A hiker fell 20 feet in Linville Gorge, North Carolina, and sustained serious injuries over the weekend. Emergency crews responded quickly and airlifted the hiker to safety.
The incident occurred around 2 p.m. on Sunday. Reports came in about a climber who had fallen along a steep section of Shortoff Mountain. According to Burke Rescue Inc. and SAR, the lead climber tried placing gear 40 feet above a ledge when they fell 15-20 feet, swinging away from the wall and hitting an adjacent rock pillar.
An online fundraiser identified the climber as Jacob Gregory.
Paramedics initially arrived at the scene. They rappelled to the injured climber and assessed him, while requesting additional resources.
To deliver whole blood needed for stabilizing the injured climber, a Burke Rescue volunteer ran approximately 1.5 miles, covering 1,000 feet of elevation in 31 minutes.
Due to the steep terrain, a North Carolina Helo-Aquatic Rescue Team Black Hawk helicopter, known as “Kill Devil 244,” was called in to execute an air rescue. The helicopter transported the climber to Charlotte for medical care. The rescue involved coordination among two dozen agencies from surrounding counties.
The online fundraiser expressed gratitude: “To every responder who answered that call: thank you. You saved a life and brought a husband, father, brother, son, friend, and loved one to safety.”
Emergency crews airlifted a climber who fell from Linville Gorge in North Carolina. (Burke Rescue Inc and SAR)
Burke Rescue highlighted the inherent risks of climbing and advised climbers to be aware of their abilities and to use proper equipment.
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