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Black PyramidPierce, Washington Mission Report by Jeff Sharp RESCUE OF FALLEN CLIMBER ON LIBERTY RIDGE DEM # 04-0197 The Unit was contacted by the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management around 3:30 P.M. on the 15th May. Mt. Rainier National Park had requested seven highly experienced Mountain Rescue volunteers to help in the rescue of two climbers on the Liberty Ridge route. Two climbers, Peter Cooley and Scott Richards, had been trying to summit the mountain along the Liberty Ridge route, one of the most demanding on the mountain. Cooley had suffered a serious head injury plus a possible arm and leg injury in a 30-foot fall. His partner had arrested his fall and chopped out a ledge in the ice at the 12,500 foot level where he set up a tent and called for help on his cell phone. Nine members responded to the Longmire Ranger station at 8:00 A.M. the next morning: Jeff Sharp (OL), Rod Scott, Ken Davies, Alan Givotosky, Michael Mixon, Tyler Severy, Graham Johnson, Talis Abolins and Ron Traficant. After a briefing by the head climbing ranger, Mike Gauthier, Alan and Talis were sent up to Camp Muir in case they had to bring the injured climber over the summit. The rest drove around the mountain to the Carbon River entrance to the park and the Ipsut Creek campground, the most common starting point for the Liberty Ridge Route. A team consisting of Jeff, Rod, Mike, Tyler and Ken started up the trail behind two and five-man teams of climbing rangers who had left earlier to reach the climbers. Ron and Graham stayed at Ipsut Creek to help at search base. Due to an old knee injury Ken had to turn back to base while the others continued until they had to make camp at around 7200 feet for the night. While the Ranger and TMRU teams were climbiing, the Park was also trying to get a helicopter in.. Cooley was showing signs that his head injury was serious and every effort was being made to get him off the mountain as soon as possible. The weather had prevented the chopper from getting to the mountain and it was looking as if the entire rescue would have to be made on foot. However, around sunset on Sunday it did clear enough for a small helicopter to drop extra supplies and a radio to them. On Monday morning the teams started up the mountain again. A fourth team was started with extra supplies from Ipsut Creek and Graham joined this team. The TMRU team proceeded to the 8800-foot level where they met up with the team of five park rangers to create a high base camp, while two rangers continued to the subjects. The two man team reached them at noon on Monday and assessed Cooley’s injuries. Meanwhile Rod and Mike were sent to wand the route from the high base camp to the start of Liberty Ridge. Around 3:30 P.M. the weather started to break and a CH-47 Chinook helicopter from the Oregon National Guard was called to try to lift Cooley off the mountain. At 5:00 P.M. in a difficult hoist operation Cooley was lifted off and rushed to Madigan Military Hospital, the nearest trauma center. However, Cooley died of his injuries en route to the hospital. Though saddened by the news all of the TMRU team members returned to Ipsut Creek and home on Monday night. His partner Scott Richards was lifted off the mountain the next day. |
