Mountain climber rescued on Mount Hood after getting lost in snow
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – An experienced alpine climber visiting from Mexico got stranded on Mount Hood over the weekend after weather on the mountain “rapidly deteriorated,” officials say.
The 45-year-old man was well prepared when he began his climb at Timberline Lodge early Sunday afternoon. After reaching the 11,240-foot summit just after sunrise, he began making his way back.
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Deputies say that’s when things went wrong. On his way down, the climber was enveloped by strong winds that created “whiteout” conditions, meaning his visibility was suddenly reduced to less than 20 feet due to snow.
Without the ability to see the route back to his lodge, he had to rely on his handheld GPS. That is until a sudden gust of wind caused him to drop it. He continued down the mountain for several hours, but then found himself in the upper reaches of the ZigZag River Canyon after veering too far west, officials said.
(Courtesy: Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office) (Courtesy: Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office)
By following the river, he made his way to Timberline Trail, but officials say it was “totally unrecognizable under several feet of snow.” He continued downhill as darkness took over Sunday evening.
After calling 911, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office’s rescue team set out to find the man around 1 a.m. Deputies say they could hardly see as wind gusts over 50 mph continued.
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The rescue team didn’t find the climber until around 4 a.m. on Monday. Officials say he was exhausted, but otherwise in good condition. They made their way back to Kiwanis Camp Road just before 10 a.m.
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