This week's snow cat adventures

[PJL]

Monday started bright and early for us. Radio tech needed a ride to Sobieski Mtn repeater site to do some generator maintenance. The power had been out for over 2 weeks and it needed serviced.
It's about 4,400 feet elevation. Just outside Skykomish. We caught a lucky break. There is a cell tower accessible off the same road. Just a little lower. Some one had already run a cat there and cleared the road. We had one recently fallen tree to cut up. Weather was terrific. About 8 feet of snow on top.

 

[PJL]

Tuesday at Hyak on I-90. Air rescue crew training in winter conditions. Simulated a rescue crew having to locate and package an injured avalanche survivor. The weather wasn't too bad until afternoon. Began to snow hard. We intended to do second day. Weather turned to pouring rain the next day. Roads were awful. So Wednesday was cancelled. It's raining hard here. Landslides and flooding have closed many roads. Saturday's planned adventure has been postponed. Pray for snow!!

 

[Snowy Rivers]

Looks about right for PACNW weather

But training has to happen..
Bad weather is the norm when you are really needed in the back country.

Nice looking cat

 

[KickerM]

Great pics! Im on Ski Patrol so as I build mine I’m wanting to build SAR features into it, I’m opting for a 4’ rear door to accommodate a full size stretcher (JIC) however an air litter or rescue toboggan is more likely, an other recommendations as I sketch it up???

 

[PJL]

The 1200 isn't wide enough for a litter to fit sideways in the back. If you go that route some sort of bumpout in the doors would be needed. You could put it in back but then your patient is out in the open.



We also have 2 radios onboard and a Sigtronics intercom system so you can hear the radios and actually talk to each other. Just recently I adapted some Bose A20 headsets with noise cancelling. Very quiet with those on.

 

[KickerM]

I'm on a SV250 chassis with a blank canvas due to the floor being rusted out so I'm making it a few inches wider and 2' longer to accommodate air ride seats and beds in the back. My plan is to put the stretcher in length wise, similar to an ambulance, as to keep EMTs or Ski Patrol along side the patient, and accommodate a couple walking wounded's at the same time, My challenge will be to build it strong enough (not an issue for me ) but not make it too heavy for deep snow!

 

[Snowy Rivers]

Back in the 70's I was part of the Search and rescue at Mt Hood snowmobile club here in Oregon.

One of the fellas had an older Tucker pontoon machine that we used a time or two.

If you have the room...use it.

Try to imagine every possibilty.

You can sketch it on the print...look it over...take the prints out to the cat and see if it will work in the real world.

HECK....MOCK THINGS UP WITH CARDBOARD AND DUCT TAPE TO GET A REAL EYE FULL AND SEE IF IT WILL WORK ...

Good luck....sounds interesting.

 

[PJL]

We did our make up day last Friday for the guys that missed the training. Quite a bit warmer.



The cat rides were fun. It didn't run very well though. Hardly any power. The following Monday I pulled the fuel filter off and drained a small amount of water out of the tank.



First pic is from the previous session.

We found our simulated victim and saved his manikin life.