The 31-year-old climber had free soloed the popular Yosemite route before. This time, something went wrong.
In this crazy world we are living in, where there is more bad news than good, it is hard to believe in miracles. But the miraculous hand of the divine was looking out for Josh Ourada. The California climber survived a fall that should have killed him on April 11.
Josh Ourada had a decade of solo experience when he took on Nutcracker, a popular 5.8 trad route in Yosemite National Park. The wall rises 152m almost vertically, but it’s not too difficult. Ourada had free soloed it before. But sometimes…accidents happen.
Josh Ourada two days before his fall. Photo: Josh Ourada
As he approached the last half of his fourth pitch, he slipped — he doesn’t remember exactly what happened — and peeled off. As he fell 60m, his back to the wall, he tried to slow himself with his heels and palms. Serious road rash was the least of his cares. With a thud, he hit a ledge at the top of the second pitch, scattering climbers working their own way up.
One of them, Cole Ramey, came to his aid. Ramey had dived out of Ourada’s way at the last moment. Now he cared for the stricken climber until a rescue helicopter came four hours later.
Ourada suffered multiple injuries, including a fractured L1 vertebrae, fractured pelvis and left foot, collapsed lung, broken thumb, and lacerations. He has also lost all feeling in his feet, toes, butt, and groin.
The “funemployed” engineer, as he calls himself on LinkedIn, is used to doing things completely solo and feels guilty for putting the other climbers in harm’s way. He prefers to climb without many people around to avoid that responsibility.
Ourada in recovery. Photo: Josh Ourada
The doctors have given him a disappointing 20 percent chance of regaining feeling below his ankles. Nevertheless, he chooses to be optimistic. He is currently in physiotherapy and is considering taking up aid climbing.
