The man was switching from one anchor to another when he fell. He was not able to complete the switch, Sky Valley Fire confirmed.
INDEX, Wash. — A man in his 20s has died after he fell 200 feet while climbing in Index on Thursday.
The man was climbing at Town Wall, which is considered a "climber's trail" in Index. The Washington Trails Association notes the trail is "steep, features cliffy drop-offs and is extremely eroded." The Index Town Wall draws climbers from around the region and is a dangerous spot known to first responders.
The man was switching over from one anchor to another while climbing, but wasn't able to completely click into it, according to Sky Valley Fire.
The department attempted a rescue, but that turned into a recovery mission after they discovered the man had died.
The man's body was turned over to the Snohomish County medical examiner. The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office will investigate further what led to the man's fall.
Back in 2023, a man who was climbing that same wall was killed after falling due to an "equipment failure."
RELATED: Volunteer firefighter dies in Index rock climbing accident
More recently, a climber was injured at that same climbing wall back in April. A 47-year-old woman was climbing about 60 feet off the ground with two others when she fell from the Lower Town Wall onto a ledge that was 30 feet below.
Officials said the woman hurt her knee and head in the fall. She was treated for injuries at Providence Hospital.
RELATED: Woman climbing Index Wall falls 30 feet
A military judge sentenced Pvt. Deron Gordon to over six years in prison for sexually assaulting a college student.
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — A Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier who sexually assaulted a college student in the barracks in 2024 was sentenced to more than six years in prison Friday.
A military judge sentenced Pvt. Deron Gordon, 20, to six years and three months in prison after he pleaded guilty to one specification each of sexual assault, abusive sexual contact and as a principal to indecent recording.
Gordon was previously charged with additional crimes, but those were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
Gordon is one of four soldiers who were charged in in connection to the sexual assault of a college student, who is now a commissioned Army officer, in October 2024.
When Gordon pleaded guilty, he said that he and another soldier followed the college student into a bedroom after she had been drinking with them. He said she was unstable walking into the room and when they went inside she was on the bed and not responsive.
Gordon said he and the other soldier each proceeded to have sex with her and they filmed each other sexually assaulting her on Snapchat.
As part of his sentencing, Gordon will be reduced in rank to E-1 and dishonorably discharged from the Army.
Gordon will serve the remainder of his sentencing at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Once he is released, Gordon must register as a sex offender.
The three other soldiers who were charged in the incident are at different points in the legal process, and their cases are being treated separately.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. Additional resources are available on the Washington State Department of Health's website.
KING 5’s Conner Board contributed to this report.
