[pct-l] Unsafe river crossing under belay

[campydog at verizon.net (Campy)]

Hiker <hiker@godlikebuthumble.com> wrote:

	There have been MANY cases of a rope causing the death by drowning 
of the
	person fording a swift creek by pulling and holding the forder 
under. So
	many in fact that I was taught it is generally accepted that the forder
	must have a quick release on the rope attachment.

This is very true, but down in the fine detail, worse than death by 
drowning. Years ago a fairly scientific treatise pointed out that if a 
person secured by a waist loop was swept off his or her feet by the 
river current, the person would become acutely bent at the waist by the 
water's force. The pull of the rope on the person's mid-section (held 
underwater as earlier claimed) actually causes both kidneys to rupture, 
most likely before actual drowning has occurred. This has happened with 
patients who have been rescued prior to death by drowning, but only to 
soon die of internal injuries.
==^====================
Campy
Central California Trail Coordinator
"Home of the High Sierra Trail Gorillas"
Pacific Crest Trail Association
Bishop CA Tel.: 760-872-2338
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