FALL ON ICE, PROTECTION PULLED OUT—ICE TOOL

Alberta, Banff National Park, Professor Falls,

On March 10 at 1130, T.M. was leading the last pitch of Professor Falls (III WI4). She was having some difficulty placing a screw due to the brittle nature of the ice and clipped the rope into her tool to rest. She was a little over ten meters above her last piece. When she weighted the rope to rest, her tool pulled. She fell 25 meters and broke her right ankle in the fall. Her partner, R.H., lowered her to the bottom of the pitch and improvised a splint for her leg. Because her pack with extra clothes, food, ensolite and thermos was down at the bottom of the next pitch, the party took some time to lower and rappel down to that point before R.H. left to get help. T.M. was later evacuated by heli-sling by Warden Service rescue crews. (Source: Parks Canada Warden Service, Marc Ledwidge)