Making an Improvised Stretcher

Last summer in New Zealand we watched this video: http://vimeo.com/54896465. At minute 3.30 there is an accident where somebody hurts their back pretty bad. While we were watching, we were cringing at their extraction method and asking the question "is there a better way"? I think that the best resource that we have for packaging someone with spinal issues for transport is a (their) kayak. It can be dragged, lifted, modified and destroyed. 

If I found myself in a situation where I though that my back was broken, I would want my friends to look after me and do what ever they had to make sure the situation didn't get any worse. If this means chopping up my kayak, then I would say go for it. 

During some downtime this week in Canada, we tried out what system we would use (on a kayak that was broken and retired). 

First we chopped out the cockpit to make a hole big enough to slide a person into. We did this using our river saws.

The next step was cutting some holes in the bottom to thread our slings through the kayak. We made the holes with a small pen blow torch and a knife.

The slings are used to keep the patient in place. 

Slings are used to make a full body harness

The end loops of the kayak can be used to make an attachment point for hauling. I would use a separate safety line that goes directly to the victim as a back up. 

Rata was secure in the stretcher and didn't move at all.

Handles could easily be added to the sides to allow for easy carrying. You can use the center pillar to make a neck collar and head support.

Once we were done, Lief had a chainsaw which made it very easy to finish cutting up the kayak to recycle it.

Rata enjoying it a bit too much. Safety first. 

Rogers Creek, British Columbia: One Year Later

At the moment, we are kicking about in Whistler, BC. We are with our friends Phil and Rata (Two Dash Productions) and have picked up a couple of Idaho boys by the names of Sam and Mike. There is an abundance of paddling to do around the area, from quick Cheakamus laps to full day adventures like Tatlow Creek, and everything in between.

A few days ago, we got on Rogers Creek which is a couple of hours north of here. It is a tributary of the Lillooet River and is famous for its' triple, back-to-back 20-footers. Daan and I had our first foray into Rogers Creek about a year ago. With just the two of us, it made for a pretty good adventure. You can read about that trip here: Dreaming of Whitewater Magazine (Issue #4).

This time round, we had a team of six. Having spent the evening prior soaking in the Tsek Hot Springs, we were ready to go. The road up to the put-in is pretty steep, but in way better condition than last year. One of our vehicles is more of a low-clearance and low-gradient cruiser, so we did a couple of trips up in the other rig to save hiking up with our boats.

Driving up the put-in road, we checked out the falls and were pleased to see that the flows looked great down there. Once you are at the top of the hill, it is a hike-down into the river. Daan picked a stellar line through the second generation forest, which had us at the river in good time.

Picking our way down through some (manky) boulder gardens, there were a few fun drops before we got the the last eddy before the three waterfalls. Scouting from river left, we got a phenomenal view down into the gorge and everybody got pretty excited. The drops look amazing, clean and pretty friendly. Not to mention, the lighting made it all look even better.

Rata Lovell-Smith charging #1.

Photo//Daan Jimmink

The three drops are each around 20 feet high. Once you are into the gorge, you are committed until you finish the third drop. The first drop is a spouty-ledge into an aerated, moving pool. The second drop is run left of middle, into a beautiful green pool. The pool is spectacular, as you look up around at the gorged in walls and lush green forest above. The third drop is a near vertical slide, best run on the right, which fans out into a friendly pool below.

Daan Jimmink making #2 look way too easy (as always).

Photo//Jess Matheson

The author (Jess Matheson) looking for air on #2.

Photo//Daan Jimmink

Boise Boy Mike Thurmond getting "amongst it" on #2.

Photo//Daan Jimmink

Phil Palzer on #2 repping it for the Kiwis.

Photo//Daan Jimmink

Rata making her exit move, a ferry to the right to line up #3.

Photo//Daan Jimmink

Looking back up at the series of drops is truly breathtaking. Such good waterfalls in such a fantastic environment. The drops were so good, that a bunch of the team went back for more (you can hike up river left).

Daan enjoying #3 for the third time!

Photo//Jess Matheson

The other Boise Boy Sam Wells with "The Line" on #3.

Photo//Jess Matheson

Rata hucking #2... Such an awesome place.

Photo//Jess Matheson

There was just the one kerfuffle. Rata lent her spray deck to Sam (his one is prone to implosions), via Mike carrying it back up to the top. Getting his boat across to the left back saw the spray deck fall out and start making its' way downstream. With all available people searching every possible nook and cranny, we eventually found it a few rapids downstream where it was gently beached on a rock, happily rocking side to side in the current. It was a good save!

While we were searching, the team also cut out a log that was in the run-out of one of the last good rapids. You still had to limbo move under the massive log just below (think head-height) but it cleaned things up a lot. A few more moves saw us at our exit point, where we hiked a short distance back up to the road.

I was initially a little underwhelmed about going back into Rogers, having been on the gruesome-twosome mission originally and finding that a little stressful. But it turns out with a great team and a beautiful warm and sunny day, Rogers is an truly an incredible place to be. What I remembered as being manky in there, still was, but there was much more good stuff than I remembered. The drops are well worth going for, and I would love to get back in there for trip number 3.

//Jess