Arizona man rescued from Mount Hood after 700-foot fall on July 6

As outdoor recreation surges in popularity this summer, more people have unfortunately also found themselves in need of emergency and rescue services.

Around 7:45 a.m. Saturday, July 6, Clackamas and Hood River Counties Sheriff’s Offices responded to a call for a rescue on Mount Hood. Arizona climber Chris Zwierzynski, 55, slipped and fell on the Old Chute route, which is an extremely steep trail high up on the south side of the mountain.

Zwierzynski slipped on the frozen snowy ground and was not able to arrest his fall, so he tumbled about 700 feet toward the Hot Rocks area, sustaining several injuries along the way.

Multiple off-duty military medics and two Mt. Hood National Forest climbing rangers, thankfully, were nearby when Zwierzynski fell and provided initial first aid.

The rescue mission to extricate him from the mountain was led by Clackamas and Hood River Counties Sheriff’s Offices, which called on personnel from Portland Mountain Rescue and Hood River Crag Rats to perform the evacuation. Oregon Department of Emergency Management and the U.S. Forest Service were also involved in the rescue.

Since Zwierzynski’s condition was critical, Oregon Army National Guard’s 189th Aviation Regiment was called in to provide helicopter transport to a Portland hospital.

Zwierzynski was reached by rescuers around 1 p.m. and urgently stabilized for transport.

“The patient was off the mountain quickly — about six hours after his fall — largely because mountain conditions were ideal for rescue,” Clackamas Sheriff’s Office representatives said in a statement.

"May through early July is a popular time to climb Mt. Hood, and good climbing conditions have lasted longer this year than most,” explained Portland Mountain Rescue’s Mark Morford. “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 inexperienced climbers into situations beyond their skill. Portland Mountain Rescue urges climbers to get proper training from an organization like the Mazamas, or to climb with a qualified guide.”

For more information about climbing safety tips or Mazamas training opportunities, visit mazamas.org .