What to do when you fall and your Via Ferrata set fully deploys!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 เม.ย. 2023
- I've tried multiple techniques that any Via Ferrata climber should apply safely in case of a fall that results under the safety steel cable with the Via Ferrata shock absorber fully deployed and no obvious possibility to recover.
After trying all the obvious and easier or less easy techniques and after failing miserably to apply any of them realistically (something that can be used and applied by any Via Ferrata climber) my conclusion is: in case you fall like this, your best option is to sit and wait!
Imagine that! I cannot believe that this is my recommendation.
If you don't have a partner that can belay you up, if there is no obvious easy recovery way out, then there is not that much you can do.
Of course, in critical moments our body and mind is capable of much effort but still...
Being alone - prusik upwards. 2 cordelettes needed to take with you. But the first mistake is - to go alone.
I will make time and try to see how easy and feasible can be to a large majority. So far each time I tried the Prusik was sliding down the lanyard. I will try back again with a lanyard of width closer to a Via Ferrata Set shock absorber lanyard.
I have slipped on a friction traverse due to pulling too hard on the cable but as you say the VF set didn't deploy but it was still hard to get back up to the cable to continue. Best advice is don't fall. On a personal note I just wanted to let you know I ruptured my Achilles tendon (not on a VF) so will be off for at least 9m after my operation
9 months means next year. Let's hope that by then my life gets better not worse and I will still be able to travel. In meanwhile maybe I will just stop by and say hello. I will let you know once I set myself on the road and I know better my itinerary.
This is sad. Very bad news. I hope other than the required recovery to not be affected for too long. I presume some lost in mobility will happen. But I hope you will be able to do your best and recover to the maximum.
I'm so afraid of accidents in general and in these types in particular. Last spring I was running after the dog of a friend in a park and didn't see a whole under the grass. It was just a sprained ankle but it set me back months. Three months to be able to walk properly and five more to fully trusted. It is still weak as we speak and from time to time I loose control.
Now that it happened you have no choice that to focus on rehabilitation and hope for a fast recovery. I'm sad about it but I do understand that these things happen and sometimes you cannot do anything about it.
@@JetSetYourself Thanks for the kind words, yes looking forward to meeting you one day, I was just glad my accident didn't happen on a mountain or VF route as it would require a helicopter rescue. In any case the recovery process will be long and slow...
Great channel and great informative content! Where are you hanging there, near to "Pestera Muierii", near the village of Polovragi?
Yes, all Via Ferrata are near Peștera Muierilor near Polovragi. I was hanging on Iulia/Irina at the start three or four bolts up.
Great. Such novice, as I, is being trully gratefull!
also not to forget if you're in this case, you're probably also injured and in pain
Agreed!
if i go alone i take some prusiks and slings that are smal enough to grab onto it, you could use small cords that are good to grab onto it
Will not work. There is no proper way to push the Prusik up. To push the Prusik up you need minimum tension on the sling. We need not to forget that the solution also has to work easy and simple enough for any viewer not for the most experienced.
I will try more easy straight forward recovery techniques and if any will work, I will speak about it.
@@JetSetYourself two prusik rope ascend on a free hanging lanyard does work. Not the most elegant, but that's not the point here.
(Will everyone be able to do it just based on watching a video and without practicing and figuring the nuance? Of course not.)
I do it multiple times a season as a refresher training, as a little course for friends, or also to get to some fun spots next to via ferrata for photography...(well rather to get back to the via ferrata afterwards :))
If you feel this does not work -- do not give up! :)
There is some nuance to working with prusiks for rope/lanyard ascend (a bit hard to describe in text or even with picture). Maybe try to go with someone more experienced who can show you and then just the usual -- practice, practice, practice. You can do it :)
@@MiroslavHavela I will work on a tutorial (an easy to follow for any Via Ferrata climber) to present, describe and introduce the two prusik lanyard ascent.
@@JetSetYourselfyou can use one of the prusiks as a improvised "ladder". Make a loop with it, put your leg in it and push your torso upwards. This will give slack to your rope and you can slide the second prusik, connected to your harness, upwards. Alpinists use this technique for rescues on glaciers.
Kong makes a device that will grab a tape sling/ deployed VF rope, also Kong makes a small handle ascender ( Futura) that will grab the VF set, you will need some slings and some aluminum carabiners. If you don't have training and practice with doing this, then it's a bad idea to go alone. Just saying " Don't fall " does nothing, practice practice.
