Climber rescued after fall at Linville Gorge
A rock climber was scaling the rock face of Shortoff Mountain and fell Saturday afternoon in Linville Gorge.
Officials estimate the climber was about 25 feet from the base of the cliff when he fell.
It took rescue teams about 45 minutes to get to him on the ground. They tended to the patient’s broken leg until he could be taken to the hospital by helicopter.
A HART (Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team) crew out of Charlotte was called in to help with the rescue.
The climber, reportedly from Fletcher, was taken to Mission Hospital in Asheville. Rescue teams said he was talking with crews.
Linville Gorge is in Burke County and is part of Pisgah National Forest.
WBTV is a media partner of The Charlotte Observer.
This story was originally published February 6, 2016 at 3:00 PM with the headline "Climber rescued after fall at Linville Gorge."