Current:Home > Contact-usWoman survives falling hundreds of feet on Mt. Hood: "I owe them my life"-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Woman survives falling hundreds of feet on Mt. Hood: "I owe them my life"
View Date:2024-12-23 22:43:22
A woman was rescued by local officials in a "complex mission" after falling hundreds of feet on Oregon's Mount Hood.
The woman, identified by CBS News affiliate KION as Leah Brown, was climbing the mountain around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25 when she slipped and fell, suffering injuries. She was climbing the mountain's South Side, a glacier climb that is popular but dangerous and responsible for several deaths on the mountain, according to The Mountain Project, which collates information on hiking routes. According to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, which participated in Brown's rescue, Brown was descending the mountain near the summit when she fell.
Members of Portland Mountain Rescue witnessed Brown's fall, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. They were able to reach Brown, stabilize her and provide initial medical care for her injuries, the sheriff's office said.
Five public agencies and another volunteer group were also involved in the rescue — it took seven hours to gather the resources necessary to get Brown off the mountain, the sheriff's office said, and the Portland Mountain Rescue team kept her warm during that period. Brown told KION that she doesn't remember much of that period.
"My sense of time for that chunk…it's really not there," she said. "That's the part I don't remember all of it."
Rescuers used "complex rope systems" to transport Brown down the mountain, the sheriff's office said, carrying her in a litter to a snow ridge where she was transferred to another litter. That second litter was then carried down to a parking lot. The Portland Mountain Rescue said that the rescue was complicated by winter conditions on the mountain.
"Mountain rescue is a technical endeavor that requires numerous skilled rescuers, experienced sheriff's deputies, coordinated leadership, and dedication to our mountaineering community," said Portland Mountain Rescue in a statement. "Mt. Hood is not a beginner mountain — especially in winter conditions. The short days and lower temperatures mean that the snow tends to be very hard and icy, and the route conditions tend to be much steeper and technical. ... Only those with expert mountaineering and ice climbing skills should attempt Mt. Hood in winter, especially when there have been long dry spells with no precipitation. Appropriate and thorough training is critical."
At about 9:30 p.m., 10 hours after her fall, Brown arrived at the parking lot and was transported to an area hospital.
KION reported that Brown had a concussion and bruises, but no broken bones. Brown said she owes rescuers her life.
"I owe them my life," she told KION. "I wouldn't have made it off without them."
Brown told KION that she has been climbing the mountain for years and intends to return in "baby steps" after she's finished recovering.
"I might snowshoe hike first and like, go back to the bunny hill. But no, I'm not not done," she said. "I love going up them, I love going down them. I like going around them. That's my happy place."
- In:
- Rescue
- Mount Hood
- Oregon
Kerry Breen is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.
TwitterveryGood! (87)
Related
- Saks Fifth Avenue’s holiday light display in Manhattan changing up this season
- Puppies, purebreds among the growing list of adoptable animals filling US shelters
- XFL-USFL merger complete with launch of new United Football League
- Will Social Security benefits shrink in 10 years?
- Kate Spade Outlet’s Early Black Friday Sale – Get a $259 Bag for $59 & More Epic Deals Starting at $25
- Taliban say security forces killed dozens of Tajiks, Pakistanis involved in attacks in Afghanistan
- What's open on New Year's Eve? Stores, restaurants and fast food places ringing in 2024 with open doors.
- Unforgettable global photos of 2023: Drone pix, a disappearing island, happiness
- Will Aaron Rodgers retire? Jets QB tells reporters he plans to play in 2025
- Nick Carter Shares Family Video in First Post Since Sister Bobbie Jean Carter's Death
Ranking
- Lee Zeldin, Trump’s EPA Pick, Brings a Moderate Face to a Radical Game Plan
- When is the 2024 Super Bowl? What fans should know about date, time, halftime performer
- Music producers push for legal protections against AI: There's really no regulation
- Barack Obama's favorite songs of 2023 include Beyoncé, Shakira, Zach Bryan: See the list
- Will Reeve, son of Christopher Reeve, gets engaged to girlfriend Amanda Dubin
- Rocket arm. Speed. Megawatt smile. Alabama's Jalen Milroe uses all three on playoff path.
- ‘Wonka’ ends the year No. 1 at the box office, 2023 sales reach $9 billion in post-pandemic best
- College Football Playoff semifinals could set betting records
Recommendation
-
Judith Jamison, a dancer both eloquent and elegant, led Ailey troupe to success over two decades
-
Cowboys vs. Lions Saturday NFL game highlights: Dallas holds off Detroit in controversial finish
-
NFL Week 18 schedule set with game times for final Saturday, Sunday of regular season
-
Japan issues tsunami warnings after aseries of very strong earthquakes in the Sea of Japan
-
Darren Criss on why playing a robot in 'Maybe Happy Ending' makes him want to cry
-
Judge allows new court in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital, rejecting NAACP request to stop it
-
Judge allows new court in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital, rejecting NAACP request to stop it
-
32 things we learned in NFL Week 17: A revealing look at 2024