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.”
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.
