KENT, Conn.—The name of the rock climber who fell to his death at St. John’s Ledges Thursday, Sept. 10, was released Friday by State environmental officials. The victim, identified as 30-year-old Collin Salmon of Great Barrington, Mass., was rock climbing near the Appalachian Trail, when he fell.
He was said to be a former resident of Warren.
According to Kent Volunteer Fire Department Chief Timothy Sneller, the department was called out at 2:12 p.m. on Thursday for a male climber who had fallen about 30 feet and was unresponsive.
“The first rescuer got there in 13 minutes,” he said. “We got him quickly loaded, carried out and in the ambulance in 36 minutes. CPR was in progress the entire time, but he was declared dead at the hospital.”
Because Kent’s first ambulance was already out on a call, KVFD medics were not available, and an ambulance and medics were dispatched from New Milford. “They called for LifeStar to transport him, but that didn’t happen because he was declared dead,” Sneller said.
Gaylordsville, Sherman and Warren first responders also attended the scene as did Connecticut State Police, and DEEP EnCon police. “It was a good team effort, and we got him out of the woods quickly,” Sneller said.
He said the team had no trouble reaching the accident scene, where the young man had been climbing with a group of about 12 persons. Investigators have now turned over the case to the Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner to determine the precise cause and manner of death.
The St. John’s Ledges section of the Appalachian Trail overlooks the Housatonic River and is known for its steep rock scrambles and rugged cliffs. Still, Sneller said the first responders haven’t had many calls for rock climbing or trail rescues in that section.
“We get more calls for the section of trail between Route 341 and Schaghticoke Road,” he said. “St John’s Ledges has a short steep section, but the terrain farther south is more unforgiving, and people end up with injuries like broken ankles.”
He said the season when the company gets calls for hikers going north on the Appalachian Trail is done, “but we might get some going south. Now, we will be busy with day hikers catching views of the foliage.”
