Mount Hood climbing accidents
[2] Despite a quadrupling of forest visitors since 1990, the number of people requiring rescue remains steady at around 25 to 50 per year, largely because of the increased use of cell phones and GPS devices.
In comparison, 20% were for vehicles (including ATVs and snowmobiles), 3% were for mushroom collectors, the remaining 73.6 percent were for skiers, boaters, and participants in other mountain activities.
In an unusual accident reported in Grauer's book, on August 27, 1934, Victor Von Norman successfully climbed the mountain via the southern route, along with a group of fellow University of Washington students.
A number of men who tried to retrieve the body over several days were also nearly overcome by the fumes, even after obtaining an oxygen mask, before finally succeeding in their efforts.
[17] On March 1, 1969, James Eaton died when he fell headfirst into a concealed 60-foot (18 m) crevasse near the edge of the upper portion of the White River Canyon.
Two climbers who witnessed his fall told Clackamas County Sheriffs’ officers they estimated he fell quite a long ways, but were unsure of the exact distance.
A month later, the dog appeared at Cooper Spur Inn, some 9.4 kilometres (5.8 mi) across the rugged Mount Hood Wilderness, evidently having survived on snow melt and berries.
[29] On September 6, 1997, an experienced telemark skier, Mark Fraas of Hood River, ascended wearing crampons and carrying skis to the 10,000-foot (3,000 m) level of Cooper Spur, not intending to summit.
[41] On November 4, 2004, Kenny Dale Kasselder and Shaun Olcott were beginning to ascend the headwall of the Sandy Glacier when they fell about 100 feet (30 m) into a crevasse.
[43] On Thursday, December 7, 2006, three experienced climbers—Kelly James, Brian Hall, and Jerry "Nikko" Cooke—began what they expected to be a two-day climb on the more technical north face gully of the mountain.
[44] On Sunday, December 10, 2006, James made a cell phone call to his wife and two older sons telling them that he was trapped in a snow cave and that Brian and Nikko had gone for help.
[45][46] Rescue attempts were forestalled by freezing rain, heavy snowfall, low visibility and winds of 100 to 140 miles per hour (160 to 230 km/h), caused by a widespread winter storm.
On Wednesday, December 20, 2006, as good weather ended, the Hood River County sheriff announced that the mission was now being treated as a recovery rather than a rescue.
At about noon, disoriented, three of the climbers and a black lab stepped off a cliff while roped together and fell down several hundred feet into White River Canyon.
The three fallen climbers were unable to dig into solid ice to build a snow cave, so they improvised a shelter and were in hourly cell phone contact with rescuers.
[52] On September 7, 2007, in the early afternoon two Portland-area climbers were ascending the Hogsback to the Pearly Gates when one slid to the edge of the Bergschrund and sustained injuries sufficient for him to call for rescue assistance.
Descending with a map and compass, they navigated southward hoping to encounter Timberline Lodge, Government Camp, or the Mount Hood Highway.
Another climber witnessed his fall and rushed to assist, observed head trauma and confusion, and called for help using a cell phone, then descended to meet rescuers.
[59][60][61][62][63] On January 17, 2009, a search and rescuer on a training exercise was injured when the ice he was climbing collapsed causing him to fall some 200 feet (60 m) resulting in severe ankle injuries.
[67] On December 13, 2009, rescuers recovered the body of 26-year-old Luke T. Gullberg, of Des Moines, Washington, at about the 9,000-foot (2,700 m) level, two days after a trio began climbing an especially treacherous face of the mountain.
[68] On August 26, 2010, after several days of a renewed search effort, Portland Mountain Rescue recovered the bodies of Anthony Vietti and Katie Nolan, still tied together.
One climber, Robert Dale Wiebe from Canada, was separated and accidentally traversed Coe Glacier where he apparently fell 700 feet (210 m) to his death.
[76] On February 7, 2012, experienced climber Jared Townsley, 31[77] or 32,[78] of Tigard, Oregon, was found dead at the 9,200-foot (2,800 m) level at the base of a cliff with injuries consistent with a severe fall.
When he did not return as planned by 11 a.m., volunteers searched throughout the night in mild temperatures, light wind, and with a full moon, and found his body Tuesday morning.
He was descending the mountain at the time of the fall and reportedly slid 1,000 feet (300 m)[79] out of control, coming to rest amid a large debris field.
Disoriented due to the conditions she became lost and, attempting to climb out of canyon, she slipped and fell about 40 feet (12 m), severely spraining her right ankle and suffering a puncture wound to her inner left thigh.
She was found alive on Saturday, March 30, by an Oregon Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopter rescue crew and flown directly to a hospital.
Search and rescue aircraft found his body a week later, and it was recovered the following day by a highly technical mission due to dangerous snow and slope conditions.
[95] On August 12, 2017, two 19-year-old college students, Emma Place and Emily Lang, fell to their deaths from a cliff while hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail.
[100][101] On October 26, 2020, Austin Mishler, 27, of Bend was camping on Mount Hood and planned to climb the Eliot Glacier area the next day before returning home.
