Park County Search and Rescue helps stranded climber

POWELL (WNE) — Park County Search and Rescue helped a stranded climber get down from a spot 300 feet off the ground near Buffalo Bill Reservoir at a popular climbing area. 
On Monday, Sept. 26, at 8:46 p.m. the Park County Sheriff’s Office Communications Division received a call for assistance in rescuing a stranded climber. 
In the climbing area on U.S. Highway 14-16-20W, just outside of the first tunnel near mile marker forty-five, and across the river, is an area called “I’ll tell you what’s cool,” which is a multi-pitch rock climbing route. 
According to a Sheriff’s Office release, a 19-year-old male climber’s rope had become stuck approximately three hundred feet from the ground, at the sixth of eight pitches. 
A “pitch” in climbing terminology is the measure of the climb that is protected by one rope length. 
Park County Search and Rescue was paged, along with Cody Regional Health EMS, and several field teams were deployed. 
Additionally, a local climber who is very familiar with the area was requested to help PCSAR find the top of the route, which is difficult to locate in the daytime — and it was already dark. The male victim was wearing a headlamp, which helped rescuers locate him. 
A PCSAR member contacted the man at 11:40 p.m., and he was able to assist in his own rescue. At 12:30 a.m. both the climber and the PCSAR member made it back to the top of the route and all began walking out. The entire incident wrapped up at about 2 a.m. 
 
This story was published on Oct. 4, 2022.