At approximately 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 20, 2010, the Yosemite
Emergency Dispatch Center received a call regarding a climber that had
fallen on a popular climbing route on El Capitan.  The climber, a 48 year
old male from France, fell approximately 65 feet and sustained head and
chest injuries and a loss of consciousness.  A second party on the climbing
route was able to provide basic emergency medical assistance until Park
Rangers arrived.

The climber, and his partner were on a popular climbing route on El Capitan
called the Salathe Wall.  This is one of the most famous and popular
technical rock climbs in the world.  In its entirety, the climbing route
spans 3,500 feet in length.  The accidental fall occurred on a prominent
feature on the route known as the El Cap Spire, at approximately 1,600 feet
above Yosemite Valley.

Two Yosemite National Park Rangers were airlifted to the location of the
injured climber at approximately 7 a.m. Friday morning.
Additionally, a team of 12 search and rescue personnel were airlifted
to the summit of El Capitan to provide further assistance.  Once Park
Rangers secured the climber, a California Highway Patrol helicopter
assisted in hoisting him off of the climbing route.  He was then airlifted
to Doctors Medical Center of Modesto.

The cause of the climber’s fall is unknown.