SURVIVAL
Descending MountToubkal (4,167m) with Lucy who had just
broken her arm. Inset: Improvising a splint for Lucy’s arm using
sachets of tuna and a sock.
4. If a bear confronts you if may just be skins and skis so we heaved our packs tuna around the break and taped them in
curious but take the offensive; stand tall, (and skis) onto our backs and walked place.The tuna conformed to the break
make noise and make yourself look big the 10km to the hut.The snow cover and applied firm but gentle pressure to
by opening your jacket wide. was still thin higher up so the next day immobilize the broken bones.Then the
5. Scientists now suggest that polar bears we abandoned our skis in favour of hand was raised in a high arm sling to
are not as heavy as they were 20 years crampons and in a blizzard we ground reduce inflammation.Pain killers and
ago due to more limited seal hunting our way to the summit. anti-inflammatory drugs were generously
prospects because the sea ice forms On the descent, Lucy stumbled on administered.
later and melts earlier.This suggests that a scree slope, spun around and fell on The lesson is, you cannot carry lots
bears may be adapting their hunting her outstretched hand to break the fall. of medical kit including prefabricated
practices and may be present at times We hunkered around her;army doctor splinting devices for all occasions.Better
and in places where they don’t normally Harvey suspected a fractured arm.We to learn to improvise with what you would
hunt and could be attracted to new food put her arm in a sling to stop it waggling normally carry but if you don’t like tuna,
sources – you!The bear that attacked us about and gave Lucy some painkillers. you’re stuffed!
did so in winter, inland and high in the Immobilisation is paramount to reducing
mountains when it should have been pain and further damage but this was not
busy elsewhere. the place to‘stay and play’to properly How to survive…
sort out this injury so we elected toHow to survive…
scoop and run to get back to the relative the death zone
warmth of the refuge.a broken arm
Lucy’s forearm was bent in a classic When people die climbing the highest
‘dinner fork’ deformity and the fracture Himalayan mountains, they generally do
In February 2008 I set out to lead diagnosis was confirmed.With any so above 8,000m in the so-called death
five friends on a flash weekend ski fracture (break) it’s vital to straighten the zone.Why?The specific reasons are
mountaineering ascent of MountToubkal limb before splinting by applying graded numerous but the core reason is due to
(4,167m), the highest peak in North in-line traction.You cannot splint a limb hypoxia – low blood oxygen levels.On
Africa. It’s an easy, respectable high if it is grossly deformed.It is important the summit of Everest, which I reached
summer trek when heat and dehydration to assess movement, circulation in 2004, the atmospheric pressure is
are the only real risks.However, in and sensation before ANDafter any one-third that of sea level.That means
February,Toubkal’s a remote, cold winter manipulation of an injured limb. one-third the available oxygen, which
climb. Now we had to apply a splint that is why 95% of Everest climbers use
From the road head at Imlil, 1.5 hours would suffice for the trek down and bottled, supplemental oxygen.
from Marrakesh airport, we loaded our the journey back to the UK. First, we Even so, most people climb on
packs and ski touring gear onto mules gently pulled a sock over Lucy’s hand a flow rate of between two and four
to get us to the snow line.The snow on for warmth and padding – and she was litres of oxygen a minute (and sleep
the trail was rutted and compacted and instantly re-Christened Bagpuss!Then breathing a meagre half litre/minute).
unsuitable for both the mules and our we moulded two sachets of JohnWest This oxygen is a top-up, a booster, and
continued on p32
30| June-July |OUTSIDER
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