| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horton, Charles | 20 | Male | Fractures, lacerations, contusions | Vetebrae, pelvis, other |
Georgia, Ellison's Cave:
On 22 November Erick Foote (27), Penny Foote (22), Charles Horton (20), Steve Hudson (19). Don Hunter (21), George Morris (30), Allen Padgett (19) and Wade Padgett (16) entered Ellison's Cave for the purposes of installing a gate at the keyhole passage and to replace the register at the bottom of the 510 foot (free drop) Fantastic Pit. The Footes, Morris, and both Padgetts had more than two years caving experience. Horton and Hunter had not previously descended Fantastic Pit, but only Horton planned to on this trip. Allen Padgett had been to the bottom four times and, after the pit was rigged, was the first to descend. Horton was to follow. At about 3:00 p.m. Horton started down using a rack with five bars, and Swiss Seat, and also wore a prusik harness with attached Jumar for safety, if needed. He was properly clothed and wore gloves. His initial descent was slow and somewhat difficult, so he unclipped the fifth bar and was able to proceed more smoothly. Somewhat below 100 feet down he speeded up to avoid some of the spray from the waterfall in the pit. About halfway down, he attempted to control his descent by both pushing the rope around his hip and by jamming the bars on his rack. Both efforts were unsuccessful and, in essence, he fell the last 300 feet in an uncontrolled rappel. Horton called out "belay!" at least twice at from 50 to 100 feet from the floor. Allen Padgett, who had taken the slack rope with him to one side of the pit, attempted a bottom-belay. but this was only partly effective and Horton hit bottom heels first, then struck the canteen on his left side. His head went back and his hardhat (with chinstrap) flew off. The remaining stretch in the rope immediately up-ended him, leaving him hanging hips-up and only partly in contact with the floor with his legs folded over in front, touching behind his head and shoulders.
Padgett reports that Horton was unconscious when he reached him and released him from the rope, but he came-to in less than a minute and complained of a pain in his left hip. There being no obvious broken bones, Padgett signalled "emergency" by whistle, and was able to help him hobble behind a large rock to escape the wind and the spray. They concluded that Horton must have a severely bruised left hip and thigh and, shortly thereafter, decided that he would have to be lifted out of the pit and cave. Meanwhile, Hunter, at the top of the pit, heard Horton's cry, and the emergency whistle and immediately got the others who were working at the Keyhole. After the situation had been discussed up and down the pit, it was decided to pull Horton up directly (there being six people at the top). The rope was re-rigged for lifting, using the rigging point carabiner as a pully, two jumars on the pit side as clamps and safetys (fastened to back-up belts) and another jumar, with seat slings attached, to be used for hauling. Horton, who could now assist himself, tied his own prusik knots to attach himself to the rope by Swiss-seat and chest harness. Padgett wrapped him in a space blanket for warmth and protection from the spray. At about 3:48 p.m., the pull began, Padgett holding Horton out of the waterfall as long as possible acrc the Balcony Room while one (Penny Foote) held the clamp jumar gates open (but ready to release them if needed). The rope was then held by these two jumars while that on the hauling slings was slid back again. In this way Horton was lifted to the top in 25 minutes, and moved to a safe place where he was given dry clothes, covered with a space blanket, and carbide lights were placed under the blanket for warmth. By this time he was unable to walk or even to support his own weight, and suffered intense pain in his lower back and pelvic region. He was given hot soup and hot chocolate. By 4:35 p.m. the pit was re-rigged and Allen Padgett came up, Horton having been moved through the Keyhole to the 18 foot Second-Bypass drop. In order, the Second-Bypass drop and the First-Bypass drop (26 feet) were rigged much as for the pit, and Horton had been pulled above these by 7:50 p.m. The 125-foot Warm-up Pit was surmounted in the same fashion. Horton was carried piggy-back by Hudson through the Agony and, finally, pulled up the 15 foot entrance climb which Morris and Penny Foote had gone ahead (via the second entrance) to rig the ropes. Horton was out of the cave at approximately 10:20 p.m.
Everyone left the mountain in a Bronco. Horton was transferred to another car, received immediate treatment for pain at the LaFayette Hospital, and was finally admitted to the Tanner Memorial Hospital in Carrolton at about 2:00 a.m. Other than minor cuts and bruises, X-rays showed Horton had a cracked vertabrae, and left pubic bone. He was released from the hospital in eight days.
Source: Marion A. Smith (information provided by members in the group).
Analysis: (Smith) Because of the speed Horton had attained. the angle of the rope, and lack of time, the bottom-belay was only partly effective. However this belay, the subsequent use of space-blankets, the strong party that was available, and the presence of sufficient equipment as well as the Bronco at the entrance all contributed to an efficient and safe rescue. This might not have been the case, however, if Horton's injuries had been more severe. There is a question whether Horton was sufficiently experienced for Fantastic Pit. His longest previous rappel and prusik had been a 238 foot drop, but he had only started caving four months before. It had been felt by the others that he had previously shown sufficient skill. but it is difficult to judge when a person is "ready" to do a long drop. There is the possibility. to which Horton admits, that he momentarily "froze"; there is also the possibility that the fourth bar on his rack would not slide up properly (this appeared to be so when the rack was subsequently inspected). What must be done in the future is to require that anyone attempting either Fantastic Pit or the 440 foot Incredible Pit be required to have considerably more vertical experience than did Horton. This, of course, cannot absolutely prevent an accident, but it would certainly improve the odds. It is ironic that Chuck Horton was hurt on a trip to make Ellison's Cave more safe by the installation of a gate.
This record was last updated on 20th Jul 2024 at 00:14 UTC.