Red Rock Canyon Climber Rescued

The climber fell an estimated 40 to 50 feet, sustaining severe head and back injuries on Saturday, March 1, 2026. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's Search and Rescue team was notified around noon. His climbing partner and a nearby guide were able to reach him and control bleeding while awaiting rescue. The injured climber was located at the top of the first pitch of the "Dream Safari" route, approximately 600 feet off the ground on the Dark Shadows Wall in Pine Creek Canyon. Police officials stated that although the climber's helmet was destroyed in the fall, it very likely saved his life. The rescue operation involved four Search and Rescue officers and a volunteer lead climber. A helicopter, AIR3, inserted the team several hundred feet above the injured climber, from where they rappelled down to provide medical aid. Using a titanium litter and a rope system, rescuers lowered the patient several hundred feet to the canyon floor. The process required setting up three separate lowering stations to safely get the injured man to the ground, where he was transferred to a Bureau of Land Management helipad and then to a hospital. The "Dream Safari" is a 350-foot, four-pitch traditional rock climb with a difficulty rating of 5.11-, indicating it is for advanced climbers. It is located on the Mescalito formation, a popular area within Red Rock, which was named the world's second-best rock climbing destination by Red Bull. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's Search and Rescue unit, comprised of both police officers and civilian volunteers, is on call 24/7. Between 2021 and 2023, the unit conducted 123 rescue missions in Red Rock Canyon, assisting a total of 181 people.