Climber airlifted from Lover’s Leap
Rescue crews take an injured hiker July 7 to the Calstar helicopter. Photo/Damian Frisby
Updated 5:40pm:
A 26-year-old woman was knocked unconscious when she fell at Lover’s Leap on Sunday.
Nour Mardini was on the Lower Buttress area of the rock structure when she dislodged a boulder the size of a picnic table and then fell about 30 feet. When the rope went tight she swung into the granite face. Mardini was rappelling with her husband on belay. According to officials, he did not see the fall.
Lake Valley firefighter Luke Anderson went over the edge to Mardini who was more than 100 feet from the top and more than 200 feet from the bottom. He was able to lower her to the awaiting ground crews. Calstar transported her to Renown Medical Center in Reno with severe head injuries.
Assisting with the July 7 rescue were El Dorado County search and rescue, U.S. Forest Service, El Dorado County Fire, and CHP with another helicopter.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
You do not rappel on belay. She was climbing while her husband belayed.
It appears to me that Lake Valley firefighter Luke Anderson, CalStar and all the other gov’t agencies involved here are life saving heroes.
I would like to see a picture of the bolder that came lose.
They sound like a nice healthy couple who enjoy the outdoors.
I wish them well.
That was my wife. The full team of rescuers did an incredible job to get her out of harms way. As much praise needs to be given to Paul, Neil, Don, Megan and Jay, the 5 climbers who either climbed up to help or ran from the base of the leap. With their help my wife was anchored in place so as to not move as I remained in a belay stance, her injuries were reported to the onsite sheriff and they played a major part in keeping her calm. I met many heroes that day.
As for the boulder, it is one of many in a pile at the base of Surrealistic Pillar. The description here was accurate. Thank you for the wishes
all of our hearts and souls are 100 percent supporting Jeff and Nour as they face this tragic experience. We all have so much love for you two!!
Hey Jeff, it’s Austin. Just read this and tried getting ahold of Nour. If there’s anything I can do, please let me know. I really hope she’s alright and if you need any help send me an email or call me at 650-787-9505.
Hi,
I was there that day and helped with the rescue. I’m the lady RN(Volunteer)who helped package Nour up to the litter when on the ground. I can only pray that my voice might of provided some comfort letting her know what was going on and where she was. Does anyone know how she is? I will keep her and her husband in my prayers.
Shelly