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DEM #99-0692 April 12, 1999 |
The Unit was contacted by the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management at 3:00 P.M. on Monday the 12th of April. Mt. Rainier National Park had requested six Tacoma Mountain Rescue volunteers to help in the recovery of a 51 year-old climber who had fallen in a crevasse on the Paradise Glacier. Five members responded: Chris Berryman, Stan Kartes, Ken Capron, Mike Mixon and Rob Penny. They were to meet at the Ranger Station at Longmire and then climb up to the 8800 foot level on the Paradise Glacier to help carry out the injured climber. Due to the time of the callout in the midst of rush hour traffic it was decided to have some of the members meet at the Cache at 5:30 P.M. and the rest to go straight to the mountain.
Michael Corroone and a friend Dan Gallagher were returning to the Paradise parking lot after a failed summit attempt. In 40 mph winds with blowing snow and poor visibility they were forced to try to use a compass heading to find the parking lot; they got off course and wandered east onto the Paradise Glacier. After discovering their error they tried to turn around, but wound up at the 8800 feet surrounded by crevasses. Though Corroone was carrying a rope they decided against roping up. At about 1:30 P.M. while following his partner he broke through an ice bridge and fell 75 feet into a crevasse. He became wedged by his pack in a narrow 18 inch portion of the crevasse.
His climbing partner was able to lower a rope to him, but could not see him or communicate with him. He was however able to call 911 on his cell phone and alert Park Rangers.
The Park called in a private helicopter which picked up climbing ranger Mike Gauthier and a friend Tom Mallard from Camp Schurman where they were inspecting for winter damage to the hut located on Steam Boat Prow.
After arriving at the scene Mike rappelled down to Carroone who was hanging from his pack straps. Over the next hour Mike cut Carroone away from his pack and snow shoes, and slipped him into a harness. Then Mallard and Gallagher were able to haul Carroone out of the crevasse.
After they had extracted Carroone from the crevasse they called for the helicopter to return. However; once the helicopter landed it quickly became coated in ice. It took them a half hour of chopping with ice axes to free the chopper and restart it. After they were safe and sound at the helipad at Kautz creek the page was sent out to turn around the rest of the responding TMRU members who had not made it to the mountain.
Tacoma Mountain Rescue |
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