Anatomy of a Canyon Rescue, Wisconsin

[Rob L]

Pewits Nest -a small canyon, but still a canyon nonetheless.

Through the good will of Steve Ramras, I was introduced to Nick Wilkes and his buddy Calvin in Wisconsin. Ram had previously posted on the Collective about descending Pewits Nest, a little water-strewn crevice in Wisconsin with Nick (ex-ZAC).

Since I was planning to be in the area last month, I thought a little by-trip in the July Wisconsin heat would be in order, so contact was made. Nick was a wonderful host; full of enthusiasm for everything!

The heat didn't really materialise, so it was quite a cool Friday when the three of us arrived to survey the creek:

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/868mick/Pewits%20nest/Snapshot-1_zpsbc7b4a18.png

After we walked up the short ascent to the drop-in, we heard a scream. A most un-lady-like scream, which initially we took to mean the water was cold! The screaming continued, however, and upon investigation we found a young lass in distress, and her boyfriend trying to stem blood from what looked like a compound fracture to the ankle of the girl.

It would appear that she had fallen about 15 feet into 12 inches of water, and seriously damaged her ankle.


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/868mick/Pewits%20nest/Snapshot-2_zps09949bfb.png


There was much blood in the water. Nick, no doubt having been used to seeing injuries in Zion, commandeered me to call 911 on the lad's phone, whilst he & Calvin dealt with the subjects.


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/868mick/Pewits%20nest/Snapshot-3_zps8d1fb276.png


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/868mick/Pewits%20nest/Snapshot-4_zps05923ceb.png


This place is only 2 miles from Baraboo town centre, so the emergency services were there within 2 minutes...less time than it took me to get back to the trail head!


First to arrive was a Ranger and then two Paramedics. The young girl relaxed somewhat with an arm full of morphine. The Ranger was very efficient & friendly, and she told me that they have several "incidents" at Pewit's Nest each year.


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/868mick/Pewits%20nest/Snapshot-6_zps2454d62a.png


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/868mick/Pewits%20nest/Snapshot-11_zps584f2449.png


Realising that the girl would need to be stretchered out, the medics arranged for the Baraboo Fire Department to come & assess the exit. They arrived with loads of kit on a quad bike, driving through the farmers fields to the side of the canyon.

They lowered a folding stretcher, thinking to haul her up the side.


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/868mick/Pewits%20nest/Snapshot-19_zpsf3451a73.png


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/868mick/Pewits%20nest/Snapshot-21_zps5232a85b.png


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/868mick/Pewits%20nest/Snapshot-22_zpsd1b7be1c.png


http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/868mick/Pewits%20nest/Snapshot-23_zps09d2c426.png


By this time they realised that it would be easier to float her a little way upstream where the ascent was less steep, so out came the inflatable dingy:

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/868mick/Pewits%20nest/Snapshot-26_zps10733d62.png


Even in rural America the elfin safety mob have a presence...the firemen were obliged to wear life preservers, even though the water was barely ankle deep!


Morphined up to the eyeballs, the young lass still had time to thank us for our help.
The whole event took about an hour, and then the three of us could continue with our little expedition.

It struck me how, in such a relatively accessible place, the resources necessary to extricate a casualty were quite complicated. Heaven forbid such an event taking place in a remote part of Utah!


So after that delay to the proceedings, here's our descent of Pewits Nest:


http://youtu.be/qrFwqYstO-I