Short Haul Rescue of Climber With Head Injury
May 15, 2008
The Nose, El Capitan
In the evening of May 15, 2008, two climbers—Climber 1, 26, and Climber 2, 20—were attempting to climb the Nose in a day. On pitch 25 Climber 1 took a thirty-foot leader fall, sustaining a closed head injury. Climber 2 fixed the climbing rope to an anchor and ascended to Climber 1, who he found hanging upside down. Climber 1’s level of consciousness was fluctuating and he was bleeding profusely from the back of his head. Climber 2, who had no cell phone or radio, used his head lamp to signal a party who was in the El Cap meadow below.
Rangers responded to the meadow to verify the signal. Using a loud speaker and signals from Climber 2’s headlamp, rangers determined the party was requesting a rescue. On the morning of May 16th, a technical rescue team and the park helicopter were in the El Cap meadow preparing for the operation when a spotter in the meadow observed a person climbing from a ledge where the injured party was believed to be. The park helicopter flew up to the climbing party and was waved-off by Climber 2, canceling the rescue.
However, two YOSAR team members were sent to the top of El Cap to contact the party to determine their reason for canceling the rescue. At around 4:30 that afternoon Climber 2 reached the YOSAR team members and explained that Climber 1’s condition had deteriorated over the course of the day and he needed immediate medical care. Climber 1 was able to ascend fix ropes and was still moving towards the top-out point. When he reached the El Cap tree he collapsed.
Climber 1 and Park Medic Rob Lewis short hauled from El Capitan. NPS photo.
A medical team was flown to the El Cap landing zone and moved down to Climber 1’s location and provided medical care. Climber 1 was placed in a litter while the helicopter was prepped for short-haul. Ranger/Park Medic Rob Lewis was flown to Climber 1’s location and the pair was short-hauled to the El Cap meadow. Climber 1 was transferred to an air ambulance and flown to Memorial Hospital.
Climber 1 sustained a fractured skull, subdural hematoma and a cerebral bleed. He is reported to be stable and is being monitored in ICU.
Submitted By:
Matt Stark, Valley Area Ranger and Incident Commander
Edited By:
Nate Knight