The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team to perform what it called a “difficult and technical” rescue Monday night at Smith Rock State Park. A Redmond man fell and tumbled nearly 100 feet while climbing on an area known as the “Student Wall.”
The sheriff’s office said 911 received a call around 9:41 p.m. about the fall on the unimproved climbing area. DSCO said the man is an avid climber and was just about to hook into the rope system when he fell.
Witnesses reportedly said the man fell 50 feet then rolled another 40 feet over several rocks. His injuries prevented him from climbing out.
It was determined the best way to rescue the man was to bring him back up the cliff face. Deschutes County called in the SAR Mountain Rescue Unit.
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Redmond Fire and Rescue was able to hike to the man and check him out while the Mountain Rescue Unit prepared a system of ropes and a litter. The man was pulled 110 feet up the cliff face.
It was a delicate and lenghty process. SAR arrived at 8:00 p.m.m. and the man was placed in the litter by 10:30 p.m. — nearly four hours after his fall. The man was placed in the care of Redmond Fire and Rescue by 11:12 p.m.
DCSO SAR also thanked a private property owner who allowed them to work from their property.
