Climber airlifted to hospital after 65-foot fall

Yikes. City of Boulder press release:

bouldercolorado.gov/index.p…;view=article&id=16271:april-9-2012-climber-airlifted-to-hospital-after-65-foot-fall&catid=805:2012-news-releases&Itemid=5335&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

April 9, 2012 - Climber airlifted to hospital after 65-foot fall

Monday, April 9, 2012
Contact: Kim Kobel, Boulder Fire, 303-441-3370

Climber airlifted to hospital after 65-foot fall

A male climber believed to be in his early twenties was airlifted to a Denver hospital today after falling approximately 65-feet off a rock formation he was climbing.

The victim was “scrambling” alone on Red Rocks, a formation near the Mount Sanitas Trail and Settler’s Park in Boulder. Scrambling is a cross between hiking and climbing, mostly without ropes.

The man fell at approximately 11:42 a.m., when nearby hikers heard him yelling for help and called 9-1-1. The Boulder Fire Department, AMR Ambulance, Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks rangers, the Boulder Sheriff’s Department and members of Rocky Mountain Rescue responded.

The victim was airlifted to St. Anthony’s Central Hospital in Denver. It’s believed that the man suffered severe head trauma and other injuries, but further details are not available at this time. The victim’s boots were untied, and one was found partway up the rocks.

The victim’s identity is not available.

Rock scrambling does not qualify as a 'climbing' accident I say. Hope it doesn't end up in the Accidents in North American Mountaineering book for next edition.

Agreed. Aggressive hiking and lack of common sense does not make it a "climbing accident".

Scrambling is not climbing. And they were not versed in climbing safety. So bouldering accidents should not be spoken about either.. It's about the same activity. A fall is a fall is a fall.

kevin murphy wrote:Scrambling is not climbing. And they were not versed in climbing safety. So bouldering accidents should not be spoken about either.. It's about the same activity. A fall is a fall is a fall.

I thought you were agreeing with the other replies until the "a fall is a fall is a fall" comment. Now I'm not really sure what you're trying to say...?

I'm hoping the victim a quick recovery, but I don't consider it a "climbing accident", either.

What if it was a high-end soloist? Still not "climbing"?

Richard Radcliffe wrote:What if it was a high-end soloist? Still not "climbing"?

Woodchuck's point, I think, is that calling a guy falling while scrambling a "climbing accident" does no good for climbing as a sport: it increases the accident count (which can be bad for climbing access reasons), and it doesn't convey the type of lessons that "real" climbing accidents often accompany (such as people rappelling of their ropes, gear failure, etc). It's not about being elitist or anything, it's just about categorizing it properly.

Even though soloing or bouldering is still "climbing", I don't think those should really be categorized in the same light, either. If you fall soloing, or fall off a highball problem or land with a sharp rock through your spine, you're in for a world of hurt. But the life lessons there are usually just "don't do that".

Ian Stewart wrote: Woodchuck's point, I think, is that calling a guy falling while scrambling a "climbing accident" does no good for climbing as a sport: it increases the accident count (which can be bad for climbing access reasons), and it doesn't convey the type of lessons that "real" climbing accidents often accompany (such as people rappelling of their ropes, gear failure, etc). It's not about being elitist or anything, it's just about categorizing it properly. Even though soloing or bouldering is still "climbing", I don't think those should really be categorized in the same light, either. If you fall soloing, or fall off a highball problem or land with a sharp rock through your spine, you're in for a world of hurt. But the life lessons there are usually just "don't do that".

Pretty sure non-climbers say that about climbers. as well as any other hobby in life. If you weren't on a rope you wouldn't fall rapping. Life isn't safe, so it can all be summed up into "just don't do that." when it comes down to it.

PosiDave wrote:Pretty sure non-climbers say that about climbers. as well as any other hobby in life. If you weren't on a rope you wouldn't fall rapping. Life isn't safe, so it can all be summed up into "just don't do that." when it comes down to it.

I was assuming that the population here on mountain project is more concerned with the climber's point of view...

Regardless of what people call whatever he was doing (climbing, bouldering, scrambling, "aggressive hiking," etc.), let's just hope the guy lives and can make a full recovery.

Some video here: denverpost.com/breakingnews…

Here's hoping for a speedy recovery, but come on Good Life, you know how some of the assholes in this forum are going to turn it into a flame war. :)