Page 114 - The Wish Stream Year of 2022 CREST

Exercise TIGER REDROCK
Lieutenant Alex Howe R SIGNALS
On the 16th of May, 12 people deployed on 13 Signal Regiment’s Ex TIGER REDROCK 22. This climbing exercise was
to the world-renowned Aztec Sandstone of the Redrock National Conservation Area, nestled in the Mojave Desert. In the Mojave, mountain ranges alternate with low flat basins, giving a rhythm to the landscape and providing a live- able habitat to some of the hardiest animals and plants. Among the cacti and bush navigated by the group, lived animals such as scorpions, snakes, spiders, eagles, and hummingbirds. The hummingbirds were some of the most inquisitive animals experienced by the group; almost daily these birds would hover within a metre of climb- ers to watch what they were doing before hiding behind shrubs.
The first phase of the exercise consisted of eight climbers earning their multi-pitch competencies, allowing them to then climb in pairs with other instructors. After this, the participants were split into four groups. The two Rock Climbing Instruc- tors (RCIs) instructed one group each with two climbers, taking them on multi-pitching routes unlike anything in Europe. RCIs CSgt Chris Mar- low and SSgt Rukman Limbu delivered the com- petency certification phase, taking students up their first multi-pitch routes. This can be seen in the stunning photo of one group ascending Tuna and Chips Wall on the first climbing day. This wall was located at the First Pull Out Crag to the East of the National Conservation Area as annotated on the map.
As many had attended the preparatory exercises in Wales a few months earlier, earning their foun- dation qualifications, the technical climbing on slabby faces posed no issues for them. Once everyone had proved their competency, the locations changed each day, pushing further into the National Conservation Area. The focus for each day also changed, putting SP into unfamil- iar and stimulating environments to develop their performance. The students experienced the perceived risk from exposed and longer routes, sometimes spending several hours on one wall.
On other days, the aims were more fine-tuned for technical climbing skills such as footwork and body positioning on the wall; these were on shorter routes, allowing people to get more miles under their belts with advice from the instructors.
At one of the more secluded crags, deep within the National Park, after many days of climbing, the group were treated to some incredibly well- preserved signs of the past. These came in the form of petroglyphs, rock carvings which were pecked or incised into the rock’s surface with a hammer stone of harder rock. There were also pictographs, designs painted onto the rock with paints consisting of ground-up minerals, clays or charcoal mixed with a liquid binder such as plant juices or saliva. The most striking of these was two handprints at the base of a crag in Willow Springs, only metres from the routes climbed by members of the exercise.
As the days progressed, and the abilities of the climbers developed, more challenging routes were attempted. On the final day, Capt William Smith and Lt Alex Howe reached the eighth pitch, after 200 metres of climbing on a route called Solar Slab, located beside Rainbow Mountain. Due to the relentless heat and dwindling supply of water, the group decided to turn around and abseil back to the ground. On that day, the area was only 4 degrees off the temperature of Death Valley, which was only 62 miles west.
After 14 days away and many days of climbing, the group returned via San Francisco. Overall, the exercise was a great success, the SP who attended developed their physical resilience and climbing abilities in a challenging environment. SP would like to thank the Sandhurst Trust, The Royal Signals Charity and The Intelligence Corps Charity for assisting with making this exercise possible.
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