Potential contents of an early and late season rock climbing pack - a hat, a wind shirt, a knife, 2 prussic slings, a cordelette, an extra locking carabiner, a headlamp, lunch, cell phone, first aid kit and water
A rock climbing first aid kit has to be functional, light weight and occupy a small space, otherwise it gets left behind. Let’s start with the most basic article, then add more and see if the kit will still fit in our pack.
The First Item: 1 ½” roll of cloth athletic tape
The first topic we covered for my summer job with the AMC Trail Crew was axe work. Double Bit axe work. A seasoned local woodsman was on hand to give us a demonstration of how to use a tool familiar to Abe Lincoln and then came a discussion about what was expected of us: “Do the job first. Ask questions about it after you’re done”. I was learning alot already. The conversation drifted to accidents and how to handle them. He figured we should be concerned with blows to the body – glancing axe blows to the legs, head injuries from falling branches and broken limbs from slips on rocky terrain. His own first aid kit, job tested with years of dangerous work in the remote northeastern woodlands, was then held dramatically aloft. In his fingers: a roll of 1½” cloth athletic tape.
We were issued one each. He added that we could use our T-shirts to stanch blood flow and cut a sapling for a splint. This simple first aid kit, along with its many weightless improvisations, has stood the test of time for me too. Don’t leave home without it.
Got a Little More Room? You might want to add:
A knife, a whistle, a pair of examining gloves (keep them protected and change yearly) a safety pin (diaper size), a small Bic lighter, a tiny emergency back-up (pinch?) light and a fully charged cell phone.
What’s the safety pin for? Well, it can make a pretty decent improvised sling – out of the T shirt you’re wearing! Fold the belly bottom up, cradle your arm with it and pin the hem to your shirt front near your sternum. This tip is from Bill Aughton, my long time WFR re-cert instructor, Thanks Bill!
Now Consider:
A roll of conforming gauze – 4” (Kling Rolls)
Band-Aids – 2 each of normal and large sized. The fabric kind grips well.
2 – 4″ x 4″ gauze pads
Buffered Aspirin and Ibuprofen – 3-6 tablets each
Betadine – a small Duct taped bottle – for cleaning wounds
A few Q-Tip swabs
Antiseptic towelettes – 4 packets
Benadryl – 3 doses @ 50 mg per dose, so bring 6, 25 mg tablets – for allergies and bee stings
Sunscreen and lip protection
A Tampon or sanitary napkin
And Finally, Contemplate:
CPR pocket breathing mask
Scissors – The EMT kind, that cut pennies. This is a great tat knife. And they are pretty light too.
Tweezers – small, in a protective sleeve, or are they included in your knife?
Nail clippers – rock shoes too tight?
1-2 triangular bandages – a swath, sling and sponge-all in one. For when you run out of T shirts.
1 tongue depressor or Popsicle stick – for a finger splint
Clotting powder – a single packet of Celox
Sam Splint – when there are no saplings. Or do you have a removable foam pad in your day pack?
2-4 Sugar packets – to make a drink or a paste to help with low blood sugar
4” wide “Ace” (elastic) bandage
Bacitracin – in a tiny packet or tube. A good all around antibiotic ointment
Bug repellant – a small pump container – worth its weight from May thru August in New England…
A folded piece of paper and a pencil stub. Sharpen as needed.
Packaging:
A Freezer and Storage type of heavy duty Zip Lock Bag can hold your kit. Try the gallon size if you’re carrying more – like the pocket mask. “LOKSAC” makes a tough resealable plastic bag. A brightly colored stuff sack works too, it’s just a little harder to see all the contents. Look for lightweight containers to hold your pills, sticks, ointments and powders in.
* Note:
These suggestions are offered for preparation; your actual kit may vary with your companions, the season, the weather and the condition, location, and duration of your climb. A slightly different kit is needed for a winter ascent of the “Black Dike” on Cannon Cliff, a larger one with blister supplies is necessary for the Presidential Range Traverse and a fanny pack sized kit is needed for an expedition to Aconcagua in Argentina. The basics are listed here. Also, if you are in charge of a group, your quantities may vary with the specific health profiles of the participants.
Many of these items can be found on the web. Try:
First Aid Course
We just came a long way from that first roll of tape. Perhaps the very first item should be a first aid course. I can highly recommend one – the Wilderness First Responder Course (WFR) taught right here in Conway, NH at Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities – aka – SOLO. <www.soloschools.com>. 603-447-6711. A Basic First Aid course, taken near your home in the evenings, can offer substantial help to family, friends, trip companions or even a complete stranger.