News Release from: Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office
UPDATED: Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue personnel report to Mt. Hood to coordinate retrieval of injured climber
UPDATE -- June 9th, 2011, 5:40 p.m.
Now linked above: two photos featuring Portland Mountain Rescue members and American Medical Response personnel attending to patient Meredith Jaques. These photos were taken just west of Timberline Lodge, as Meredith Jaques was being prepared to travel by ambulance to Hood River Memorial Hospital.
UPDATE -- June 9, 2011, 4:45 p.m.
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office SAR Coordinators report that the snowcat -- dispatched to the Palmer Glacier area to meet the rescue team and packaged patient -- has reported mechanical problems.
Consequently, the rescue team is continuing its patient transport from the Palmer Glacier, using a toboggan and a whole lot of skill as they descend the remainder of the distance to Timberline Lodge.
Notifications are complete, and the patient can now be identified as Meredith E. Jaques, age 30, who resides in Hood River, Oregon.
It is anticipated that Meredith Jaques (Pronounced "Jakes") will be transported to Hood River Memorial Hospital for further medical attention.
Meredith Jaques reportedly has head, neck and back injuries -- sustained when she was struck by a large chunk of a falling ice that caused to her tumble and fall some 300 feet.
UPDATE -- June 9, 2011, 2:25 p.m.
Now that rescue personnel have reached the injured climber on Mt. Hood, additional information is being revealed.
SAR Coordinators report that the female climber was struck by what climbing-party members described as a 20-by-40-inch chunk of ice.
This ice chunk had tumbled through the group of climbers as they were attempting to ascend the mountain at the 10,500 elevation.
After being struck by the large piece of ice, the injured climber tumbled an estimated 300 feet prior to stopping.
No other injuries are reported.
The victim is now being evacuated down the mountain on a sled by members of AMR's Reach And Treat (RAT) Team and Portland Mountain Rescue mountaineers. The plan is to transport her to the Palmer Glacier to meet with a snowcat, which will deliver her directly to the area of Timberline Lodge. Additional emergency ground transportation will then transport her from the Lodge to a local hospital to treat reported head and back injuries.
The injured climber is expected to arrive at Timberline Lodge in less than an hour.
EARLIER: June 9, 2011, 12:16 p.m.
At 7:25 a.m. on Thursday, June 9, 2011, Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue (SAR) Coordinators were alerted to a slide and reported injury involving a 30-year-old female climber at the 10,000-foot level on Mt. Hood -- just west of the Hogsback, in the vicinity of Crater Rock.
A member of a 12-person climbing party called Clackamas County Dispatch to report the incident -- described as a "slight slide" resulting in the injury of a 30-year-old female climber in the party. She had reportedly received a "nasty gash" to her scalp and was complaining of back pain.
A retired physician was in the climbing party, and the female climber was reportedly conscious and breathing.
Sheriff's Office SAR Coordinators responded to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood to establish a SAR command post, and summoned additional assistance for the rescue mission.
SAR Coordinators asked American Medical Response to dispatch its Reach And Treat (RAT) Team to the scene to climb to the victim, medically evaluate her, and help evacuate her off the mountain.
Portland Mountain Rescue also provided an additional 10 mountaineers to aid in the rescue mission. Mountain Wave Emergency Communications responded to the command post to ensure solid radio communications.
At 11:30 a.m. on June 9, the RAT Team had reportedly reached the injured climber, and were medically evaluating her and assessing safe medical-transport options off the mountain.
Given the current ideal weather conditions, the patient will likely be packaged in a sled and transported down the mountain -- arriving at Timberline Lodge by 2 p.m.
Please reference Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Case #11-17095.
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Contact Info:
Jim Strovink, Detective
Public Information Officer
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office