EVERETT — A climber was rescued Saturday afternoon after falling about 100 feet from a cliff wall near the Upper Town Wall outside of Index.
Around 3 p.m., a 911 call reported the fall. Sky Valley Fire crews were first to arrive, with technical rescue teams from Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue and Snohomish County Fire District 4 dispatched to assist, according to spokesperson Peter Mongillo.
Nearby climbers — including an emergency room technician and several nurses — reached the victim first, taking vitals and relaying updates to incoming crews. Once technical rescue personnel reached the climber, they prepared the victim for transport and used a Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office SnoHawk helicopter to hoist them to safety, the release said.
The climber was flown to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett with non-life-threatening injuries, Mongillo said, though the victim reported extreme pain in the lower half of their body.
Railroad traffic along the nearby BNSF line was temporarily halted during the rescue to accommodate the large number of first responders.
It was the second successful high-angle rescue in the area this week, the release said.
Officials urge climbers to check safety equipment, monitor gear for wear and always climb with a partner.
Aspen Anderson: 425-339-3192; aspen.anderson@heraldnet.com; X: @aspenwanderson.
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