Mount Rainier National Park is continuing efforts to recover Climbing Ranger Nick Hall. Hall died in a rescue accident on the mountain on Thursday, June 21, 2012 after he fell approximately 2,500 feet down the Emmons Glacier. Recovery efforts have been abated by deteriorating weather conditions and increased avalanche danger due to accumulation of new snow at the higher elevations.
Deteriorating weather conditions continue to move through the area for the beginning of the week. An improving weather forecast is expected for Wednesday, June 27, and Thursday, June 28, with less chance of precipitation and increased visibility. The park will utilize the clear weather window to continue helicopter operations and complete the recovery efforts on the mountain.
Mount Rainier National Park is being assisted throughout this incident by a Chinook helicopter with crew from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, a MD500 helicopter from Northwest Helicopters out of Olympia, WA, Mountain Rescue Units from Tacoma, WA, and Everett, WA, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Pierce County Sheriff's Office, The Soup Ladies, and dozens of personnel from other National Park Service units. Additionally, gracious support has also been received by businesses and other partners in many of the gateway communities.
The Hall family has asked that donations in honor of Nick Hall, in lieu of flowers, be made through the following accounts:
Nick Hall Memorial Fund
P.O. Box 431
Patten, ME 04765
Please make checks payable to Nick Hall Memorial Fund.
Donations to this fund will support search and rescue in Maine and assist the Hall family with travel expenses.
MORA Search and Rescue Fund
55210 238th Ave E
Ashford, WA 98304
Please make checks payable to DOI-NPS and note that the donation is in honor of Nick Hall.
Cards and condolences may also be sent to the above addresses.
A subsequent news release will be sent out when further information on the recovery is available.
-NPS-
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
