man vs. wild "deadman" repel

[blazinid]

Don't know if anyone caught the episode of Man vs. Wild with Will Farrel? But I got a question for you climbing guys. Bear and Will do a tandom repel off a snowy cliff using a deadman anchor for there rope to loop around. Bear digs a 8" deep trench or so and places two twigs the thickness of your thumb (maybe) in the trench and loops the rope around and they repel off of that!:Wow1:

Bear talks about friend in the Military that repelled a body down using this technique using a frozen hersey bar!!! What am I missing here?

I work with structural engineers and asked them about this...they laughed and said it was rigged.

Discuss....

 

[hillbillyjake]

i once saw him floating in survival mode down a river with a pfd under his jacket. i'd be a little skeptical

 

[Hltoppr]

Bear will get folks killed. Period.

Please, if you have anyone who actually cares about you, do not follow this knucklehead's advice....Did I mention he'll get you killed?

The show might be good for entertainment, but that's it. He does absolutely no good for the many SAR teams and competent outdoorsmen and women who spend years of training to perfect these techniques. The show is rigged, from beginning to end with "techniques" that look good, but are technically poorly illustrated and downright dangerous.

....but don't take my word for it, I've only been doing technical high angle and mountain rescue for 10 years....

Now, to the point:

Snow anchors depend greatly on snow conditions, and whether or not the snow is consistent, or layered. Temperatures, slope facing, rain, etc. can all make the snowpack vary. Whether you are using a deadman anchor or snow picket, a lot more goes into placement than what Bear did....it might work...but most likely without some sort of "rigged" shot that technique would end up with a quick lesson in gravity.

-H-

 

[Life_in_4Lo]

Bear Gryllis is a total sham
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UpSlpvb1is
just one of many fake episodes

 

[biglos454]

i cant stand bear grylls hes always been such a fake. i don't know how true or fake survivor man with Les Stroud is but i prefer watching his show because he doesn't take stupid and unnecessary risks like bear.

 

[hillbillyjake]

so, a frozen hershey bar is not an acceptable pull-pal sustitute?

maybe for bear

not to hijack but did you ever see him drink the water out of the elephant poo?:Wow1: :Wow1::Wow1:

 

[blazinid]

guess that was my point, I know noting about climbing but when I saw this I went wait a second! Some dumb *** is going to go get some twine and to sticks and stick it in some fresh power and tell his friends watch this...............SPLAT

 

[kjp1969]

My wife read an interview with Les Stroud where they asked him about Bear Gryls. He said something like "I've spent a lot of nights and days in the wilderness, and I've never drunk my own pee."

 

[Oni]

It actually is a technique:

http://alpineinstitute.blogspot.com/2008/07/snow-anchor-options-part-i.html

I don't watch the show...but maybe this is the same technique shown? Snow bollards also work in the right conditions.

We experimented with it and it is amazingly strong in the right snow conditions. Sure would not be my primary choice of anchors...but another tool in the toolbox if conditions/situations are mandate.

 

[Hltoppr]

Snow anchors are a normal mountaineering technique, and safe when done correctly. Pickets, snow flukes, and deadman anchors (from backpacks to stuff sacks filled with snow).

What B.G. was doing is nothing short of irresponsible and dangerous. I hope someone at discovery channel gets wise and pulls that knucklehead off the air.

Les seems to really know what he's doing...I'd love to sit down for a cup o' joe with him.

-H-

 

[I Leak Oil]

Anyone who learns their outdoor skills through T.V. gets what they deserve...

 

[BigAl]

I keep looking for elephant dung when I get thirsty, but I can never find any

 

[Mr. Leary]

I was not really a fan of Les Stroud's show when it first came out, but it is definitely growing on me. Having grown up in northern climes, I was not really impressed with some of the first few episodes I saw.

Quite the opposite is true with B.G. The first couple of episodes I saw, I liked, but as the show went on, it became more and more about entertainment, and less and less about the proper mentality and practice of extricating yourself from a dangerous situation. One of the biggest struggles out there is staying healthy, alert, and functional. In his episodes now, it would seem he does everything you shouldn't do. He's tough, don't get me wrong, but if he didn't have a support crew, the stupid stuff he does would sooner or later get him killed.

 

[OneTime]

I see him going the same route as Steve Irwin. Too bad, I like Irwins stuff. He just went too far for entertainment sake.

 

[78Bronco]

I like watching Les Stroud's show because for the most part I believe it's him by himself. BG is obviously out with a crew/team and is just their pitchman for the show. I think Les has dealt with more extreme climates vs BG and from what I have seen knows good techniques.