Sunday afternoon, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit responded to a climbing accident at the area known as The Pit for an injured climber. Officials say a 12-year-old male from Phoenix, who was climbing with family members, had fallen approximately 20 feet. Rescue crews hiked into the climber’s location and transported him out of the canyon in a basket litter to a waiting ambulance. Officials say the climber sustained a wrist and head injury and was transported by ambulance to FMC for treatment. Investigation into the accident revealed that the climber’s equipment failed. Upon inspection it was determined that the carabiners that broke were not rated for climbing. Officials are reminding climbers that failure to use properly rated equipment could lead to a serious accident.
