Organizers of an online fundraiser for a rock climber who suffered severe injuries after a fall at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area say the climber is facing a long recovery and will require extensive rehabilitation.
The climber, who is only identified as Jarred in a Thursday GoFundMe post, needs to spend the next several months in a halo brace, a metal frame that stabilizes the neck and spine, according to organizer Jenese Lewellyn. Lewellyn wrote that Jarred spent time in intensive care and that a specific recovery timeline is still uncertain.
Jarred fell more than 40 feet while climbing the “Dream Safari” route on the Dark Shadows Wall in Red Rock Canyon’s Pine Creek on Feb. 28, Lewellyn wrote on the fundraiser’s homepage.
The Metropolitan Police Department said in a social media post Monday that a rescue team spent nearly seven hours extracting a climber there, which matches the time and circumstances of the Jarred’s rescue, according to Lewellyn’s post.
Lewellyn said she was unable to comment. As of Friday afternoon, the fundraiser had amassed more than $5,600 of its $13,000 goal. Proceeds will go toward paying for medical bills and other rehabilitation and recovery costs, Lewellyn wrote.
Lewellyn and Metro both noted in their posts that the climber was wearing a helmet, which was destroyed during the fall. Metro said it likely saved the climber’s life.
“We are so sincerely grateful for the quick actions of Jarred’s climbing partner, as well as for the dedication and monumental efforts of the SAR (Search and Rescue) team,” Lewellyn wrote.
After rescuers found the climber, who was still about 600 feet above ground, Metro said, a crew secured him to a titanium litter and constructed a lowering system. The climber was lowered to the ground using three separate lowering stations and was taken to a Bureau of Land Management helipad, where he was transferred to an ambulance and taken to a hospital for treatment.
Lewellyn described Jarred as an active and dedicated member of the climbing community. In addition to Jarred’s passion for climbing, Lewellyn said in her post, he helps maintain climbing routes for others to enjoy.
“If you don’t know Jarred personally, he is someone who values curiosity, hard work, and adventure,” Lewellyn wrote. “He cares well for others, is an encourager, and loves to share his love for nature, art, and travel with those around him.”
Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reveiwjournal.com. Contact him on X, @Casey_Harrison1.
