Date of Event: 8/5/2017
Canyon involved: Seven Tea Cups
Region: California Sierras
Country: United States
Submitted by: Danielle Monroy
Source: www.ropewiki.com
Injury: Hypothermia
Cause: Rappel error. Fall or slip. Hydraulic. Inadequate equipment or clothing. Exposure. Inexperience.
Description of Event: An inexperienced group (team A) entered the teacups with only light clothes and tennis shoes. They were not aware of the beta. Another group (team B) assisted them in several places. There is a rappel that is normally set up with a deviation. A woman from Team A slipped on that rappel and became caught in a hydraulic. It took two members from team B to haul her out. They believe her pack may have gotten caught in the water and was preventing her from exiting. She was hypothermic and needed assistance getting into warm clothes. Members of Team B loaned her their wetsuit to warm her up and assist in getting her out of the slot and across the pool. It was getting dark and team A did not have headlamps. A member of Team B guided remaining members of team A out of the canyon via the Brennan approach. They reached their cars at 1am.
Analysis:
1) It is important for a team, especially with less experience, to understand the demands of a particular canyon, e.g., deviation, hydraulics.
2) Canyoneering specific equipment is needed: wetsuits, canyoneering shoes, and headlamps.
3) Each group of canyoneers should have the ability to self-rescue.