Picture being high on the face of one of the world’s largest granite cliffs. If something went wrong what would happen? On Wednesday, May 30, a 22 year old climber was leading the Pancake Flake pitch on the Nose of El Capitan. The climber was two-thirds of the way up the route, above the Great Roof, when he took a 30 foot lead fall.
His large fall resulted in a broen leg and possibly a broken pelvis. The National Park Service employees a number of rescue personell with strong climbing backgrounds to take care of such situations. The Yosemite Search and Rescue Team (YOSAR) assessed the situation.
Initially, the team flew a helicopter to the top to ascertain the climber’s injury. When it was determined that a dangerous lift from the cliff was not needed, Ranger Chris Bellino lowered 1200 feet down to the injured climber, moved him into a litter and than proceeded to make the long lower to the ground.
Tom Evans, the El Capitan watch dog, snapped great pictures of the team at work.
His website, The El Cap Report, is a great resource to find out about the latest news on El Capitan and in the world of Yosemite climbing.
