Penticton, B.C. crews perform complicated rescue at Skaha Bluffs

The climber was found at 9:30 p.m. hanging from the harness five metres from the top of the cliff climbing feature called ‘Screeching Walls’.

Penticton Search and Rescue (PENSAR) successfully completed a long and complicated rescue earlier this week at Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park.

PENSAR responded around 7:30 p.m. to assist in the search of an overdue climber, a 55-year-old Okanagan Falls resident.

According to PENSAR search manager, Ron Berlie, 18 search and rescue members were deployed into the area at multiple access points. The climber was found at 9:30 p.m. hanging from their harness five metres from the top of the cliff climbing feature called ‘Screeching Walls’.

“It was apparent that the climber had suffered a fall sometime in the day and due to injuries was unable to extract themselves,” said Berlie. “But fortunately, was still attached to the cliff face and in their climbing harness.”

The injured climber was found in an extremely difficult location, according to rescue crews.

Berlie added that nighttime air evacuation was not an option at the time.

So, the search team carried in gear to begin a rope rescue to bring the climber to the canyon where they were then assessed by medical personal and packaged into a stretcher.

For over five and a half hours, rescue personal made a “slow methodical descent” from the area using a number of rope systems.