Rescue of Injured Climber
September 16, 2007
Camp V, The Nose, El Capitan
On September 16th, 2007 at about 2:35 PM the Yosemite National Park Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call reporting an injured rock climber on the 25th pitch of the Nose Route on El Capitan. The climber had reportedly taken a 30 foot lead climbing fall and was seriously injured due to striking the Camp Five ledge system. Both of his lower legs were broken, one of which was an open fracture that was profusely bleeding.
This occurred while Yosemite was in the midst of a major search operation for a missing photographer in the Taft Point area [see rescue report]. The park had the majority of its technical assets committed to the search. Rescuers were immediately diverted from command and field positions on the search to respond to the Valley for the El Capitan rescue.
In total, sixteen rescuers were flown to the summit of El Capitan. The necessary gear (including over 6000’ of rescue rope) was sling-loaded to a site near the top of the Nose route by helicopter.
A Medic was lowered with a litter to the victim’s location at Camp V just as darkness was falling on the Valley. Upon reaching the patient, the Medic quickly assessed him, and found the leg with the open fracture to be cold to the touch, lacking any discernable circulation. The medic wrapped and splinted the open fracture, packaged the injured climber into a litter, and administered pain medication.
The climber's injuries were serious, and he needed immediate and definitive emergency medical care. If raised to the top, he would become benighted there, because of the helicopter's inability to operate from the summit at night. Therefore, the lowering operation was continued through darkness towards the base of El Capitan. The patient and medic were lowered over 2,800 vertical feet, reaching the ground at 10:40 PM in total darkness.
Once at the base, additional rescuers carried the patient to an awaiting ambulance on El Capitan straight. The patient was immediately driven to Crane Flat helibase were a PHI air ambulance flew the subject to Doctor's Medical Center in Modesto at approximately 12:35 AM on September 17th.
The rescue team hauled the ropes up and stayed the night on the summit. At first light another operation was executed to retrieve the patient’s uninjured partner at Camp V. The partner was raised to the top with a rescuer, and all personnel and gear were flown from the summit to El Capitan Meadow. SAR units were back in the meadow by 11:30 AM on September 17th.
The injured climber had 25 years of climbing experience. He had previously climbed approximately 1,200 feet of the Nose 6 years before, but had rappelled off the route with his partner before summitting.
Around noon on September 16th, the pair was climbing Pitch 25 off of Camp V. The lead climber was said to be back cleaning every other piece. While aid climbing, the piece the climber was weighting pulled out. Two more pieces pulled in suite - two nuts and one .4 Camelot in all. The leader estimated his fall to be about 30 feet. During the fall he hit a small ledge with his legs, and was arrested by the rope a few feet below the ledge. His partner was able to lower him back to the belay station.
Contributions by SAR Technician David Pope and Ranger Keith Lober
Edited by Nate Knight