The overall idea is to provide the optimal advice while factoring in as many elements possible. The large majority will never watch this and a large number of who's taking the time to watch will never invest the time to practice or the money to buy the gear. Doing so will be a significant cost for a black swan event. If we can find optimal advice that will eliminate as much possible prohibitive coste and amounts of gear then it is amazing.
I dug out my various ascenders to try. I use a Black Diamond Iron Cruiser VF set. My Kong Duck and my Petzl Nano Traction won’t work - the tape is too wide. My Petzl Basic does work but I have to fold the tape into it and that probably doesn’t work when under load. Prussiks are the solution - simple, light and they do seem to grip on the tape.
I will work more on a solution. It has to be something that actually gets you up without the risk of burning or cutting the web. You say your Duck failed? What about Climbing Technology Rollnlock? Either way, a Prussik should be our aim for a working solution because it is cheap and accessible to anyone. Any other device will require cost and better planning and understanding. Not many will invest that much energy. Personally, I still need a solution. I will soon deploy a Via Ferrata Set and test directly on that the recovery.
Thank you for letting us know your findings. It helps a lot.
@@JetSetYourself CT RollnLock has the same problem as the Duck. It’s too narrow. They are all designed for ropes. The tape (at least in my VF set) is really wide.
Maybe your BD Iron Cruiser has the same webbing as Easy Rider? I have the Easy Rider for testing. Just wandering. On another note, were you able to make the Prussik bit and at the same time slide afterwards upwards? For my testing so far, each time I can make the Prussik block is very hard to make slide upwards. I also need a way to tension the web for that to eventually happen (the Prussik blocks hard on the webbing and is hard to unlock)
Seeing how you like to play with scenarios and come up with solutions (and how you like to make videos), have you considered adapting the crevasse self rescue methods (th-cam.com/video/lcz8ZhYnLLo/w-d-xo.html and th-cam.com/video/eC8M0GqJ1Z8/w-d-xo.html) to an elongated via ferrata set? Prussik knots may work on these arms or a Kong Duck also works on flat lanyards (I'm just tossing ideas here).
Very good ideas and thank you for tossing them. It helps a lot. I will try this winter if possible to make some time and work on it. Summer proved to be a no free time zone. It was so busy with good and bad things happening that I was forced to no longer publish as frequently. I have weeks or months of content not yet edited (but recorded). Let's see if I will have enough time this December / January. Definitely no time during November.
1) scenarios: most likely fall with a deployed shock absorber and not being able to reach the path - - overhang.
2) what do you do? For self rescue, it's same as with stage 1 of cravess self rescue, 2 prusiks rope ascending. Yes, on lanyard it's a bit harder, especially with modern dyneema based shock absorbers, but it works. Requires prusiks, some spare binders and skill / practice.
2) if you are pushing it (that is doing grades that are hard for you / your friends, or rushing, or being on wet etc.): don't come alone. Ideally you have some gear, most importantly a short rope (i do take it if i have someone in the group who i now might struggle on some sections). Then you can a) prevent the situation by belaying a difficult section from above. And b) in the situation you can help to lift them (you need to know how to setup a pulley system or have a lot of people to pull). No rope? Tougher, but: pool together slings, prusik slings etc in the group + again need to know very well what you are doing.
3) other person had fallen and is injured, panicked (maybe upside down?) etc.. If you have a rope and other gear (including for the ascend) you can consider abseiling to them.. Either to help with the ascend, or provide medical care until the profesional help comes.
No gear, not enough knowledge + skill, no people who can provide that, or not sure? Wait for help..
But there are definitely self rescue and group rescue options. These require (beyond the gear and the skill) a regular refresher training.
I agree with you. If you plan climbing solo a Via Ferrata (in your skill range or above) make sure to be as prepared possible. Basig training is required. Basic resque equipment as well.
My only frustration was/is that I could not find a simple, straight forward technique to recommend for such cases. Something that anyone could learn and apply without too much effort. I have an idea of something that might work. I will test it and if it works I will post a new video.
On the other hand I try to pay attention to all that I suggest because what I overall want is a tool bag simple, light, affordable anyone could take with them without being in their way or something they find hard to manage while on Via Ferrata. A Via Ferrata aiding kit. Something like that.