Ice Conditions are Outstanding

Climbing in the Ouray Ice Park Backcountry ice in the San Juans The consistently cold start to winter has created optimal conditions for both Ouray Ice Park ice-farming as well as backcountry ice formation. The Ice Park opened for the season on Dec 19th and we have been climbing backcountry ice [...]

RfR in the Summer of Covid-19

This summer we have been able to deliver our educational training services to a number of agencies, despite the challenging conditions of operating in the age of Covid-19. Most agencies have numerous protocols and/or guidelines in place for allowing their personnel and our instructors to conduct rope rescue training events. We have been utilizing recommended CDC guidelines such as [...]

Khumbu Climbing Center Annual Training

For the past two weeks, Rigging for Rescue’s Xander Bianchi has been instructing climbing and rescue techniques at the Khumbu Climbing Center (KCC) in Phortse, Nepal in the Khumbu region near Mt. Everest. Each year, Rigging for Rescue sponsors an instructor in traveling to Nepal to volunteer their expertise to the Sherpa guides and high [...]

ITRS 2019

We just returned from the annual International Technical Rescue Symposium (ITRS) held in Albuquerque, NM. Rigging for Rescue has been attending and presenting at this event since its infancy in 1986 (NATRS at that time).  The symposium is a gathering of around 170 attendees to discuss, dissect, and debate all things rescue-related.  Having personally attended [...]

VT Prusik for Rescue Belays

VT Prusik for Rescue Belays - Abstract Rope rescue teams typically operate redundant two-rope systems with inclusion of a fail- safe mechanism for fall arrest. Examples include the MPD, 540° Rescue Belay, Petzl I’D, and Tandem Prusiks to name a few. Teams operating in remote environments with longer ingress/egress distances often favor lighter [...]

The Great State of Maine

We recently returned from our biennial visit to the spectacular coast of Maine on Mount Desert Island in Acadia National Park. The training event brings together the handful of SAR teams that perform high angle rope rescues in the state. Given the small size of the state, it is not uncommon for the various [...]

Summer wrap-up

The summer RfR season proved to be a whirlwind. We traveled near and far working with a variety of rescue teams from very different backgrounds and mission profiles. Continued areas of participant interest included: pros and cons of Two Tensioned systems and how/when/why to apply them effectively use of the VT Prusik in rescue systems [...]

Denali Climbing Rangers and 212th RQS

Another great training with Denali NP and the 212th Rescue Squadron.  This year's training took place out of the Serenity Falls Hut in Chugach State Park.

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