Woman Hiker Falls from Tower Rock in the RRG

Wolfe County Search and Rescue reported on Monday evening at 8 p.m., that they received a 911 call for a seriously injured climber at the Tower Rock crag. The group of five had spent the afternoon climbing the cavers route (5.3 trad). The female was down climbing (un-roped) when she lost her hold and fell approximately 15’, landing on a ledge approximately 130’ from the ground. 

As the name implies, Tower Rock is just that, a tower. The top is only accessible by climbing, which made this one of the more technically challenging rescues the team has conducted in recent years. 

The first priority was to get medical attention to the injured climber. Team members attached a second rope to the rappel line the climbers had previously established.  They were instructed to haul the second line to the top and secure it. A team medic would then ascend the team’s rope and utilize the climbers rappel line as a belay.   Once our medic reached the female climber, it was quickly determined she would require the stokes basket for the lower. Two additional ropes and rigging equipment were then hauled to the top of the cliff. The ends of these two ropes were then lowered back to the ground and team members at the base hauled the stokes basket to the top.

Once the patient was packaged in the stokes basket and moved to the edge of the cliff face, team members on the ground controlled the lower of the patient and our medic. They were both lowered to the base of the cliff and the stokes basket was prepared for the carryout. 

Powell County EMS sent out an ALS crew to help manage the patient once we had her on the ground. She was transported by PCEMS to the Middle Fork Fire Dept LZ and flown to UK hospital for definitive care. Team members departed the scene at 1 a.m. this morning.