Climber falls from Devil’s Glen rock face

A man was airlifted to Toronto hospital Sunday afternoon after he fell while rock climbing near Singhampton.

The 38-year-old Toronto man fell while rock climbing at Devil’s Glen Provincial Park.

“An initial OPP investigation revealed that a group of four climbers from a climbing club from Toronto attended to climb this rock face. While two members of this group were in the process of ascending this rock face one of the members fell approximately 30 feet when “cams” (rope securing devices that are placed into rock crevices) did not hold,” said Huronia West OPP Const. Mark Kinney in a news release.

Clearview firefighters responded to the call, along with paramedics and police.

“Upon arrival we were met by some hikers who escorted our crews to the location of the incident,” said Clearview Township Fire Chief Colin Shewell.

Going in on foot and using an ATV, rescuers were able to reach the injured man and stabilize him before the Ornge air ambulance crew arrived to take him to the awaiting helicopter.

They then had to transport the patient one kilometre over rocky and dangerous terrain.

It took more than two hours to get the injured climber to the air ambulance waiting in a farm field at County Rd. 124 and Concession 10.

“It went fairly well. By the time you get crews and equipment in there and get back out, I think it took about two-and-a-half hours to do the rescue by the time you get all the equipment in and stabilize them enough to get him out to the helicopter and then walk out over a kilometre, it was about two-and-a-half hours, I believe,” said Shewell.

He said they had all the resources, with equipment and paramedics present.

“Best you could do in a remote location, where people are doing recreational activity, obviously we are at the ready to supply those type of resources. Sometimes it just takes time to get the resources to you when you choose to do recreational activities out in those areas,” said Shewell.

The injured man is said to have life-threatening injuries but was in stable condition.