Rescuers had to use a state police helicopter to hoist an injured climber to safety in a remote section of the Catskills on Friday.
According to officials with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, forest rangers received a report of an injured climber at Buttermilk Falls in Hunter, New York at 11:41 a.m. on Friday.
After being injured in the fall, the climber had lowered himself down four more pitches when he encountered a group of ice climbers who called for help.
The climbers provided care for his unstable ankle and wrist injuries until rangers reached the 35-year-old from New Paltz at 1:15 p.m.
Due to the remote and technical terrain, rangers called New York State Police for a hoist rescue.
Rangers packaged the subject in a harness so he could be hoisted into the helicopter.
At 4:30 p.m., the helicopter arrived at the landing zone where the subject was transferred to Hunter Ambulance. Haines Falls Volunteer Fire Department and Greene County Paramedics also assisted.
The climber was reportedly climbing solo without ropes and did not have a cell phone.
New York DEC officials encourage climbing in a group so a member of the group can get help in the event of an accident.