When I was planning my trip, I told Kate (of the spider-rescue story) I might like to hike Uluru. Kate’s comment was, “You climb the rock. You say, ‘That didn’t kill me. Now what’ ?”
Now that I’m here, I see what she means. First, the Aborigine don’t want people climbing the rock, which they consider sacred.
Second, the rock is uninvitingly smooth; few (if any) hand- or foot-holds for climbers, and a slippery surface that defies the best hiking shoes. At this time there is only one permissible route and even that one is so hazardously slick, there’s a chain to help the adventurous. When it rains, chain or not, hiking is prohibited. Period. Nooooo hiking Uluru in the rain.
I get to understand why
The rain has started. All of us who come at the same time are asked to wait at a short distance to stay out of the way. A hiker has fallen on the slick rock. A helicopter hovers above, unable to land near the victim. Someone is about one-quarter mile up on Uluru, immobilized by injury, waiting in the rain.
Watching through my zoom lens, I can see the rescuers, looking tiny as they head toward the victim. Once they load him onto a stretcher, they begin moving it— by sliding it along the rock rather than carrying it. Their footing is so unsure they don’t want to lift the stretcher.
They inch toward a less steep area at a maddeningly slow pace.
The Rescue on Uluru
Finally, with dark rapidly approaching, they reach a spot where they can get the stretcher into the helicopter with less risk. In the rainy dusk, I can barely see the shadowy figures. One disappears into the helicopter; the stretcher is lifted in, the rest of the team follows. As the helicopter lifts the victim and rescue team to safety, those of us who are watching cheer.
Guess I don’t really want to climb Uluru after all.
Because of the rain, my pictures of Uluru barely do it justice. For more information and better views, please visit http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/uluru/
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Next: Aborigine Legend
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