A climber was rescued from the Ouray Via Ferrata in Colorado after a thunderstorm moved into the area and left them suspended approximately 50 feet above the canyon floor.
The incident occurred on August 23rd when the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team responded to the popular climbing route after receiving a report of a climber who could no longer continue.
The climber and their partner were traveling on the upstream section of the Ouray Via Ferrata when heavy rain began falling as a thunderstorm moved through the area. The climber suffered two falls during the incident. During the second fall, which occurred along a horizontal section of cable, the climber’s lanyard partially deployed. This left the individual suspended high above the canyon floor and unable to reach the cable or nearby rungs to continue the route.
Ouray Mountain Rescue Team Performs Technical Rescue
Field personnel from the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team accessed the climber using the Via Ferrata route. Rescuers then established a mechanical advantage system that allowed them to raise the climber and remove the weight from their lanyards.
Once the climber was freed from the suspended position, rescuers safely lowered the individual to the river bottom.
The climber suffered only minor abrasions to their legs and was otherwise uninjured.
Climbers Urged To Monitor Mountain Weather
After reaching the river bottom, rescuers escorted the climber out of the area using the ice climbing access trail. An Ouray Mountain Rescue Team vehicle then transported the individual to a staged ambulance on County Road 361.
The Ouray Via Ferrata is a popular route near Ouray that allows climbers to traverse steep canyon terrain using fixed cables, rungs and other climbing hardware. While the route provides protection in exposed terrain, falls and rapidly changing weather can still create serious emergencies.