COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A woman was safely rescued after experiencing an anxiety attack during an outdoor adventure program at Quarry Trails.
The incident occurred as the group reached the final stage of the Via Ferrata course, which involves ascending a series of metal rungs and crossing a narrow, moving bridge.
Larry Peck, Deputy Director of Metro Parks, explained that the woman “made it through the very beginning of it, got to the last part of it, and had an anxiety attack at that point.”
Despite efforts to calm her, the situation required assistance from the Columbus Fire Department and park rangers.
Peck confirmed that the woman was brought down safely without injuries or the need for hospitalization.
The Via Ferrata program, which has been operational for over a year, is the only one of its kind in an urban area in North America.
Participants are clipped in for safety as they navigate the course, which was inspired by routes created during World War I to move troops through the Alps.
The course includes 1,040 feet of cabled climbing using metal rungs, ladders and cables to climb over intermediate rocky terrain. The route includes a 90-foot treadway suspension bridge situated 105 feet above a pond, two aerial walkways and a 54-foot steel staircase.
“Our Rangers are very well trained. The folks that we have, one of our assistant managers, is actually leading the program. So the staff that’s involved, they’re well versed in what to do in these types of situations,” Peck added.
The program requires participants to register through the park’s outdoor adventure program.