[Pictures link at bottom of report...]

This incident report is part of the trip report for our Grand Canyon trip report for May 26, 2000 thru June 1, 2000. It details the rescue of a 3 man party from Ohio who attempted the Royal Arch Route to Elves Chasm. The names of the rescued individuals have been changed as I have not obtained their permission to use their names.

On Saturday, May 27, 2000 Larry Walker (group leader), Bob Buhrman, Rita Buhrman, Larry Lee, and Marty Pietz were descending the South Bass trail to their first overnight camp below the Redwall formation. We found a water cache in plain view of the trail about 1/2 hour from the parking lot trailhead, and commented that it was a strange spot to put a cache so near the top of the trail.

On Sunday, May 28, 2000, we were en route to Bass Rapids from the first hiking day camp spot just below the Redwall formation on the South Bass Trail. We left camp about 6:00 AM and had been hiking about one hour. We were spread out over about a 1/4 mile due to the hiking pace of the various members of the group. Larry Walker and Marty Pietz came upon some prickly pear cactus that looked like someone had attempted to eat the cactus pad. It appeared that the chewing was human by the bite pattern and the fact that the pad had been cut from the cactus and many of the thorns had been cut from the pad. We recalled an old news story about a hiker from Ohio in Havasupai Canyon that had tried to eat cactus because he feared dying of thirst and had not removed the thorns. We wondered if someone was in trouble or just wanted to see what cactus pulp tasted like.

A short time later Marty and Larry Walker encountered 2 hikers headed up toward the rim. They said there were 2 hikers below us who needed some encouragement to continue down trail about 1 1/2 hours to the river. They expressed concern that the hikers were dehydrated and needed to get to water. They also stated the hikers were “talking funny” (perhaps irrationally). They said they had made the same comments to the other members in our party and asked them to talk to the 2 hikers. Sure enough, about 20 minutes later we encountered 2 men sitting on a rock shelf. They were in the shade, but soon the full sun would be on the rock shelf, and the temperature was expected to be over 100 degrees F that day. We engaged Joe and Jim in conversation. They said that they had started down the South Bass trail On Saturday, May 27. Their objective was to hike the Royal Arch Route to Elves Chasm. They said that they lost the trail on the Esplanade Level and cliffed out, unable to proceed and unable to relocate the trail, they cached their climbing gear they had brought for the 20’ rappel required on the route. Joe stated he had had an operation in December a year previously on his Achilles Tendon, and he feared he had re-injured the tendon. He said he had difficulty walking. They stated that they were out of water and that another member of their party, Ralph, had gone to the river to get water. Larry Walker and Marty pointed out that it was only a short walk to the Colorado River and that they should consider moving there to be near the water. Joe and Jim were adamant they did not want to move, so Larry and Marty continued on.

About 15 minutes later, we encountered Ralph, the 3rd member of their party, and he was bringing water to Joe and Jim. We restated that they should move to the river so he would not have to haul water and Ralph agreed to try and get the others to move.

Marty and Larry Walker arrived at the beach above Bass Rapids at about 9:30 AM. We discussed with Bob, Rita, and Larry Lee the incident with the other hiking party and they reported similar conversations trying to encourage Joe and Jim to move to the river. A solo hiker who was also on the beach stated he had found an abandoned pack above the downclimb to the beach and was concerned that someone was in trouble. At about 11:00 AM Ralph arrived at the beach we were at and said he had moved Joe and Jim to another part of the beach which was downstream about 100 yards. A large pile of breakdown separated the two parts of the beach. A discussion with the solo hiker and Ralph determined that the abandoned pack belonged to Ralph. He had left his pack so he could carry water to his companions more quickly. Ralph said he had made several trips since the previous day with water and had become lost in the dark requiring him to bivouac on a large flat rock. After light, he was able to locate Joe and Jim. Ralph said Joe and Jim had not eaten the previous day, May 27 or today, May 28. He also said Joe had begun to save urine fearing he would have to drink it as Ralph had not returned the previous night with water.

At this point, we told Ralph to move his companions to the beach near us.

We took a look at Joe’s ankle and he had a large, tender knot about the size of a lime cut in half above his heel. We provided some 800 mg Ibuprofen tablets and some Homeopathic tablets Rita had to Joe for the pain and swelling, he soaked his foot in the river (54 deg F water). We started to work on a plan to evacuate Joe as he had stated he could not walk out on his blown Achilles tendon.

Jim stated he had not urinated for 2 days and was quite concerned. He indicated he wanted to be evacuated with Joe if he didn’t start urinating soon.

Ralph appeared to be okay. He was quite concerned for Joe and Jim. None of the 3 had eaten for more than 24 hours because their concern was for water, not food.

We caught the attention of a rafting party. They turned out to be a private non motorized group who would be on the river another 9 days. They suggested we try to get hold of a motorized commercial party as they were better equipped to handle evacuations. They did, however, have beer, and gave us each a can.

The next rafting party was motorized, and they pulled over and spoke directly to Ralph, Jim and Joe. They left, and Ralph stated that they had decided to wait until tomorrow to see how Joe felt before requesting evacuation.

May 29, Monday morning, Joe’s foot was no better, so, we flagged a rafting party over. They had a satellite telephone and 2 way radio. They had to go downriver before they could get a clear look angle at a satellite, and said they would call for a helicopter.

We prepared the beach for a helicopter landing. We stashed our gear behind the large rocks and removed driftwood and rocks from the beach. When we were finished, there was an area about 40’ wide and 25’ from the edge of the water to the rock wall. We assumed the helicopter would attempt to nose in from the river and set down with the tail over the water.

When the helicopter arrived, it landed nose in as we figured it would. It was a Boeing NOTAR (no tail rotor) type, so it was quite maneuverable and short. The crew was pilot, co-pilot, and EMT. The EMT medically evaluated Joe and Jim and prepared them for evacuation, dressing them in flight suits and life vests.

The helicopter departed leaving Ralph who would walk out with us.

The skill of the Helicopter crew was nothing short of amazing. They were able to maneuver onto a tiny sand bar beach with sheer walls of black schist granite 100 feet high on both sides of the river. The rotor was only about 15 feet from the rock face, and the tail of the helicopter was literally hanging over the water. Lift of a helicopter is strange over water and they came down over the water, turned, nosed in and then dropped the skid onto the sand. When they left, they lifted up over the sand, raising a huge cloud of sand, and backed out over the water, turned, flew upriver for several hundred yards before gaining enough altitude to clear the inner gorge. Quite spectacular to watch.

Here is what I think got them into trouble:

1. Nobody in their party had adequate Grand Canyon hiking experience to be hiking in this part of the canyon. The members of the group admitted they had chosen this hike because they had been belittled by friends in Ohio for a previous hike on the Bright Angel Trail as being “whimpy”. The Royal Arch Route is just what the name implies, a route. This group had no experience in route finding. Even the South Bass trail that they ended up on has been abandoned for many years and requires route finding ability. Setting out with this motivation and lack of experience to prove machismo invites tragic consequences.

2. The group was not acclimated to the hot weather of over 100 degrees during the day.

3. The group did not have enough water with them for the route and weather conditions.

4. The group did not eat enough food to support the caloric expenditure they had undertaken, so they became weak. This, coupled with dehydration, contributed to Jim’s weakened state which led to his being evacuated with Joe. It is imperative that you eat as well as drink while hiking in hot weather.

5. Joe should not have undertaken so strenuous a hike without being sure his Achilles tendon was healed properly. As soon as he started to have problems with his heel they should have abandoned the trip and returned to the rim. The weakest member of the group should always be considered in any hike.