02-132 - Joshua Tree NP (CA) - Rescue

On the afternoon of Friday, April 12th, Dave Lathrop, 42, fell while
leading Frosty Cone, a 5.7 climb on the Dairy Queen Wall. He was about
eight feet above his last placed protection and had climbed out of the
crack he was following face-right; he therefore swung sideways when he
fell, pulling out his last-placed protection. Lathrop struck the back of
his head (he was not wearing a helmet) and was knocked unconscious. He then
flipped upside down in his harness. Lathrop's partner managed to lower him
about 30 feet while other climbers drove to Hidden Valley and used the
emergency satellite phone there to report the fall. Rangers and two
paramedics from Morongo Basin Ambulance were able to scramble to the area.
Rangers then set up a guideline and lowered Lathrop about 80 vertical feet
and 100 horizontal feet to the ground. BLM firefighters who were in the
area at training then completed the carry-out to the ambulance. Lathrop was
transported to a Mercy Air ship waiting at Hidden Valley and flown to a
hospital. Joshua Tree volunteer SAR team members also assisted. Scott
Fischer was litter attendant; Jeremy Monroe was IC. [Kathy Krisko, Acting
Cottonwood DR, JOTR, 4/26]