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News & Features
From the Idyllwild Town Crier weekly newspaper, 09.04.08 edition.
Man
survives Suicide Rock fall
By J.P. Crumrine,
News Editor
After falling 85 to 100 feet down Suicide Rock, landing on his head and
becoming blue from lack of oxygen early afternoon Saturday, a beginning
climber appears to have survived with head injuries and a broken neck.
Not only is he alive, but he appears to have no paralysis.
Besides an abundant amount of good luck, Trevor [last name unknown] of
Orange County was fortunate to have taken the fall on a day when plenty
of experienced climbers, including Clark Jacobs of Pine Cove, were
already on or around Suicide Rock.
Trevor’s climbing partner, Claire [last name unknown] of Orange County,
suffered face and arm injuries that were major, but not life
threatening.
Jacobs, a 55-year-old climbing instructor and guide, has lived in
Idyllwild for 25 years and has been climbing for nearly 40 years. He
has also narrowly escaped death recently. But Jacobs’ dark encounter
was not on local granite.
In 2005, he was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer, kidney failure and
type 2 diabetes. He spent 43 days in Eisenhower Medical Center at the
end of the year. Two years later, as 2007 was ending, his doctor told
him the cancer appeared to be in remission.
Regaining his strength has taken time. Saturday he planned to rest. A
sudden urge for a short solo climb sent him to Suicide Rock. He does
not encourage anyone else to duplicate his feats. After completing the
climb, he hiked back to the base for his pack and phone.
While talking to other hikers, they heard a rockslide. Looking up,
Jacobs realized that a person was sliding down Suicide. Trevor landed
in the “Buttress of Cracks” area. Jacobs sprinted to the body.
He found a man on his head, helmet smashed, neck bent and turning blue.
His first priority was to ensure the individual could breathe. He got
him on his back, which opened his airways almost immediately.
Other climbers began to come and offer assistance. “We did what we
could,” Jacobs said. “Climbers stand together.”
Then, the rescuers realized that another climber was injured and
on the ledge above them.
Quickly, Jacobs helped to organize the effort. He sent one person back
to his pack to use the phone. His instruction was to call Nomad
Ventures, explain the situation and return.
Another team organized and began the hike around Suicide to find the
second climber, Claire. Two women rushed to the “Weeping Wall” for a
litter to carry the decimated climber off the rock environs.
A California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection helicopter
arrived on the scene and started to lower a rope and sack to lift the
injured man. But suddenly a vicious rain and hail storm pummeled Fern
Valley. The helicopter’s visibility deteriorated so much that the pilot
had to leave the area and make an emergency landing at AstroCamp.
After stabilizing Trevor’s head, Jacobs and his makeshift team had a
decision. Should they try to bring the injured climber off the mountain
before paramedics arrived or should they wait?
After a conversation with a U.S. Forest Service dispatcher, the
decision was to begin the evacuation. Even this portion of the rescue
was filled with peril, not only for Trevor, but the litter bearers, too.
“This was the worse rainstorm I’ve experienced in 25 years here,”
Jacobs said. On Sunday, the Fern Valley roads were littered with rocks,
not stones, from the run-off.
The hail was big and painful, Jacobs said. Their heads and bodies were
nature’s targets. One bearer was bare-chested from the morning heat. He
had to stop for a shirt.
Halfway down the trail, the litter bearers met the Idyllwild Fire
Department’s (IFD) rescue team. The paramedics began administering
fluids and gave Trevor some medicine.
The ambulance rushed Trevor to the waiting helicopter, which flew him
to Riverside County Medical Center. On Monday, the reports of his
condition were amazingly positive.
As of Monday morning, IFD Capt. James Manietta reported that Trevor
sustained a concussion, but there was movement and feeling in both arms
and legs. Climbing Web sites reported that he suffered a broken neck,
but may be released from the hospital this week.
Meanwhile, it took another two hours to rescue Claire and get her off
the ledge and mountain. She was taken to the same hospital and appears
to be recovering at home now.
This was just one of five rescue efforts IFD conducted this weekend.
Two others were successful airlifts and two were ambulance trips to
trauma centers. As of Monday, all five victims were alive and improving.
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