PORTLAND, Maine — A man from New Jersey was rescued Saturday night after he fell roughly 60 feet while ice climbing in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire Fish and Game responded to the call for help at about 7:30 p.m. reporting that an ice climber suffered head and arm injuries after falling down a steep section of a climbing route at Shoestring Gully on Mount Webster, the agency shared in a news release.
The injured climber was identified as 55-year-old Slavek Zaglewski of Oakland, New Jersey, and he was climbing with a friend at the time of his fall. The friend climbed down to help secure Zaglewski but was unable to get cellphone service, so he was forced to climb higher up the mountain until he could call for emergency assistance, according to the release.
New Hampshire Fish and Game officers were aided by numerous volunteers from Mountain Rescue Services, as well as Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue and Bartlett/Jackson Ambulance Service, the release stated.
The rescue crews divided up into two teams, with one responding to Zaglewski to help render medical aid for his injuries and hypothermia, and the second working from above to secure the equipment to raise him out of the gully, according to the release.
"He was raised almost 400 feet up to level ground and then carried down the trail nearly 2 miles to the trailhead," the release stated. "Several sections of the trail were so steep that rescuers needed to use roped belays to move the litter [carrying system or rescue basket] safely down."
After a harrowing overnight rescue, teams reached the trailhead by 5 a.m. Sunday and were met by an ambulance that brought Zaglewski to Maine Health Memorial Hospital in North Conway for treatment. His condition was unknown.