East Idaho man rescued after 300-foot fall on Mount Borah
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The following is a news release from the Custer County Sheriff’s Office.
CUSTER COUNTY — An eastern Idaho man is safe after sliding some 300 feet down an icy face to the shale slide below Snow Bridge on Mount Borah.
The accident occurred at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. The climber, 57-year-old Kent Blau, from Declo, Idaho, attempted self rescue but was unable to move beyond the boulders, according to a news release.
Custer County Sheriff Stuart Lumpkin activated Custer County Search and Rescue to respond to the location. Search and Rescue teams from Mackay and Challis with rescue equipment and one helicopter from Reeder’s Flying Service, out of Twin Falls supported this rescue effort.
High winds on the ridges and heavy smoke in the area of the operation slowed rescue efforts, but progress was made.
At 8:30 p.m. search and rescue teams reached Blau and successfully extracted Blau from his precarious perch on the rocks. Shaken and bruised Blau did not show signs of serious injury.
With night and a thick layer of smoke quickly approaching search and rescue command agreed to have teams stay on the mountain overnight.
At around 9:30 a.m. Monday Custer County Search and Rescue volunteers escorted Kent Blau safely from Mount Borah to his awaiting family in Mackay, Idaho.