A rock climber is still in critical condition at the University of Virginia Medical Center after falling more than 40 feet down the side of Afton Mountain.

It took nearly an hour and a half for rescuers to pull 38-year-old John Higginbotham to safety Monday after he fell near the Ravens Roost Overlook.

Blue Ridge Parkway officials say climbing on the mountain is open to anyone, but there is certain skill level required. Expert climber Lester Zook says climbers should use caution.

Zook comments, "In some of these risk sports, having some preparation, taking a course or a class at a climbing center or with a guide, or hiring a guide to go along is just a great way to ease into the experience without having a catastrophe."

Chuck Walter owns Rockfish Gap Outfitters at the bottom of the mountain. He says he's also concerned about the skill level of people who scale down the side of the mountain.

Walter says, "I'm very safety conscious and when people ask very basic questions or don't even know the right questions to ask, and they're buying gear to go try Ravens Roost or another local climbing area, that's a real problem."

Zook says limiting climbers is tricky because areas like Afton Mountain are public land.

He explains, "Most federal land, national park, national forest, just for recreational hiking and climbing, those are open. That's what we pay our tax dollars for."

Higginbotham's skill level is unknown at this time, but as rock climbing becomes more popular, there is a concern among rock climbers that there may be more accidents like this one.

There are several training courses available to people who want to start climbing, including the one run by Zook. You can find out more about his course by e-mailing him at lester@wildguyde.com