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.

[HB 4X4]

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:

It was a camel, actually. Or was there an Elephant one too? I don't recall it...

[kellymoe]

The idea behind the deadman anchor is dead on. I have resorted to using the method once while descending a climb. I had run out of slings from setting up previous rappel stations and found a bush growing out of a crack. I broke off several small green branches and slotted them between two large boulders. Strung the rope around them rapped off and pulled my rope down. One small branch would have given way but many small branches made for one strong anchor. I was still way sketched out though.

[timh]

I love this thread. Since the 1st time I saw BG's show I thought all he really did was show you every way to kill yourself in a survival situation.

My favorite is when he was in Baja, he found a bee hive and suggested that it was a good idea to get the honey from the hive for some sort of nourishment. He got stung and his face swelled up like a balloon:clapsmile...moron!!

[HanzoSteel]

Les Stroud FTW!

[hillbillyjake]

It was a camel, actually. Or was there an Elephant one too? I don't recall it...

i'm 99% on it being an elephant. i can see this image in my head of him holding a turd the size of a basketball over his face to get a drink:coffeedrink:

this guy is definetly a hack

[SunTzuNephew]

Mr. Grilles is a liar and a poser, and his show should be viewed only for entertainment (if that).

[HB 4X4]

i'm 99% on it being an elephant. i can see this image in my head of him holding a turd the size of a basketball over his face to get a drink:coffeedrink:

this guy is definetly a hack

Maybe I am thinking about when he did that with the digested food he pulled out of the camels stomach.

[HB 4X4]

It's no more unrealistic than Les Stroud. Whether it's realistic or not it's safe to say Bear Grilles has bigger balls than anyone here and has accomplished some very daunting tasks in his life.

[hillbillyjake]

i think he found a dead camel and climbed inside of it to spend the night. i just wonder how they found a dead camel in a super 8 parking lot

[Mr. Leary]

i think he found a dead camel and climbed inside of it to spend the night. I just wonder how they found a dead camel in a super 8 parking lot

lol!

[SunTzuNephew]

It's no more unrealistic than Les Stroud. Whether it's realistic or not it's safe to say Bear Grilles has bigger balls than anyone here and has accomplished some very daunting tasks in his life.

Of course he has! And so has his photo crew, and the helo crew ready to take him to the hotel at night.....

Given the choice of trying to survive with 'bear' or Les Stroud, I know who I'd pick.

[Mr. Leary]

Of course he has! And so has his photo crew, and the helo crew ready to take him to the hotel at night.....

Given the choice of trying to survive with 'bear' or Les Stroud, I know who I'd pick.

Agreed. The choice is easy for me. I don't really want to eat dung, no matter how many vit-a-mins are in it!

[Flounder]

Bear Grills is such a bummer. He's actually extremely talented, smart and some of his adventure accomplishments are truly impressive. However, he cloaks all of those achievements with far too much theatrics on his "survival show." With regard to his legit accomplishments, did anyone see his show about flying the powered paraglider OVER mount Everest? That was ballsy.

Regarding snow bollards, I've rapped off many a bollard. As has been said, the snow conditions determine the size of the bollard required. You can also judge the fear factor of a fellow climber by the size of the bollard they cut. A few years ago in Alaska I was cutting a bollard and my partner said, "we're going to need more rope just to get around that thing!" I'm known for cutting a pretty massive bollard.

I've also seen a pair of long underwear used as a deadman during my American Mountain Guide cert program. It was crazy. It took a snowmobile to pull it free.

[Flounder]

The other goofy aspect to his survival show is the silly number of risks he takes. I've done tons of solo aplineering and sea kayaking. I think twice about little hazzards like burning my hands with hot tea or dropping a glove down a coulior. I'd certainly not risk busting both gams by jumping out of a friggin' tree!!

[Mr. Leary]

I agree with you, Flounder. He is talented. I would like to see him film his own show with no support crew. I think he will start acting a lot more like Les Stroud. BTW, that everest show was very cool.

[HB 4X4]

I agree with you, Flounder. He is talented. I would like to see him film his own show with no support crew. I think he will start acting a lot more like Les Stroud. BTW, that everest show was very cool.

The fact that he walks back and forth setting up cameras is what makes his show no less unrealistic than what Bear Grilles does. Bear Grilles takes more risks but it makes the show more entertaining.

[Pappa John]

Is it just me or does Bear seem to like to get in his "birthday suit" alot infront of the camera?

[Mr. Leary]

The fact that he walks back and forth setting up cameras is what makes his show no less unrealistic than what Bear Grilles does. Bear Grilles takes more risks but it makes the show more entertaining.

Walking back and forth to set up cameras is an unfortunate side effect of taking an unsupported, hence more realistic, approach. IMO.

I would love to hear some of BG's stories, though. I bet he's had some doosies!

[HB 4X4]

Walking back and forth to set up cameras is an unfortunate side effect of taking an unsupported, hence more realistic, approach. IMO.

I would love to hear some of BG's stories, though. I bet he's had some doosies!

He has his own support crew around at all times, he just doesn't ever let the viewer become aware of that like Bear does. When he is ready to be picked up they are there in a matter of minutes.

I agree, I am sure Bear has some epic stories.