Date of Event: 10/19/2018
Canyon involved: Egypt 1
Region: Escalante Area, Garfield County, Utah
Country: United States
Submitted by: Sandy Crow
Source: Canyon Collective
Injury: Fracture
Cause: Fall or slip, Weather, Excessive and slippery mud
Description of Event: Normally a good beginner canyon in Escalante, Egypt 1 received over a years worth of rain the prior week, making it not only treacherous, but advanced. Thick mud coated everything and made even walking difficult, let alone climbing and stemming.
At the third 15 ft rappel, the deadman anchor that is normally there and maintained by a local guide was completely missing. The subject of this report was a lone canyoneer. He suffered a compound fracture to the leg somewhere “after the third rap” according to his wife. She had heard his yelling below from the rim, after he had activated his inReach device.
Assisted by a group of canyoneers who had exited the canyon before the incident, the Garfield County rescue team retrieved the subject using a five to one haul. He was helicoptered to a hospital in Page, Arizona.
Analysis: Due to weather, the characteristics of a canyon can change radically from one visit to the next. A “beginner” canyon can quickly become an advanced canyon when anchors wash away, potholes get scoured out, or otherwise simple downclimbs become treacherous with mud, snow, or ice. Take canyon conditions seriously and be prepared. Check recent trip reports and consider recent weather before you go. Preferably go in groups of four so that one person can stay with the subject while the other two go for help.
ICAD Analysis:
Canyon environments can change even within the course of a day; due to various risks associated with canyoning, even under “easy” conditions, it is safer to canyon in groups of 4 at a minimum; this ensures that even if someone were to get hurt, one person could stay with the injured person while two others go for help, as it is safer to be in pairs and good teamwork could avoid an incident in the first place. Canyoneers should always be prepared to set up new anchors and have appropriate material to do so, as anchors can be washed away, degraded, or otherwise lose integrity. In desperate situations, even ropes can be cut to set up anchors in an emergency.
Good decision making and a mind to safety can help avoid serious incidents, but this decision making starts even before the canyon does; if conditions may be unsafe, or warning signs appear that indicate a higher level of danger than normal, caution is advised. Turning around, or doing the canyon another time, or with another group, is always an option before the first rope is pulled. If things do not appear right, or “gut feelings” cause hesitation, do not be afraid to ask for advice or for the team to stop and discuss your concerns; safety is everyone’s responsibility, and having the courage to speak up when you have doubts and having reliable partners to bounce ideas off of could avoid a major incident.