Man rescued after falling from 50-foot cliff in Chisago County

The 74-year-old victim is expected to recover after he was rescued by emergency personnel.

July 20, 2023 at 8:14PM
Several agencies worked together in rigging ropes together to pull a man from a valley after he fell off a 50-foot cliff Wednesday in Franconia Township, Minn. (Chisago County Sheriff's Office/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

A 74-year-old man who fell 50 feet from a cliff in Chisago County on Wednesday is expected to make a full recovery.

First responders went to the scene in Franconia Township about 2 p.m. after a resident living along the St. Croix River called to report that the man fell from a cliff and was believed to be bleeding and unconscious, the Chisago County Sheriff's Office said.

Sheriff's deputies and workers with Shafer Franconia Fire & Rescue called for specialized equipment after determining it would be a "difficult technical rescue" with near-vertical terrain in some places, sheriff's Capt. Derek Anklan said.

Crews rigged ropes together and tied them to the victim. They used a helicopter to lift the man out of the valley. He was then flown to a hospital and is expected to survive, Anklan said.

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about the writer

Tim Harlow

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Tim Harlow covers traffic and transportation issues in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and likes to get out of the office, even during rush hour. He also covers the suburbs in northern Hennepin and all of Anoka counties, plus breaking news and weather.

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