During the late afternoon on October 1, a solo climber notified 911 and reported he was uninjured but physically exhausted and unable to finish his climb. He said he was high on the second pitch of the Great Arch (3 pitches, 5.5). Wilkes County dispatch was notified, and a high-angle team was sent to help evacuate him. After reaching the summit area, rescuers contacted the climber and one team member descended to meet the climber, who was then assisted to the top. (Lynette Hicks, ranger, Stone Mountain State Park.)

ANALYSIS

Although the falling hazards of free soloing are obvious, incidents like this, in which a climber runs out of nerve or stamina, also happen every year around North America. Such strandings frequently occur on long but technically moderate climbs, suggesting soloists underestimate their readiness for such climbs. (Source: The Editors.)