Mt. Stuart, 9,415 feet. The craggiest, most nightmarish piece of rock you could ever see. This is the nice side!
Posted on 06/03/2004 12:41:10 PM PDT by 11th Earl of Mar
Rescue Effort Under Way on Mount Rainier
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, Wash. (AP) - A helicopter from the Oregon National Guard headed toward Mount Rainier on Thursday to try to rescue two climbers stranded by injuries at 11,300 feet.
Both are firefighters and trained as emergency medical technicians, said Mount Rainier National Park spokeswoman Patti Wold. At least one of the men was injured, she said, but rangers did not know the nature of his injuries or the status of the other.
She declined to say what fire department they worked in or release their identities, pending notification of their families.
They were stranded on Liberty Ridge, one of the most difficult routes to the 14,410-foot summit, about 1,000 feet below where a climber was fatally injured in a fall last month.
Oregon National Guard spokeswoman Kay Fristad said her agency dispatched a Chinook helicopter to be used for the rescue. A second chopper was ferrying medics to the scene who were to board the Chinook once they arrived at Mount Rainier.
The weather was clear and 34 degrees Thursday morning - good for a rescue attempt - but thunderstorms were expected in the afternoon, Wold said.
The men had expected to reach the summit at midmorning Thursday, but called for help on a cell phone.
On May 15, climber Peter Cooley tumbled down a steep, icy slope, on Liberty Ridge and hit his head on a rock spur. His climbing partner, Scott Richards, maneuvered the two of them to a tiny flat spot, but for two days, the men were stranded as temperatures dipped below zero in whiteout conditions.
Cooley, 39, was picked up by a National Guard helicopter May 17 but he died on the way to the hospital. Accompanied by two rangers, Richards hiked down to a glacier the following day and was picked up by a helicopter.
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One has died. His wife and I play in the church orchestra together. Leaves behind four children.
Prayers, please, for his family.
bttt
Schu-Park Rangers and Helicopters cost a lot of money. When rangers aren't making rescuse, they have time to be rangers. Paradise is in a National Park. There are trail usage fees, but these are more for upkeep in Wilderness areas like the William O Douglas area that borders the park. I don't know for sure but have never seen RMI dollars used for this.
By the way, my old steed Rastas has been on a few search and rescues, but not on Mt Rainier.
I guess the main point is that bad stuff happens to good folks in the mountains sometimes. The wilderness can be quite unforgiving.
I am sorry one of the climbers passed away. The other one is being airlifted to Harborview(80 miles) as we speak.
When I had to pay for my son to be airlifted 8 miles last summer,it cost $9,000. Guess what, I had to pay it.
Sad. Prayers for the family.
Thank you. We're all stunned, just waiting for our orchestra director to contact us and tell us how we can help Debbie. Kids are 12, 10, 8 and 5.
I'd like to climb Rainier, but as a tourist with a group and a guide. I've just seen too many bad things happen on that mountain.
I have read a lot of Everest books, but never guessed that we had a mountain in mainland USA that was this dangerous.
Really? Me too. Well, maybe 40 miles. Great motorcycle ride, except for the not-so-well-maintained roads once you get onto park land.
I'm in Pierce Co. near the north end of Tapps.
I read your bio, where I am, I don't have to go to the range.
Actually had a little incident last month, the young gal next door bought this rat like looking little english boxer type mutt. I was in my front yard putting the finishing touches on my rototiller, which I had basically rebuilt from scratch.
The mutt got loose, runs into my yard, and stands about 3 feet from me growling and barking.
Now I had all kinds of tools there, and it didn't really matter anyways, cause one swift kick woulda sent him to hound heaven (or hound hell which is what he deserves).
But I chose to make a point, calmly walking into my house, keeping my eye on him the whole time, then coming back out, chambering a round into my .40 S&W Sigma, and cutting loose with five rounds into a 130 foot Doug fir in my backyard.
Dropped the clip and shot the last one.
Put the gun away, and came back out. The gal's boyfriend says "Hey, that was a little extreme!"
I tell him "No, it wasn't. I didn't shoot the dog"
Next time I saw her walking her dog, she had a BIG, and I mean BIG new leash.
We're fairly close. It must be nice to be able to shoot in your own backyard; I'm afraid the homeowners association here probably wouldn't appreciate it!
The folks nearby were a little bent out. But hey, homeowners association or none, if somebody or thing comes on your property and threatens your life and limb, you have every right.
In fact I could have shot the little menace dead, as long as it was still on my yard.
I wasn't worried about me at all. But there are a couple families around that have four and five year old kids. I see that hound harassing any kids and I will NOT be calling animal control.
And I have my own dog, who's 12 yrs now, and somebody in the neighborhood owns a beagle that likes to come and beg at my front door about 2 in the morning every night. Always been a dog lover, but that new one next door has a serious attitude problem.
Great. Who lets their dog (or cat) run around at night in this area? There's predators in the woods! I won't allow my cats out unsupervised, as cats tend to disappear around here.
He's pretty harmless, and probably able to take care of himself. Judging by his toenails, normally an inside dog. Dang, he's usually so excited when I open the door, I can't help but let him in and give him a bowl of something.
I've seen 2 coyotes, one cougar, and bear tracks within a mile of my house. And there is a pair of bald eagles nesting somewhere close, usually see one of them every couple of weeks or so.
Now that is way cool. I think my dark-eyed oregon juncos are back to nest in my hanging fuchia basket, but they can't compare with nesting bald eagles. Wow.
Actually the bear tracks were more like 2 miles from my house, down on the White (Stuck) river during salmon season. Glad all I saw was tracks. Mama and her cub.
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