A 75-year-old Virginia man died Sunday after falling about 50 feet while climbing a rock feature in the Monongahela National Forest in Pendleton County, West Virginia.
Emergency crews were called shortly after 3 p.m. to Smoke Hole Road after receiving a report that a climber had fallen. The accident occurred in Smoke Hole Canyon, about a half-mile north of U.S. Route 220 near Upper Tract.
Responders from Pendleton County Emergency Rescue, the Upper Tract Volunteer Fire Department and West Virginia State Police went to the scene. They found the man deceased from injuries believed to have been caused by the fall.
Officials have not released the man’s name or provided additional details about what led to the fall. He was identified only as a Virginia resident.
The accident comes less than two months after another fatal climbing fall in the same Pendleton County area. On July 11, 76-year-old Mike Robinson of Virginia died after falling while climbing the east face of Seneca Rocks.
Robinson was known in the regional outdoor community and was involved with the Washington Canoe Club and Scouting America. The American Canoe Association later remembered him as an accomplished climber and outdoor enthusiast.
The latest incident is the second fatal climbing accident reported in Pendleton County this summer. Historical information cited by West Virginia Public Broadcasting indicates that Seneca Rocks has recorded between 15 and 22 fatal falls since the early 1970s.
Authorities have not announced any further information about Sunday’s accident. Emergency officials expressed condolences to the man’s family and climbing partners.
