Veteran Flagstaff outdoor photographer John Burcham is recovering from a recent rock-climbing accident in a remote canyon in Sedona.
On Wed, Dec. 10 he and two others were reportedly pioneering a new climbing route in the Long Canyon-Deadman’s Pass area.
According to Sedona Fire, Burcham was struck by a rockfall and fell 40 feet.
Burcham’s family wrote on a GoFundMe page, “… the sub-pillar within the chimney collapsed violently, sending John careening down in an uncontrollable fall and causing all of his protection to rip out. His fall was long and violent … On impact, the pillar of rock exploded around and onto him. Tragically, a coffee-table-sized boulder landed directly on the upper part of his body, breaking nearly every bone in his face. His climbing partners, Seth Dyer and Dave Spies (Spies came that day to help with shuttling gear to the base), immediately sprang into action, uncovering him and providing critical aid. Their fast response, technical skill, and clear thinking were life-saving.”
The Department of Public Safety Air Ranger from Phoenix launched a rescue operation along with Guardian Air and Yavapai County deputies and flew in personnel by helicopter to assist with treatment and extraction.
Sedona Fire says ground crews eventually reached the party through what the department calls “incredibly challenging terrain.” A DPS helicopter hoisted Burcham out and he was transported to Flagstaff Medical Center.
In all, the rescue operation ultimately took about 4.5 hours.
According to the family GoFundMe page, Burcham suffered a traumatic brain injury in the fall and other injuries to his face that have impacted his eyesight.
But as of last weekend, he had been transferred from the intensive care unit to a rehabilitation hospital and is improving, according to the online post.
Burcham has been a well-known and beloved member of northern Arizona’s climbing community for decades. He is also an internationally esteemed commercial and editorial photographer with more than 30 years of experience. Burcham’s work has appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times, Arizona Highways and many other publications.
