Tourist falls to his death

Photo: Roy Wood

Climbers on the Fortress Wall which claimed the life of a Seattle man on Saturday.

STORY UPDATE

A Seattle man died Saturday when he fell while rappelling at the popular Skaha Bluffs recreational rock climbing area near Penticton. 

The man, whose name has not been released, is thought to be in his 30s by other climbers who were in the area at the time. He was believed to be with a group of climbers from Seattle.

According to fellow climbers interviewed Sunday, the man was rappelling down the Fortress Wall when he fell. The route he was taking involved two sections of rope and, apparently, he failed to properly make the switch from the first to second sections of rope. 

One climber said that the victim was alive shortly after the fall, but died a short time later. He was airlifted out by helicopter.

Vancouver climber Tyler Southam said, “Rappelling off the end of your rope is the most common mistake people make.”

Rappelling is a technique for descending a cliff in which one slides down a rope secured to one's body with caribineers or other climbing gear.

Southam said such an incident always gives climbers pause, but the sport itself is not dangerous so long as one takes the proper safety precautions and acts responsibly.

“Just because someone else hurts themselves, that’s not going to change my plans,” he said. “If someone crashes his car, you’re not going to stop driving.”

Skaha Bluffs provincial park is a well-known and popular rock climbing area south of Penticton above Skaha Lake.

An American tourist fell to his death while rock climbing at Skaha Bluffs Provincial park Saturday afternoon.

Around 4 p.m. Penticton RCMP responded to a man down at the bluffs. 

The man, in his thirties, fell from an unconfirmed height and died from his injuries.

It is not currently known whether he was with anyone or how he was discovered. 

RCMP are not releasing any further information at this time, pending notification of next of kin. 

The preliminary investigation is finished and the park is open to visitors today.