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Everest climber helps avert Cat-astrophe

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:44 pm
by Jakester
http://www.kxly.com/news/22230878/detail.html

"Animals are rescued in our community everyday, but on Wednesday a tiny kitten found perched high on a ledge on a bridge abutment was brought to safety by someone with a little bit more climbing experience than your average emergency responder."

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 5:23 pm
by nattfodd
If you look at the video and read the commentary, she actually rapped only about 2m and then is seen struggling to get back up with her ascender... Just goes to show how much climbing experience you need to bag the 7 summits, I guess.

Everest climber helps avert a cat-astrophy

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 5:32 pm
by Cy Kaicener
Interesting story. i googled Kay Leclaire and found this website
http://www.kayleclaire.com

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 5:39 pm
by Hotoven
nattfodd wrote:Just goes to show how much climbing experience you need to bag the 7 summits, I guess.


So true!

If that were me, I could be loading up my shotgun instead of gear!

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 5:51 pm
by Jakester
nattfodd wrote:If you look at the video and read the commentary, she actually rapped only about 2m and then is seen struggling to get back up with her ascender... Just goes to show how much climbing experience you need to bag the 7 summits, I guess.


Dude, she's over 60. I think it's cool.

http://www.kayleclaire.com/resume.html

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:04 pm
by nattfodd
Jakester wrote:
nattfodd wrote:If you look at the video and read the commentary, she actually rapped only about 2m and then is seen struggling to get back up with her ascender... Just goes to show how much climbing experience you need to bag the 7 summits, I guess.


Dude, she's over 60. I think it's cool.

http://www.kayleclaire.com/resume.html


And I bet the cat would agree. I was mostly reacting to the ridiculous tone of the article.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:20 pm
by Buz Groshong
Jakester wrote:
nattfodd wrote:If you look at the video and read the commentary, she actually rapped only about 2m and then is seen struggling to get back up with her ascender... Just goes to show how much climbing experience you need to bag the 7 summits, I guess.


Dude, she's over 60. I think it's cool.

http://www.kayleclaire.com/resume.html


So what's the big deal about being over 60?

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:24 pm
by Alpinist
That's a great story and respectable for her age though I don't think a rope would have been needed for someone younger. She handed the cat to the other rescurers while standing on the ledge. A younger/stronger climber could easily have pulled themselves up off the ledge without a rope.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:45 pm
by Ammon Hatch
Why is she wearing mountaineering boots? Was that what she was running in? Seems like she wanted to put on a show.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:50 pm
by Hotoven
Buz Groshong wrote:
Jakester wrote:
nattfodd wrote:If you look at the video and read the commentary, she actually rapped only about 2m and then is seen struggling to get back up with her ascender... Just goes to show how much climbing experience you need to bag the 7 summits, I guess.


Dude, she's over 60. I think it's cool.

http://www.kayleclaire.com/resume.html


So what's the big deal about being over 60?


its a big deal for a 60 year old female, males on the other hand, it would have been a big deal if they were 90!

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:52 pm
by Buz Groshong
Hotoven wrote:
Buz Groshong wrote:
Jakester wrote:
nattfodd wrote:If you look at the video and read the commentary, she actually rapped only about 2m and then is seen struggling to get back up with her ascender... Just goes to show how much climbing experience you need to bag the 7 summits, I guess.


Dude, she's over 60. I think it's cool.

http://www.kayleclaire.com/resume.html


So what's the big deal about being over 60?


its a big deal for a 60 year old female, males on the other hand, it would have been a big deal if they were 90!


So you're saying I need to be looking for younger chicks?

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:55 pm
by Hotoven
Buz Groshong wrote:
Hotoven wrote:
Buz Groshong wrote:
Jakester wrote:
nattfodd wrote:If you look at the video and read the commentary, she actually rapped only about 2m and then is seen struggling to get back up with her ascender... Just goes to show how much climbing experience you need to bag the 7 summits, I guess.


Dude, she's over 60. I think it's cool.

http://www.kayleclaire.com/resume.html


So what's the big deal about being over 60?


its a big deal for a 60 year old female, males on the other hand, it would have been a big deal if they were 90!


So you're saying I need to be looking for younger chicks?


Sure!

What I meant is, you don't have to start saving cats until your 90! :D

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 7:16 pm
by MoapaPk
Ammon Hatch wrote:Why is she wearing mountaineering boots? Was that what she was running in? Seems like she wanted to put on a show.


She says that she went home and got her climbing equipment first.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 7:40 pm
by climberslacker
but still, the boots were compleatly unnesesary, i would have prolly just hopped over and got the cat, it was what, 7 feet? at the most? But still cool that shes 60, and still doing that crap.

-CS

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 7:52 pm
by MoapaPk
climberslacker wrote:but still, the boots were compleatly unnesesary, i would have prolly just hopped over and got the cat, it was what, 7 feet? at the most? But still cool that shes 60, and still doing that crap.

-CS


It looks at least 7', but the main thing is that the top of the wall was well beyond her reach when she was on the ledge. More important, the narrow ledge was quite high up on the abutment. Unless one is extremely agile, just hopping down to the ledge would be extremely dangerous. And how would she get back up, once down, since she couldn't reach the top of the abutment?

I can't tell from the video, but the description makes it sound like she had tied friction knots, but hadn't used enough coils, so the knots were slipping. Maybe she did have an ascender.