Falls, Falling Rock, No Hard Hat, Pennsylvania, Delaware Water Gap N.R.A.

Publication Year: 1991.

FALLS, FALLING ROCK, NO HARD HAT

Pennsylvania, Delaware Water Gap N.R.A.

There continues to be more climbing and off-trail hiking in this reservation. Two of the three reports we received involved rappels. In May, a 17 year old female was climbing up a hill with several other members of her group to do some rappelling when a large rock was knocked loose from above and struck her on the right side of her head. In September, an 11 year old Boy Scout was engaged in a rappelling experience with his father and several others when he “appeared to slip, then screamed and disappeared from sight,” of the adults at the top. Rangers climbed up to him—just seven meters from the bottom of the rappel—and found that he had just made a sideways swing, which had scared him. No injury resulted, and it was observed that the activity was being run safely. (We did not count this as an accident.)

The other fall involved a couple who were making their way back to the road by way of a bank beside a creek. The woman, Elizabeth Taylor (30), fell 40 meters, hitting a rock and losing consciousness. This, while not a climbing accident, resulted in a technical climbing rescue. (Source: Reports, submitted by Jim Yestor, came from the Delaware Water Gap N.R.A.)