SGURR CHOINNICH MOR, Scotland -- A 35-year-old mountain climber who tumbled almost 1,000 feet Saturday not only survived the fall, but was standing on his feet looking at a map when rescuers arrived, the (London) Daily Telegraph reported.

The unidentified man had just reached the summit of Sgurr Choinnich Mor about five miles east of Ben Nevis, when he lost his footing and fell down the extremely steep and craggy eastern slope of the mountain, the paper said.

A Royal Navy Sea King helicopter, already airborne for training, flew immediately to the scene and spotted a man at the bottom of the mountain.

'We honestly thought it couldn't have been him, as he was on his feet, reading a map,” the Telegraph quoted Lieutenant Tim Barker, the crew's observer, as saying.

''It seemed impossible. So we retraced our path back up the mountain and, sure enough, there were bits of his kit in a vertical line all the way up where he had obviously lost them during the fall.

''It was quite incredible. He must have literally glanced off the outcrops as he fell, almost flying.''

The paper said the man had only superficial cuts and bruises and a minor chest injury.