Man injured climbing in Big Cottonwood

A 29-year-old man was severely injured Friday when he fell 30 feet onto a ledge while rock climbing with friends in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

About 1 p.m., the man and three friends were hiking near the Ledgemere picnic area, when he lost his footing. Police said the group was using ropes to climb, but the man still fell a considerable distance.

It took Salt Lake County fire and police rescuers nearly two hours to remove the man from the rough terrain where he fell.

They were able to use a stretcher to lower the man down from the 20-foot rock ledge where he was trapped after he fell. He was also lowered the remaining 200 feet down the steep trail.

He was flown to a local hospital and according to police was in critical condition with a serious head injury. The man had been wearing a helmet when he fell.