FALL ON ROCK

Colorado, Eldorado Canyon State Park

On June 7, a thirty-nine-year-old male experienced climber had started to follow the fourth pitch of Ruper (5.8) on Redgarden Wall when he reached for a hand hold, missed and fell. The belayer cinched the rope, but since his follower had just started the pitch, there was sufficient stretch to allow the victim to contact a ledge with enough impact to rip his shoe off his left foot. He suffered a severe sprain to his left foot but was able to rappel down to the base of the climb and left the park with only minor assistance from rescue personnel. He stated that a hole in the sole of his shoe contributed to his accident. He did have a helmet on at the time. (Source: Steve Muelhauser, Park Manager.)