Climber pinned by falling boulder rescued from Mt. Hood

CLACKAMAS, Oregon — A climber in Oregon was rescued over the weekend after being pinned beneath a fallen boulder.

The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded at around 10:15 a.m. Saturday to a 911 call reporting that a climber was pinned beneath a large boulder that fell on him during his descent on Mt. Hood, east of Silcox Hut.

The sheriff’s office quickly coordinated a search and rescue operation with partner agencies including multiple fire departments, Mt. Hood Ski Patrol, and emergency medical responders. The climber was “conscious, breathing, and able to talk,” while rescuers worked to reach his location, the sheriff’s office said.

Clackamas Fire District responded with a heavy rescue team, which hiked to the climber’s location with specialized equipment to lift the boulder.

A LifeFlight helicopter transported a trauma team to a landing site near Silcox Hut, but was “recalled shortly before landing,” the sheriff’s office said.

The climber was finally extricated from the boulder at around 12:45 p.m. and transported via toboggan down the mountain to an awaiting LifeFlight helicopter. He was then transported to a local hospital.