Climber dies falling from North Shore mountain, second man injured

A climber is dead after falling from the side of a cliff on a mountain near North Vancouver, B.C., on Wednesday. (Photo by Ruth Hartnup/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

VANCOUVER — A climber is dead after falling from the side of a cliff on a mountain near North Vancouver, B.C., on Wednesday.

North Shore Rescue says they received reports of rockfall and screaming in the valley by Crown Mountain.

Team leader Mike Danks says rescuers discovered one man stranded on a small ledge over a gully while another man was unresponsive dozens of meters below.

Danks says an aircraft equipped with a longline was sent to rescue the one man from the cliff who explained that his friend was climbing about 12 meters above him when he fell.

They had used rock protections but they failed, and Danks says the surviving man suffered significant rope burns to his hands while trying to catch his friend’s fall.

Danks says the pair appeared to be experienced in climbing but tragic accidents can happen and rescuers are sharing their condolences with the victim’s family and friends.

“It’s really unfortunate that it happened to them but it’s not an uncommon thing to see,” he said. “We as North Shore Rescue did everything we could to try to rescue them and get them out as quickly as possible.”