Climber who fell near summit of Mount Hood needs complex rescue, OR officials say

A climber who tripped and fell near the summit of Mount Hood, injuring his leg, required an eight-hour-long rescue, Oregon officials reported.

The 43-year-old climber fell in the steep Old Chute area of the mountain about 500 feet from the summit at about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday, June 17, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said in a June 18 news release.

His companion and other climbers called 911 and helped the injured climber from an elevation of 10,750 feet to a less steep area known as the Hot Rocks at 10,321 feet up the mountain.

Rescuers reached the party at about 12:30 p.m. and secured the injured climber in a specialized litter, sheriff’s officials said.

They carried the climber over bare rock, then skied the litter down the mountain using a rope belay, officials said. Then they skied the litter without ropes the rest of the way.

The rescued took about eight hours in all, officials said.

“May through early July is a popular time to climb Mt. Hood,” Mark Morford of Portland Mountain Rescue said in the release. “Nevertheless, all routes up the mountain are technical, requiring specialized training and equipment. All routes become progressively more difficult approaching the summit, which can lure climbers into situations beyond their skill.”

Mount Hood is about a 35-mile drive southeast from Portland.

This story was originally published June 19, 2025 at 1:09 PM with the headline "Climber who fell near summit of Mount Hood needs complex rescue, OR officials say."