He Was 500 Feet Up When He Knew He Couldn't Go On

A solo rock climb on a cliff in New Hampshire's White Mountains turned into a high-angle stalemate over the weekend. Officials say a 30-year-old man from Portland, Maine, was about 500 feet up Whitehorse Ledge in North Conway on Sunday morning when he unroped on a route known as Sliding Board, then decided he couldn't safely continue up or down, reports CBS News. The climber, IDed by Patch as William Carron, found a secure spot and called for help around 8am.

Nine members of the volunteer Mountain Rescue Service climbed to Carron, secured him, and rigged ropes for the roughly two-hour descent back to the base; WMUR has some visuals. There were no reported injuries. New Hampshire Fish and Game noted the operation was funded through sales of the state's voluntary Hike Safe card, which can shield hikers from being billed for rescue costs, unless they act negligently.