On Saturday, a climber was rescued from Oregon's Mt. Hood after surviving a 700-foot fall near the mountain's peak.
According to Fox News, Chris Zwierzynski had ascended to around 11,200 feet before he slipped on a steep, icy route. Zwierzynski, a 55-year-old from Arizona, suffered critical injuries as a result of the fall, which took place around 7:45 AM Saturday.
The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office reported that the climber slipped on a frozen snow surface. Zwierzynski was on the Old Chute route, which is known to be very steep. He tumbled after his slip down to the Hot Rocks area of the route and stayed there until his rescue took place around 1 PM. Luckily, the fallen climber was attended to by off-duty military medics who saw his fall. Likewise, two Mt. Hood National Forest climbing rangers were nearby and quickly provided first aid.
A National Guard helicopter was able to rescue Zwierzynski after making a "hot landing" on a section of the mountain called the Hogsback. Flight conditions were luckily excellent, and made for a quick rescue after the fall.
National Guard Rescues Climber After Dangerous Fall
Officials used the accident as an opportunity to send out a warning to other prospective climbers of Mt. Hood. While climbing conditions were good on Saturday, the routes up the mountain are still dangerous for unprepared climbers.
Mt. Hood's most popular routes get more perilous as they approach the summit. Mark Morford of Portland Mountain Rescue, warns that each of Mt. Hood's routes is quite technical, and requires specialized training and equipment. Moreover, inexperienced climbers are known to get themselves into trouble, as they are unprepared for the increasing difficulty of routes until it is too late.
Morford urged all potential climbers to climb with a qualified guide or receive training from an organization like the Mazamas. The focussed preparation can make all the difference for climbers.
Mt. Hood, which is located about 50 miles southeast of Portland, will certainly remain popular, regardless of last weekend's scare. Luckily, in a recent update from Zwierzynski's family, he is in "good spirits" and "progressing nicely" after several surgeries.
