Pick-Off Descent Positions: Find What Fits Your Situation

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It seems every demonstration of the “pick-off” technique focuses on the going up and capturing the stranded climber before casually heading down. Mine videos, one on using a device like a Grigri and the other when using a tube-style device with guide mode (called a “plaquette” device), are no different. But that is only half the problem… maybe even less than half.

When we get to the climber, are they injured? If we have to go to the trouble to ascend up the wall to help get the climber down, that situation being created by an injury isn’t exactly a low probability. Our next big task is attending to the climber. Do we know how to make a chest harness? Do we know how to provide basic first aid?

… and then we still have to get down.

That descent has the potential to create a lot of pain, or worse exacerbate the situation by compounding new mistakes or issues on top of what is already (apparently) a pretty serious situation.

So, getting down is the next major component of our rescue. Those other videos of ours that I referenced do have the mechanical transition of going from ascending to descending, that is what we have to do with the rope, the device, and other equipment. But they don’t talk about positioning the climber based on their needs.

Serious leg injury? I guess they aren’t “walking” back with us on descent. So, how can we position them to avoid weighting that injury while still getting everyone down safely?

That’s the point of this video.