Climbers safe after boat capsizes on Wenatchee River
By Christine Pratt
World staff writer
Monday, December 21, 2009
LEAVENWORTH — Four Seattle-area ice climbers are safe and dry after their overloaded raft capsized early Saturday in the icy Wenatchee River, forcing a swift-water rescue operation.
The incident happened before 7 a.m. in Tumwater Canyon, about 2 miles west of The Alps candy store on Highway 2, Sgt. Andy Zimmerman, Chelan County Sheriff’s spokesman said Sunday.
The climbers were Daniel Ericson, 40, of Kirkland; Jeremy Park, 31, Seattle; Alex Arawarik, 38, Bellevue; and Rafael Haroutninan, 47, Seattle.
The men were headed across the river in a “blow-up raft” to climb ice-covered rock faces on the west side of the Wenatchee River in Tumwater Canyon, Zimmerman said.
They put in calm water on the river’s east side, but drifted into rapids, where the small raft capsized, submerging Arawarik and Haroutninan.
Arawarik climbed onto an ice-covered rock in mid-river, Zimmerman said. Haroutninan made it to the river’s west shore.
The other two managed to make it back to the river’s east shore, along Highway 2, he said.
The river’s depth around the capsized boat ranges from a shallow 1.5 feet to holes as deep as 6 feet or more, Zimmerman said.
“They are very, very fortunate that nobody drowned,” Zimmerman said.
The sheriff’s office dispatched its whitewater rescue team, which worked with Leavenworth company Osprey Rafting to launch a river raft and float close enough to the rock to throw Arawarik a rope. He then scrambled over an ice bridge and into the raft to safety, Zimmerman said.
Rescuers then paddled to the west shore to pick up Haroutninan.
The victims headed home after paramedics at the scene checked them for hypothermia, Zimmerman said.
Christine Pratt: 665-1173
pratt@wenatcheeworld.com