A climber on Oregon’s Mount Hood was rescued Saturday and survived a 700-foot fall on a steep, icy route near the summit, authorities said.
Chris Zwierczynski, 55, of Arizona, was climbing about 11,200 feet up the Old Chute Route, a “very steep climbing route” on the south side of the mountain, when he slipped and was seriously injured at 7:45 a.m., the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said.
“The snow surface was icy and the climber was unable to break his fall, falling approximately 700 feet into the Hot Rocks area and suffering multiple injuries,” the sheriff’s office added.
Two off-duty military medics witnessed his fall and quickly rushed to his aid, according to authorities, and two Mount Hood National Forest rangers were nearby and quickly administered first aid to the injured climber.
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Ideal weather conditions on the mountain allowed the National Guard helicopter to make a “hot landing.” (Clackamas County Sheriff/Portland Mountain Rescue)
Rescue teams arrived at the scene just after 1 p.m. and stabilised the climber so he could be transported off the mountainside.
The National Guard helicopter made a dramatic “hot landing” on a section of the mountain known as the Hogsback due to favorable flying conditions around the mountain. Officials said conditions on the mountain were ideal enough that rescuers were able to extract the injured climber from the mountain just six hours after the fall.
The climber was evacuated from the mountain by helicopter about six hours after the fall, authorities said. (Clackamas County Sheriff/Portland Mountain Rescue)
No update was immediately provided on the climbers’ condition.
The climber slipped and fell while ascending the Old Chute Route on Mount Hood, about 11,200 feet above sea level. (Clackamas County Sheriff/Portland Mountain Rescue)
Officials warned climbers that although climbing conditions had been good for a longer period than usual this year, routes could still be dangerous for those unprepared.
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“However, all routes up the mountain are technical and require specialized training and equipment,” Mark Morford of Portland Mountain Rescue said in a statement. “All routes become increasingly difficult as they approach the summit, which can leave inexperienced climbers finding themselves in situations that are beyond their skills.”
Morford said he encourages anyone wanting to climb the mountain to get proper training from an organization like Mazama or to do so with a qualified guide.
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Mount Hood is located about 50 miles southeast of Portland and reaches an elevation of 11,249 feet.
