Rescue today - Noon Saturday

[SAR-EMT40]

Rescue at around noon today for an Ice climber who fell off of Frankenstien cliff. It was reported by cell phone but dispatch lost the signal soon after the report. Don't know the extent of the injuries or how the rescue went. Was going in to Great gulf for a hike with the family when I heard the call. Hope s/he is OK.

Keith

 

[Waumbek]

Don't know the extent of the injuries or how the rescue went. Keith

Rescue was successful. Two hours is good time. Unfortunately, the climber has broken both ankles. Ice climbers have called for more rescues so far this year than hikers but ski mobile and skiing accidents are ahead overall (if anyone is counting).

Ice climber rescued after he breaks both ankles
February 25, 2006

HART'S LOCATION --An ice climber was hospitalized Saturday after falling and breaking both ankles at a cliff in Crawford Notch State Park.

Fish and Game Sgt. James Juneau said Sid Rodrigo, 36, of Brooklyn N.Y. fell about 15 feet when his ice axes fell out on unstable ice on Frankenstein Cliff. He and a partner were near the top when the accident caused Rodgrigo to fall onto a ledge.

A climber who works with a local search and rescue group was nearby and called in some other experienced climbers to get Rodgrigo off the ledge. The rescue, which started around 1 p.m. took about two hours. Juneau said Rodgrigo was taken to Memorial Hospital in North Conway.

 

[Lawn Sale]

Any idea of which route? Any idea of why he wasn't still roped in? The ice this year, as mentioned in the previous thread, is terrible. I also fell for the first time, back in December, but I only fell about 5' as I was hooked up.

This is part of Frankenstein we did last Sunday, but my brother has the book with all the routes in it.

 

[Waumbek]

Any idea of which route? Any idea of why he wasn't still roped in? The ice this year, as mentioned in the previous thread, is terrible. I also fell for the first time, back in December, but I only fell about 5' as I was hooked up. This is part of Frankenstein we did last Sunday, but my brother has the book with all the routes in it.

I think it was on the Standard Route. Here's the routes list with photos, so maybe you can figure out where you were.

And here's what the Union Leader reports today--an ice axe let go. Fortunately, rescuers experienced with rope work were neraby, and the carryout was fast.

[start quote]CRAWFORD NOTCH – An ice climber from Brooklyn, N.Y., broke both ankles when he fell from Frankenstein Cliff yesterday afternoon.
Sgt. James Juneau, a conservation officer with New Hampshire Fish and Game, said Sid Rodrigo, 36, fell about 15 feet to a ledge while climbing with a partner around 1 p.m. He said the man’s ice axes let go on the last section of the climb near the clifftop, causing him to fall.
Volunteers from the Mountain Rescue Service were in the area, Juneau said, and rushed to help. They used ropes to remove the injured man from the ledge, and carried him in a litter to a waiting ambulance.
Rodrigo, who remained conscious during the rescue, was taken to Memorial Hospital in North Conway. “He was described as an experienced climber and he was well-equipped,” reported Juneau, who said the rescue operation took about two hours.
Juneau said the man, while injured, was lucky that the ledge was there to break his fall. “That’s a big cliff,” he said.[end quote]

 

[DougPaul]

Any idea of which route? Any idea of why he wasn't still roped in? The ice this year, as mentioned in the previous thread, is terrible. I also fell for the first time, back in December, but I only fell about 5' as I was hooked up.

Perhaps he was leading. Doesn't take much of a fall to break one's ankles, particularly if one's front points catch.

This is part of Frankenstein we did last Sunday, but my brother has the book with all the routes in it.

<picture url deleted>
Looks like it might be the left (easy) side of Walk in the Forest.

Doug

 

[SAR-EMT40]

I do know what I heard initially indicated that IME made the cell call. I want to stress that I don't know if the person was actually climbing with IME, just that the phone call came from them. I also am aware that several members of IME are also members of MRS so the guy was probably in very good hands right from the start of the accident.

Keith

 

[Woody]

I think that LawnSale's picture is the Waterfall Route at Frankenstein.

There is a string on NEClimbs about this fall on Standard Route. Sounds like the climber was not guided but leading and was about to climb the last pillar on the route when both his tools popped and he broke both ankles.

Woody

 

[jfb]

I think that LawnSale's picture is the Waterfall Route at Frankenstein.

Another vote for the Waterfall Route.