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Accident at Mt York, Blue Mountains 30-Jan-2006 At 10:19:13 PM oliver

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Here are some details as far as I could gather (I was there shortly after the accident, as were about 10 climbers, and helped out on the periphery - although I don't know the climber or his belayer and didn't see or hear it happen).

The climb in question was a grade 14 corner crack to the left of Atomic Punk. The climb is very popular, with three stars in the Simon Carter guidebook - probably the 'classic at the grade' at Mt York.

The climber was doing his first ever lead on trad gear. He had climbed the route several times before (whether on top-rope or second, I didn't hear).

His belayer said that the climber had placed three pieces of protection, and was above the last piece, which was a cam.

People who spoke to him earlier, when he was on a rest on the climb, said he seemed calm and in control.

His belayer thinks he was reaching for a hold on the right wall, which may have broken, when he fell. The last piece of protection came out. He would have been around 10 metres up (not 20 metres as reported in the ABC story).

When I saw it the climber's helmet was cracked at the back. Based on what they heard, other climbers in the vicinity say he may have hit his head on the cliff before hitting the ground.

Some climbers, including a nurse and an ex-voluntary-ambulance officer, administered EAR and then CPR and maintained his body/spinal position until, and then after, the ambulance officers arrived. A number of other climbers were involved in initiating and maintaining contact with the emergency services, and assisting the ambulance officers and helicopter team.