Weather hampering recovery of Rainier ranger’s body
Jun 25, 2012, 5:22 AM | Updated: 6:29 am
A helicopter is on stand-by and fellow climbers are
waiting
at Camp Schurman on Mount Rainier for a break in the
weather so they can get to
a ranger’s body.
Nick Hall died Thursday after helping four climbers from
Texas who fell near the 14,411-foot mountain’s peak. The
climbers had reached the summit and were on their way
down, roped together, when two women fell into a crevasse
on Emmons Glacier at the 13,700-foot level. Two men were
able to stop the group, and one called for help by
cellphone.
Hall had helped put three climbers into the helicopter
when he fell 2,600 feet. The final climber, Stacy Wren,
descended the mountain with rangers Friday.
A recovery attempt was canceled Saturday when a weather
window quickly closed. It now looks like it will be
Tuesday
or Wednesday before his body will be taken off the
mountain.
“It’s very frustrating. We’d like to make this happen for
the employees and the family,” park spokesman Rick Jones
said.
The 34-year-old’s body has been wrapped in protective
gear.
Climbers chose not to remove the body by foot because
avalanche danger on the mountain is too severe.
Several feet of snow fell Sunday and winds are still
blowing
around 30 miles an hour.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
