While descending from the summit on December 30, a 16-year-old unroped climber slipped at the Pearly Gates and fell approximately 500 feet into the Devil’s Kitchen area. The slide resulted in a femur fracture and a cracked helmet. The injured climber was assisted by his party (seven members) and nearby climbers, including a wilderness first responder. Members of Portland Mountain Rescue and the Hood River Crag Rats assisted with a ground evacuation.

ANALYSIS

Every year climbers are seriously injured due to falls on the South Side of Mt. Hood. Inexperienced climbers should practice snow travel skills, the use of crampons, and effective self-arrest prior to attempting a climb of the mountain. In climbing parties with varying levels of experience, consider having the strongest member of the team belay the less experienced during key sections of the downclimb. (Jeff Scheetz and Pearce Beissinger, Portland Mountain Rescue.)