in the outdoors.
Copyright 2012 KTVZ. All rights reserved.

http://www.ktvz.com/news/30988773/detail.html
Watch the award winning video news report by Mackenzie Wilson!

Three Comments
Savasanagrrrl-
PROUD OF YOU, SAR!  As always. Efficient, professional, outwardly calm and collected, and with a sense of humor. What an amazing bunch you are. And proud of les dames d'un certain age HIKING!! :) Carpe diem, Ms. Fuller!

On another note entirely -- hang on to this MacKenzie Wilson, or whoever wrote this piece. I live in the greater LA area (Orange County) and our news writing down here is -- surprisingly -- actually quite pitiful. The
message it sends smacks of, "I'm in LA -- huge market -- I've MADE IT -- sooooooo, I think I'll just phone it in..."

Wilson's was a great piece that I read before I watched the video, and the writing popped even more hearing it a second time as a narrative to the visual. So, really nicely done. I'm kind of a hard case when it comes
to my expectations from certain markets, a flaw illustrated nicely by my incessant bristling at lazy writing, awkward phrasing, or whatnot. The sheer quantity of opportunities for announcers or on air talent to use
ambiguous language throughout the course of a newscast are highlighted, illustrated, and repeated, and repeated and then they repeat what they repeated, ad n-a-u-s-e-u-m...so, again, lovely piece, and thank you
for relighting the flame of hope in me that somewhere out there, someone still not only knows how to write "the news" in such an interesting and compelling (yet efficient and concise!) manner, but actually CARES to
do so.
 

Barney Lerten, Content Director/KTVZ.COM Moderator
What a nice thing to say! And such a nice way of saying it! I immediately shared it not just with Mack but our superiors. Your kind words are very much appreciated!
In reply to Savasanagrrrl
 

Robert_Speik
This is an informative story of an all too common accident on the often steep but scenic walking trails at Smith Rock State Park.

The well maintained trails at Smith may have steep sections made "slippery" by small natural volcanic scree over the hard rock of the trails.Park visitors need to be alert on these sections.

Slips and falls to the trail lead to sprains and simple broken bones and a trip to the Emergency Room. See photos and a story of the rescue of a senior hiker by Redmond Fire:
http://traditionalmountaineering.org/Photos_SmithRescue.htm

Lois Fuller was assisted by Deschutes Search and Rescue due to the need for technical transport down the very steep Misery Ridge trail.

It is important to note the suggestion by SAR, to always carry a cell phone for that call to 911.
--Robert Speik

Hiking Accidents at Smith Rock
Each year, there are many Smith Rock State Park hiking accidents of the type shown in the photos above. The well maintained trails at Smith often have short steep sections made "slippery" by small natural gravel over the hard ground or rock of the trails. Park personnel and visitors need to be alert on these sections.

  About Alpine Mountaineering:
  The Sport of Alpine Mountaineering
  Climbing Together
  Following the Leader
  The Mountaineers' Rope
  Basic Responsibilities       Cuatro Responsabiliades Basicas de Quienes Salen al Campo
  The Ten Essential Systems      

  SMITH ROCK ACCIDENTS:
Climber injured in fall near Smith Rock, lowered in high angle rescue
Smith Rock - Climbers injured by Monkey Face swing stunt
Smith Rock - Climber survives 40-foot fall, rescued by SAR
Smith Rock - Climber rescued after 70-foot sliding fall
Smith Rock - Climbers become stranded on Monkey Face
Smith Rock - Warning!! ** Climber falls trying to clip first bolt
Smith Rock - AAC: Experienced rock climber Jim Anglin dies
Smith Rock - AAC: Leader fall turns climber upside down
Smith Rock - AAC: Warning!! ** Belayer drops climber off the end of the top rope
Smith Rock - AAC: Fall on rock - protection pulled out
Smith Rock - AAC: WARNING - Belayer drops climber off the end of the top rope
Smith Rock - AAC: Inadequate top rope belay
Smith Rock - AAC: Climber injured on the approach
Smith Rock - AAC: WARNING - Belayer drops climber off the end of the top rope
Smith Rock - AAC: Belay error - novice sport climber injured
Smith Rock - AAC: Fall on rock, protection pulled out
Smith Rock - AAC: Fall on rock - poor position, inadequate protection
Smith Rock - AAC: Pulled rock off - fall on rock, failure to test holds, exceeding abilities
Smith Rock - Eye witness report of a serious fall
Smith Rock - AAC: Belay error - fatal fall on rock

  SMITH ROCK PHOTOS:
Smith Rock State Park Spring Thing volunteers in 2009
BARK Wild Juniper Berry VI Adventure Race near Smith Rock, Oregon
American Alpine Club's 2007 Annual Meeting in Bend Oregon
Smith Rock Detour Bouldering Contest and Reel Rock Tour
Redmond Fire Department rescues a senior hiker at Smith Rock
Smith Rock Spring Thing in 2006
Smith Rock Spring Thing 2006 volunteer's party at the Barn
HERA climb for life fundraiser at Smith Rock
HERA climb4life party at the Smith Rock Barn
American Alpine Club and Traditional Mountaineering build another rescue cache at Smith Rock
Smith Rock Spring Thing Improvements
Smith Rock Spring Thing 2004 Party!
Smith Rock hiking in the spring
Smith Rock from above the Burma Road
Smith Rock rescue cache by AAC/ORS and TraditionalMountaineering
Smith Rock weekend
Smith Rock Monkey Face practice