Champney Falls Fall

[erugs]

It can't happen to me'ism.

ALBANY — A teenager hiking near Champney Falls lost his footing and fell 50 vertical feet down a cliff Thursday evening, a state conservation official said.

A friend had to run 1.2 miles to the trailhead and then drive 10 miles on the Kancamagus Highway before he could place a 911 call on his mobile phone, said Alex Lopashanski, a conservation officer with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.

Brentwood resident Cal Blomquist, 17, was conscious but in pain as rescue workers from Conway, North Conway and the SOLO Wilderness Medical School carried him out to the highway. A helicopter landed at the Rocky Gorge Parking Late and flew him to Maine Medical Center in Portland, Lopashanski said.

Blomquist complained about pain to his pelvis and had visible injuries to his jaw, Lopashanski said.

Blomquist had been taking photographs from the top of the falls when he fell.

 

[shamples]

Man, there have been alot of recent similar stories like this with people trying to get pictures from tops of falls and slipping! Dixville Notch, Yosemite, Tucks, etc...

People need to be more cautious. Hope he turns out ok.

 

[PETCH]

Last summer, A guy fell and died on the Tuckerman Ravine trail - while trying to get a closer picture of the waterfall. We were about an hour ahead of the guy. It was a pretty sad story, as he was a cancer survivor....

Petch

 

[forestgnome]

I helped carry him out. He fell from the top of Pitcher Falls.

Kudos to a guide named Kayla who happened to be on the trail with a large group. She placed a plastic sheet and a jacket over him which kept him warm until help arrived. He was partially in the stream water where he landed, and the falls water was showering him with a constant spray so he was getting chilled. When we removed the sheet/jacket to check his injuries he started to shake from the cold, so the plastic definately helped him. He was there for a long time before help arrived.

 

[freighttrain48]

I saw police and fire trucks at the trailhead yesterday

 

[MichaelJ]

Kudos for helping carry him out. A fall from atop Pitcher Falls would sure hurt, but it's not a 50-foot fall as noted in the article, either.

Given the dearth of rain the past few weeks, I'm surprised Pitcher was even flowing.

 

[--M.]

Kudos for helping carry him out. A fall from atop Pitcher Falls would sure hurt, but it's not a 50-foot fall as noted in the article, either.

Given the dearth of rain the past few weeks, I'm surprised Pitcher was even flowing.

Yeah, great job, forestgnome! ... But help me understand which falls we're talking about: the shorter one closer to the trail, or the (much) taller one further in from the trail (which has a herd-path through and then above it)? I can't remember which is which. I can't imagine falling from the taller! Thanks again, fg.

 

[forestgnome]

Yeah, great job, forestgnome! ... But help me understand which falls we're talking about: the shorter one closer to the trail, or the (much) taller one further in from the trail (which has a herd-path through and then above it)? I can't remember which is which. I can't imagine falling from the taller! Thanks again, fg.

He fell from the taller, completely vertical falls, which I think is Pitcher Falls. It looks more like 30' to me.

 

[--M.]

Ugh, how horrible. I hope there's some kind of lemonade to be made from this. Thank you again.

 

[erugs]

Thanks for letting us know more, Forestgnome. I love hearing stories about people helping each other.