LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Two separate climbing incidents just days apart at Red River Gorge this week prompted rescue responses from the Wolfe County Search and Rescue Team, leaving some climbers injured.
On Monday evening about 6:30, Wolfe County Search and Rescue responded to a 911 call at Graining Fork Nature Preserve on the Roadside crag of a hurt climber, the team said in Facebook post. The group of climbers was cleaning equipment from the route when a climber removed the draw, and slack in the rope caused the climber to swing into a rock, injuring their head.
Wolfe County Search and Rescue arrived on scene, and assessed the climber, who was walking on his own. The post said friends took the climber to Clark Regional Hospital for further care.
Then, on Wednesday, Wolfe County Search and Rescue responded to another 911 call from a group climbing at Muir Valley Nature Preserve on the Solarium crag when a large rock became loose, hitting two people in the group.
One climber was briefly trapped under the rock while the other injured his ankle. The group was able to free the climber from under the rock before emergency crews arrived. Wolfe County Search and Rescue carried the other injured climber in a Stokes basket to the parking area where he was accessed by paramedics and then taken to Clark Regional Hospital for additional care.
The rescue crew wants to remind climbers to be aware of their surroundings, wear proper safety equipment and never hesitate to call for help in emergency situations, stressing there are no fees associated with their help.
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