Austrian Climber Killed in Yosemite Fall

An Austrian climber was killed when he fell from the face of El Capitan, Yosemite’s 3,200-foot monolith, while climbing with a companion, park officials said Friday.

Lisa Dapprich, a park spokeswoman, said the two climbers were at the 2,000-foot level when the man lost his footing and fell. He struck his head on the side of the sheer face of the granite wall before coming to rest at the end of his 100-foot climbing rope and died instantly of massive head injuries. The incident occurred Thursday.

It took six hours to lower National Park Service rescuers from the top of El Capitan to the body so it could be prepared for removal by helicopter.

The climber’s identity was withheld until relatives could be notified. The second climber completed the climb and was then airlifted to the valley floor.