STRANDED

Nevada, Red Rock Canyon NCA, Black Velvet Canyon - Dream of Wild Turkeys

On November 26, two females became stuck between second and the top of the third pitch on Dream of Wild Turkeys (5.10a). They were stranded because their rope had lodged itself in a crack, making it unusable.

Pilots, officers, and MR Volunteers attempted to access the victims on Saturday night, but due to winds, terrain, and other factors, the decision to leave them on a ledge/crack was ultimately made in order to complete the rescue in a safer and more efficient manner on Sunday. Before leaving for the night, one officer was dropped off at the base of the cliff where voice contact was made with the climbers. It was confirmed that they were prepared to spend the remainder of the night in their current location.

Once technical systems were set up, one rescuer was lowered to the climbers. Upon arrival, the rescuer determined that both were medically stable. The rescuer was then lowered to the location where the rope had lodged. He was unable to free the rope but was able to cut it in such a manner that a portion of it could still be used. The rescuer was then raised back to the climbers where he helped them rappel to the valley floor. Once all members had reached the ground, the officer and climbers hiked out of the canyon. (Source: Edited from a post by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept. SAR Unit on lvmpdsas.blogspot)