Note: If you've reached this page looking for broken ankle/leg information, MyBrokenLeg.com is an excellent online resource.


Broken Ankle near the Vernal Falls Bridge

If I was going to end up breaking my ankle anyplace this was probably among the better places to do it.

I was heading up towards Vernal Falls in the late morning after having scrambled up to Sierra Point earlier in the day. The usual water fountain near the bridge wasn't operational, so I was attempting to scramble down to the riverbank to fetch some water. I'm still not quite sure what exactly I did, but I managed to turn my ankle and applied enough pressure to snap most of the major bones in my lower leg. I hobbled down the remainder of the slab and called out to some other hikers on the bridge. One of the hikers headed back down toward the trailhead and called the rangers. About 15 minutes later, the first responder showed up- a park maintenance worker who didn't have any medical training. He wasn't able to do an assessment or help directly, but he was able to radio my request for formal help to the park rangers. I opted out of needing a litter or a helicopter rescue and requested someone with some medical training and a set of crutches.

After another 15-20 minutes the park service medics showed up. They did a quick check to see if I was going into shock and put a makeshift splint on the injured ankle. We discussed possible options for getting me out of the riverbed, but there didn't appear to be any good choices. I ended up crawling out myself, using my left leg and right knee for support. (The route was behind the tree over my left shoulder in the picture). Once up to the trail, I donned the crutches that the EMTs had brought and made my way back down to the trailhead. The ambulance was waiting at the trailhead and from there I was taken to the Clinic in Yosemite Village.