FALLS ON ROCK, BELAYER DROPPED LEADER, RAPPELLED OFF END OF ROPE, FOOT AND LEG STUCK BETWEEN ROCKS

West Virginia, New River Gorge and Cooper’s Rock

There were reports of eight climbing accidents resulting in injury from the above areas in 1993. The brief descriptions include the following.

An individual decided to leave his equipment and free climb in a no climbing area. The wind blew him off and he fell 25 feet, landing on a tree root sticking out from the cliff. This saved him from what cold have been a longer, perhaps fatal, fall. A lead climber was being lowered by his belayer. He ran out of rope and dropped the leader 15 or 20 feet. A shattered ankle required a helicopter evacuation. There was a report of an individual rappelling off the end of his rope (see comment under Pennsylvania section), resulting in no major injuries other than shock. An inexperienced climber (13) tried to down climb a route with no rope, and he fell about 30 feet, resulting in paralysis due to spinal injury. Two individuals got their foot and leg stuck between rocks, one resulting in torn ligaments, the other in a fracture.

As climbing becomes more popular in this area, the reporting system will be more thorough. (Source: Jim Yester)