Fall on Rock, Protection Pulled Out, No Hard Hat, Colorado, Eldorado Canyon State Park, Red Garden Wall

Publication Year: 1995.

FALL ON ROCK, PROTECTION PULLED OUT, NO HARD HAT

Colorado, Eldorado Canyon State Park, Red Garden Wall

On September 10, 1994, a climber (30) was leading on “Blackwalk” (5. l0b/c) on Red Garden Wall. He was 30 feet off the ground and five feet above his last and only piece of protection. He slipped and fell, pulling the 2½ inch Friend out. He hit his head on a

rock when reaching the ground (no helmet). The belayer said that the victim was a 5.12 climber with years of experience. He sustained a broken hip, collarbone and ribs, and fractured skull—but should survive. (Source: Steve Muelhauser, Park Ranger)

(Editor’s Note: Eldorado State Park experiences hundreds of climbers and thousands of climber days each year because of the proximity to the large Denver-Boulder population. Currently, registration is not required. A total of twelve accidents were reported for 1994— not a large number. Three of these were bouldering falls with inadequate spotting, and one was an overdue party that ended with fatigued but uninjured climbers.)