Mt. Deception Climber Falls, Rescued July 4

[RodF]

I met Park Ranger Bridgett Jamison, stationed in Royal Basin, on the trail. She related a short synopsis of the remarkable distance of the fall, the serious head injury sustained, and of the rescue, so I've been watching for news to pass on here.

Bremerton Climber Injured - Kitsap Sun

Teen Climber Rescued - KIRO-TV

A first-person account of the rescue, with photos, has just been posted:

Rescue on the 4th of July - Ambrose Bittner

As many here are aware, Mt. Deception is a pile of choss, site of several previous serious injuries and a fatality. If anyone learns more of the events leading up to this one, or of the climber's condition, please share it.

[marc_leclerc]

Holy Crap... a 500 ft fall down a steep choss gulley. Im glad everybody is okay.

[iluka]

Does anyone know which route they were descending when this happened?

[Bug]

Nicely done Jeff and the rescue group.

Rotors 5 feet from the rock! Yikes!

[johndavidjr]

The rescue party entered Deception Basin, from Royal Basin, to reach scene. It's not clear where the accident took place.

 

OMG Rodf, thanks for an interesting post! Your very first here.

[RodF]

I was surprised to meet Park Ranger Bridgett Jamison (who was on scene throughout the rescue) again, on July 21, counting marmots near Gray Wolf Pass. She said that at last report, although climber Jake Patterson had not yet fully regained conciousness and had not yet spoken nor recognized people, doctors were optimistic about his chances for recovery.

 

 

(On July 24, I watched a Coast Guard Dolphin spend more than an hour manuvering and hovering over the ridge northwest of Cedar Lake, i.e. the next ridge west of the Needles, where the July 4 accident took place. So I called Park Dispatch on VHF, and they said no rescue was in progress. Training flight, apparently. Likely not a coincidence that it was the same time of day, terrain and weather as the July 4 rescue attempts. Those familiar with accounts of those (failed) attempts may be glad to hear this?)

[JeffreyR]

I just ran across this thread. I was the climbing partner of Jake, the injured climber. This took place in the Southeast Gully route. I am not 100% sure that we were on route, or it is severely underrated (which is quite possible). I found no evidence of anyone attempting this route aside from the guys who wrote the description in the guide book and the FA party.

 

And just for everyone's info, Jake is doing fine and has fully recovered after a month in a coma. Quite a miracle, considering the doctors never thought he would survive!

[Sol]

Good news, thanks Jeff.

[Mike_Gauthier]

I just ran across this thread. I was the climbing partner of Jake, the injured climber. This took place in the Southeast Gully route. I am not 100% sure that we were on route, or it is severely underrated (which is quite possible). I found no evidence of anyone attempting this route aside from the guys who wrote the description in the guide book and the FA party.

 

And just for everyone's info, Jake is doing fine and has fully recovered after a month in a coma. Quite a miracle, considering the doctors never thought he would survive!

 

Jeff,

 

I heard about this one from the rangers who responded... It was quite a daring helicopter evac, and everyone was thrilled that your buddy made it! Some folks from the BoAlps were key too.

[JeffreyR]

The majority of the rescuers were BoAlps members and instructors. It wouldn't have been successful without them. I developed a lot of respect for that organization.