Source: National Ski Patrol, Nordic Training Manual, 1998.

Fager Flyer or Mission Ridge Rescue Sled

As per Frank P. Rossi, Pacific Northwest Division MTR Program Supervisor, the original article on the Mission Ridge Rescue Sled was written by Don Fager and appeared in the Ski Patrol Magazine, Winter Issue 1995. When NSP printed this information in the Appendix of the NSP Nordic Training Manual in 1998, Don's name was incorrectly spelled as "Faher" and his improvised rescue toboggan referred to as the "Faher Flyer". Don Fager is currently registered with NSP as an Alumni in the Inland Empire Region, Pacific Northwest Division, and lives in East Wenatchee, Washington. (Updated 2/20/2009)

The Mission Ridge Rescue Sled was designed by Don Fager (nordic senior, alpine senior and mountaineering and avalanche instructor) who patrols at the Mission Ridge Ski area in Wenatchee, Washington.

To date, this is the fabricated nordic toboggan of choice. It can be constructed soundly and quickly with standard items carried by most well-equipped nordic backcountry patrollers. The total sled package weighs less than four pounds and can easily be carried by two patrollers.

Materials

• Two skis
• Four 14’ lengths of 1” tubular webbing
• Four 10’ lengths of 1” tubular webbing
• Two to four 4’-6’ x 3mm accessory cords
• Extra clothing or blanket wrap
• One grommeted tarp (approximately 6’ x 8’)
• Two standard carabiners
• Two 4’ x 6mm prusik loops
• Full length ensolite pad

Directions

1. Lay the tarp open on a flat surface.
2. Center the skis on the tarp (see note at end), 9 inches apart along the long axis of the tarp. With a clove hitch, fasten one end of a 14-foot length of webbing around each ski binding. On each side, run the webbing up the outside of the ski and use a half hitch to secure the webbing around each ski approximately 8” to 12” from the tip. This will be your haul line.
3. With a clove hitch, fasten one end of another 14-foot length of webbing around each ski to the bindings. On each side. run the webbing down the outside of the ski and use a half hitch to secure the webbing around each ski approximately 8” to 12” from the tails. This will be your belay or braking control line.
   
4. Lay a 10-foot length of webbing across both skis, about 2 feet down from the tips, centering it so that there is an equal amount of webbing on each side. With a clove hitch. fasten the webbing around each ski (see diagram).This strap forms a bridge that maintains, at most, a 9-inch space between the two skis. The ends will secure the patient to the skis at armpit level.The other strap will act as an extremity restraint (encircling the patient at thigh level). Two straps will act as the body restraint.
   
   Two of the four 10’ lengths of 1” tubular webbing in the material list are unaccounted for in the directions and no instructions are given for creating the two outriggers shown in the figure of the Faher Flyer. Most likely, the outriggers are created by fastening one end of a 10-foot length of webbing around each ski to the bindings with a clove hitch.
5. Use girth hitches to fasten 14-foot lengths of webbing as extensions to both the haul and belay 1oops.The free ends of these straps are used to tie in the haul and held). handlers. This makes haul and belay extensions.
6. Place the ensolite pad on top of the skis and straps.
7. Use extra clothing, padding. blanket wrap. sleeping bag, etc., before placing the patient on the pad. Wrap and secure the patient using the body and extremity straps.
8. Use the two carabiners to join the grommeted ends across the front and rear of the toboggan, bringing the ends together to form a semi-enclosed envelope.
9. Attach the prusik to the haul and belay straps (approximately 12" from the girth hitch attachments) clipping them into the carabiners of the tarp enclosure.
10. Adjust the tension of the prusiks to keep the tarp taunt, but not so tight that it is pulling the load of the toboggan. Use the 3mm accessory cord to close the remaining open tarp surrounding the patient by fastening the cord through its grommets. (In practice, taping the tarp closed using 2" duct tape has worked well.)