Rescue In Massacre Canyon
April 18, 2008
Mssacre Canyon
2008-013
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By William Carlson
The gear had already been loaded in the truck and my friends were on board. It was going to be a great weekend of climbing in Joshua Tree National Park. Well, it was, until the call came out for a rescue in Massacre Canyon where a nineteen-year-old male was stranded on a cliff. Joshua Tree was going to have to wait.
I met team members Gwenda Yates and Brad Scott at the trailhead to Massacre Canyon. We quickly gathered ropes, webbing, and an extra helmet and harness for the subject. Brad and I took off while Gwenda remained at base in case we needed more personnel or equipment.
A quick ten minute hike brought us to the subject’s location. Shawn had managed to climb up approximately two-hundred feet on loose rock and dirt before becoming stranded. We decided to scramble up and across to Shawn.
A quick assessment showed that Shawn was in good health. We put a helmet on him and attached a harness. A belay was then set up to assist Shawn across and back down to the trail. Shawn was truly happy to be back on solid ground. A quick hike lead us back to our vehicles and it was off to Joshua Tree!
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