A Saturday afternoon rock climbing expedition in Venango County turns tragic. 55-year-old Warren Ohio man Darryl Donley was killed while exploring a rock face in the Panther Caves area in President Township. ...
... Various rescue teams in the area recovered Donley’s body from the bottom of the rock face. He was pronounced dead by the Venango County Coroner, who said he suffered severe blunt force trauma to the head.
Full Article/Source: http://www.palive365.com/2012/09/17/ohio-man-killed-in-venango-county-rock-climbing-accident/
Though there are not many details available, initial reports do not sound as though the climbers were roped and equipped. Let's use this as a reminder to not cut corners on our adventures; always bring the proper gear and know how tp use it.
Many people forget that Panther Caves is on private property, and in recent years the owners have been more and more reluctant to permit climbers to the cliffs. If this is one of your favorite crags, you should probably refrain from visiting, at least for now. This may be the end of the owners' willingness to allow climbers to visit. As always, it's up to the community to keep the outdoors open.
-Crash
