Mount Hood Rescuers Free Climber Trapped Under 16,000-Pound Boulder, Airlifting Patient to Hospital
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 26
Mount Hood Rescuers Free Climber Trapped Under 16,000-Pound Boulder, Airlifting Patient to Hospital
9 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 26
A climber pinned beneath a 16,000-pound boulder on Oregon's Mount Hood was freed around 12:30 p.m. Sunday and flown to a hospital, where officials said the patient is expected to recover.
A minor rockslide sent the boulder onto the climber, and bystanders could not move it despite immediate rescue attempts; the victim remained conscious and able to communicate.
Clackamas Fire District's technical rescue team joined Hoodland Fire and other responders after a 10:20 a.m. mutual-aid call, reaching the scene from Timberline Lodge on foot and by snowcat.
As crews built a lifting system to raise the rock in difficult conditions, LifeFlight and Oregon Health and Science University prepared a specialized field surgical team before the patient was extracted and loaded onto the first helicopter.
What geological instabilities on Mount Hood does this 8-ton rockfall signal for future adventurers?
As mountain rescues become more complex, who is ultimately responsible for the significant financial costs?