This past weekend 42 SAR personnel from six different organizations converged on the North Rim of the Black Canyon for a much-anticipated rope rescue event.  The principal organizers included RfR and the NPS ranger cadre.  Several other mutual aid teams joined in to participate. The objectives were to trial some new ingress/egress ideas for moving [...]

  The Jackson Hole Ski Resort recently installed a via ferrata (VF) course on the upper mountain near the Rendezvous gondola. In preparation for their grand opening to the public, they contracted Rigging for Rescue to conduct a rope rescue training for their Mountain Patrol staff. The Mountain Patrol is comprised of ski patrollers who staff a [...]

This season's Grand Teton NPS seminar included multiple areas of focus: a critical analysis of Two-Tensioned Rope Systems and the best practices for where, when, how, and why the MPD snow anchoring techniques and devices polishing command & control and the use of smaller diameter ropes and lighter gear/systems for remote mountain rescue including a [...]

Conducting rope rescue trainings in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison is always a treat. What incredible terrain! And only 1-2 hours from Ouray depending on which rim you choose to visit. This past weekend, we did a workshop for some of the Black Canyon volunteer SAR personnel who support the ranger cadre in their rescue [...]

Last week we hosted our spring offering of the RfR open enrollment Specialty Techniques seminar. The participant mix was skewed towards the fire rescue side of rope rescue. As a result, we covered numerous topics & techniques that had applicability to fire rescue scenarios. Content included a compare/contrast of pickoff techniques, edge transitions simulating parapet [...]

  A couple of different USAF pararescue squadrons have paid us a visit in Ouray, Colorado this spring. The PJs are specially trained operators within the US Air Force, with skill sets that include rope rescue, climbing, scuba, parachuting, medical, and recovery - just to name a few. Because of the nature of their typical mission [...]

Weather in the desert southwest is decidedly warm and springlike this time of the year, but there is still an abundance of snow and ice up in the great white north of Alaska.  Conditions this year were perfect for waterfall ice outside of Denali National Park. Our annual training with the climbing ranger cadre from [...]

We recently completed a Fundamentals Seminar in Moab, Utah.  The canyons surrounding Moab offer a truly magnificent location for developing and refining rope rescue skills.  This program marked the beginning of Rigging for Rescue open enrollment Fundamental Seminars in Moab.  In addition to perfect field training locations and amazing weather, participants and instructors alike are able to spend the [...]