FALL ON ROCK

New Mexico, Murallo Grande

On September 1,1986, Albuquerque Mountain Rescue was notified by the field coordinator about 1430 of a “person who had fallen 300 meters” in the mountains. Expecting the worst, a strike team was dispatched to the Crest. Upon arriving we encountered a mixed team of rescuers carrying an injured rock climber across the parking lot by the radio towers to a truck. The climber had fallen at 1030 while leading the second pitch of Clark’s Cramps on Muralla Grande. Although the fall was short, three meters, and no pieces of protection pulled, he struck a ledge and shattered his ankle. He was lowered to the ground by the belayer, who then rappelled off the route. With the assistance of other climbers in the area, the subject was carried up Chimney Canyon to a point where they were met by Fire District #6 rescue personnel. After some time had elapsed, a litter was brought down and the evacuation was completed. (Source: Albuquerque Mountain Rescue Council Newsletter, November 1986)

(Editor’s Note: We received six other brief accounts of climbing accidents in New Mexico from SAR Officers of the New Mexico State Police. Three of these involved long falls and resulted in fatalities. Next year we will have more detailed information from New Mexico.)