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Montana Climber Hit by Falling Boulder Credits Helmet With Saving His Life

Doctors say his helmet likely prevented a life-threatening head injury.

Overview

  • Experienced climber Cody Boehm was struck by a microwave‑sized rock at Confluence Crag in Montana on Sept. 21 after a friend accidentally dislodged it from a ledge.
  • Boehm fell about 50 feet, and friends kept him conscious at the scene while another called for help.
  • He suffered a broken collarbone, seven broken ribs, a collapsed right lung, multiple fractures, and a large laceration on his back.
  • A multi‑agency rescue involving Red Lodge Fire Rescue, search‑and‑rescue teams, and the Custer Gallatin National Forest Beartooth Ranger District extracted him and transported him to Billings Clinic.
  • Recovering in hospital, Boehm has praised rescuers and says he will return to climbing with a renewed commitment to always wearing a helmet.