Valhallas Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 (edited) I just heard from my friend's brother that my buddy broke his leg on Hood today. Apparently he was hit by a rock on his femur and is going to be airlifted out. I just found out a helicopter was dispatched from Salem around 11. We can't get in touch with him, and his girlfriend is out in the Olympics, so her phone is off. I'm just wondering if any of you S&R folks have heard anything or have any info? Any idea what hospital he might be taken to? Any info would be appreciated, thanks. Edited June 28, 2009 by Valhallas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumpetsailor Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 PI has an article: http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_or_climber_falls.html They tend to update the articles as they learn more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumpetsailor Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/Mt-Hood-Climber-Rescue/c2-Zpj-OuE-PaBjcPh-lGQ.cspx GOVERNMENT CAMP, Ore. - An eight-hour rescue effort ended successfully Sunday afternoon, when an injured climber was airlifted off of Mount Hood. At 6:44 a.m., the Clackamas County Communications Center got a call from a person on the mountain, reporting that 27-year-old Kristopher Haskins, of Seattle, had taken a long, hard fall and had apparently broken his leg. The caller reported that Haskins was conscious and breathing. A rescue effort was quickly launched. The accident happened in the area of the Sandy Glacier, on the southwest side of the mountain. A command post was set up on the Lolo Pass Road. At about 11 a.m., a National Guard helicopter flew to that command center. At about 2:30 p.m., it took off with Haskins on board, bound for Portland's Emanuel Hospital. At 3 p.m., Haskins' mother, who lives in Yakima, Wash., was notified of the successful rescue. Kristopher Haskins is employed by the University of Washington in Seattle. From KOIN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumpetsailor Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 MOUNT HOOD, Ore. - Rescue crews on Sunday helped retrieve a climber who fell and broke his leg while on Mount Hood early Sunday. The man, 27-year-old Kristopher R. Haskins of Seattle, was apparently hit by something and fell a "significant distance" about 5 a.m. while climbing in the Sandy Glacier area on the mountain's southwest side, according to Detective Jim Strovink, a Clackamas County Sheriff's Office spokesman. The man's climbing partner called 911 about 6:45 a.m. and reported that the injured climber was conscious and breathing but suffering from the leg injury, Strovink said. Rescue crews, which included members of Portland Mountain Rescue, Mountain Wave Communications and American Medical Response Reach and Treat specialists, were summoned to help. Teams went up from Lolo Pass to reach him. The injured climber was airlifted by an Oregon National Guard helicopter to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Strovink said. His condition was not immediately available. http://www.katu.com/news/local/49386797.html Very best wishes to Kris for a quick recovery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike1 Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Glad he's gonna be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhallas Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 Thanks everyone. I've talked with his mother and girlfriend now and his climbing partner, who I also regularly climb with. He's having surgery at the Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland. They're going to put a metal rod in his leg, but, given what happened, it seems that he's in about as good of shape as could be hoped for. The Dr. his mom spoke to said he'll probably be back climbing (if he wants to, which, knowing Kris, I'm sure he will) in 6 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRbetaFlash Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 This really sucks. I was flipping through the articles in the PI and found this and couldn't fuckin believe it. I thought he might have other injuries but I am STOKED they got him off there and he's in good hands now. Props to the SAR team that executed this rescue. Knowing him, he's pretty damn strong and he will likely bounce right back from this. We will be at stoner g's bouldering in no time. All the best to Kris. I know he's getting married soon and hopefully this doesn't mess up their plans =/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducknut Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Where did he fall, get hit or slide? The Sandy is a steep piece of ice with a huge 'shrud. Glad to hear he made it out and is going to be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhallas Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 I talked with Jim (his climbing partner) again and got a full update. Kris is in surgery now, with a titanium rod going into his leg. The docs said he could even walk as early as tomorrow, although the recovery period will obviously be longer. Kris thinks the rock that struck him was in between a softball and basketball in size, and clearly came from higher up on the mountain as Jim didn't dislodge anything. He knew immediately his leg was broken, and there was no fall as the news agencies have reported. Jim lowered him several rope lengths until they found a protected spot, set him up with the sleeping pads and bags and took his GPS coordinates. He then retraced their steps over the sandy glacier from the previous day until he found some S&R folks who initiated the rescue. It seems that Kris will be ok, which I'm very relieved to hear. Jim also deserves a lot of credit for keeping calm and acting quickly in the situation. I think they were both lucky to be climbing with each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 The Mountain Rescue Association was having its annual spring meeting this weekend at Timberline Lodge. Help wasn't far away, including the Everett Mt. Rescue folks who were on the mountain and initiated the rescue. Glad to hear he's gonna be ok! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Thank the 1042 medivac for being available as well (most are in Afghanistan), otherwise he'd still be out there being hauled out. He didn't seem too keen on climbing again, but I'm sure that changes after a few weeks. He wasn't in a good spot to be sitting for so long on the sandy headwall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobo Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Glad to hear Mr. Haskins is gonna be OK. A case of synchronicity that MRA was having its convention at Timberline this weekend. Sorry to not have made it. Woulda loved to have met Doug, Iain, and all of the others. Mebbe next year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.