NWCRO callout.

[Space Doubt Caver]

Hey all,

Today Sat 28th Sep 2024 I had badly sprained my ankle in Minera Lead Mine and I couldn't prussik back up the rope, and the coolest guys in all of North Wales the NWCRO guys came to my aid.

While visiting "MLM" after an amazing trip with friends and a nice explore, we decided to head out because it was getting late (Around 6PM) on the way out on one of the inner scree-slopes (lose rocks on an incline) my ankle swollen up somewhat and at first because of the adrenaline I couldn't feel it, until I got back on rope, and tried to exit the mine via the usual "C.S" entrance and by god it was painful.

As soon as I bared weight on my foot it was then I knew I was going to have issues getting out the mine, so i tried anyway probably making it worse and i had to switch over and get off the rope because the pain was bad.

So I shouted up to my friends which had successfully exited the mine, and told them the situation, so they called out NWCRO, when I seen the NWCRO guy come down the shaft I was so thankful that they came.

These guys the NWCRO where so helpful and understanding and super professional they knew my ankle was hurting after checking me out, and they helped me prussik back to the top of the shaft because I had all my SRT gear on.
So they decided the best method was to get me to go back up the rope with my up-gear, and they assisted by belaying me out (They took the weight from me and hauled me up the shaft) while i prussiked back up the rope, and when i got to the entrance they grabbed both my hands and pulled me out.

In 14 years of caving this is the first accident I have ever had underground, and needed assistance to exit.

My hubby & friends got some amazing photo's of the rescue effort by the NWCRO
To the NWCRO I cannot thank you enough for you assistance today, which without, I'd still be down there without a doubt.
Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart I have made a donation hope guys can get some drinks, I greatly appreciate your help, I have put a pressure bandage on it.
I am now home with ice on my ankle as you kindly advised.
A bit of swelling and bruising but should heal up fine

 

[cavemanmike]

Out of curiosity couldn’t you have used your other foot to prussic out, you’d have probably gotten out faster than calling nwcro . Just a thought

 

[Space Doubt Caver]

Out of curiosity couldn’t you have used your other foot to prussic out, you’d have probably gotten out faster than calling nwcro . Just a thought

if only it where that simple, when prussiking i don't use a pantin because i use my feet to pinch the rope and pull it down as i stand in my footloops, I had tried with my other foot, but because i couldn't pinch the rope between my feet it wasn't feeding through my chest ascender and i had to keep resting my injured foot against the walls of the shaft to try to pull the rope through my ascender which caused more pain,

 

[PeteHall]

if only it where that simple, when prussiking i don't use a pantin because i use my feet to pinch the rope and pull it down as i stand in my footloops, I had tried with my other foot, but because i couldn't pinch the rope between my feet it wasn't feeding through my chest ascender and i had to keep resting my injured foot against the walls of the shaft to try to pull the rope through my ascender which caused more pain,

Getting a friend to hold the bottom of the rope helps it feed through a croll for the start of a pitch, after which the weight of the rope does the trick. If they put a steady tension on, it also reduces bounce and can make things easier whether or not you have both feet available.
Obviously this doesn't fix any of the other problems with a hurt ankle, but it does allow you to ascend a rope pretty easily with one foot.

 

[Tritim230]

With a good body position the rope should go through the croll smoothly, but obviously an injury will affect this, as can the condition or type of rope. As Pete says, any weight works well, such as attaching a tackle bag. I'm really sorry to hear about the accident and I'm glad the rescue worked out well. I wish you a speedy recovery.

 

[cavemanmike]

As an aside most cavers I know carry a small first aid kit which would include pain killers and anti flam

 

[langcliffe]

This reminds me of when I was on a combined Army / CRO trip down the Berger in the 1980s. Mike Wooding and I returned to the surface after a leisurely bottoming trip, only to find Jack Pickup looking down on us. "Good trip, lads?". "Fine, thank you Jack". "Good, because you're going down again. There's an army guy with a broken ankle who needs some help to get out". We grumbled a bit, but returned to the bottom of Aldo's where we met the guy.

"Right", we said. "It'll take a bit of time for you to get up the pitch, so we'll just have a quick brew, and catch you up."

He started up the pitch, whilst we had our quick brew before following him. We never saw him again.

 

[spelfish]

Not sure if it was the same trip (there were at least two in the 1980s) but I was asked to see someone who'd damaged his ankle on the way to the cave. My impression was that he'd probably fractured his ankle and I advised him that he might find it all a bit much. He came from one of the army's more high testosterone units and disagreed. He then abseiled the first pitch and jumared out one footed (using his bad leg). At which point I decided not to argue anymore. He had no trouble with the cave, down or up, and like Langcliffe, I never saw him again...