Park rangers recover 2 bodies from Mount Rainier glacier
MOUNT RAINIER, Wash. - Rangers at Mount Rainier National Park have recovered two bodies from the mountain that are believed to be members of a group of four climbers that went missing in a January blizzard.
The two bodies were recovered late Friday afternoon from the Paradise Glacier, not far from the site where the body of a third climber was found last month, said Mount Rainier National Park spokesperson Kevin Bacher.
One of the two bodies recovered Friday was discovered the day before when crews who were conducting routine resupply operations to Camp Muir by helicopter spotted a woman's body hanging over the edge of a large crevasse on the glacier southeast of Anvil Rock.
In addition, camping and climbing gear could be seen strewn across the bottom of the crevasse. The body was partially buried under about five feet of snow and clearly had been there for some time.
The site is about a quarter-mile east of the standard climbing route and on the other side of a ridge, at about 8,200 feet in elevation, Bacher said.
On Friday, rangers climbed to the site to retrieve the woman climber's body with the help of a helicopter. Shortly thereafter, a man's body was found and recovered from under the snow nearby.
Both bodies were transported to the Pierce County Medical Examiner, who will determine the cause of death and confirm whether the two are the missing climbers.
Four climbers went missing in the area where the bodies were found during fierce January storms.
On Aug. 6, the body of missing climber Mark Vucich was found near the climbing route on the Muir Snowfield, about half-a-mile above Pebble Creek at about 8,000 feet in elevation. The bodies recovered Friday are likely members of the same group of climbers, Bacher said.
Rangers are returning to the site Saturday, both on foot and by helicopter, to further investigate what appears to be a large campsite buried under the snow on the edge of the crevasse. They are hoping to find clues to explain what happened and, ultimately, lead to the fourth missing climber.
In addition to Vucich, 37, of San Diego, the missing climbers are 30-year-old Michelle Trojanowski of Atlanta, 52-year-old Sork "Erik" Yang of Springfield, Ore., and Jin Seol Hee of Korea.
The two bodies were recovered late Friday afternoon from the Paradise Glacier, not far from the site where the body of a third climber was found last month, said Mount Rainier National Park spokesperson Kevin Bacher.
One of the two bodies recovered Friday was discovered the day before when crews who were conducting routine resupply operations to Camp Muir by helicopter spotted a woman's body hanging over the edge of a large crevasse on the glacier southeast of Anvil Rock.
In addition, camping and climbing gear could be seen strewn across the bottom of the crevasse. The body was partially buried under about five feet of snow and clearly had been there for some time.
The site is about a quarter-mile east of the standard climbing route and on the other side of a ridge, at about 8,200 feet in elevation, Bacher said.
On Friday, rangers climbed to the site to retrieve the woman climber's body with the help of a helicopter. Shortly thereafter, a man's body was found and recovered from under the snow nearby.
Both bodies were transported to the Pierce County Medical Examiner, who will determine the cause of death and confirm whether the two are the missing climbers.
Four climbers went missing in the area where the bodies were found during fierce January storms.
On Aug. 6, the body of missing climber Mark Vucich was found near the climbing route on the Muir Snowfield, about half-a-mile above Pebble Creek at about 8,000 feet in elevation. The bodies recovered Friday are likely members of the same group of climbers, Bacher said.
Rangers are returning to the site Saturday, both on foot and by helicopter, to further investigate what appears to be a large campsite buried under the snow on the edge of the crevasse. They are hoping to find clues to explain what happened and, ultimately, lead to the fourth missing climber.
In addition to Vucich, 37, of San Diego, the missing climbers are 30-year-old Michelle Trojanowski of Atlanta, 52-year-old Sork "Erik" Yang of Springfield, Ore., and Jin Seol Hee of Korea.
I hope their families will finally be able to have some peace.
I find it hilarious that posts get deleted for the use of certain words, yet right beside this, there is an entry on the "Local Events Calandar" that looks to be equally as, let's say....interesting....
Actually, looking at the names, I may have it backwards - the climbers ended up on the Paradise.Â
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Doesn't matter - still glad 3 of the four have been found.
RIP, and condolences to families in friends.
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Just to be clear, these four were not all together, but two separate groups. There were two climbers making a summit attempt, and then two less experienced/prepared people who'd decided to make an ill-advised camping trip on the Muir Snowfield during the storm. It sounds like the two found today were part of that second party, and had made a very common and easily made error (without proper navigation) of ending up on the Paradise glacier while trying to descend in a white-out.
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The climber found last month was on the proper descent route, probably less than an hours walk to safety.
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It was a very tragic weekend. I'm glad that 3 of the 4 will now be returned to their families. Hopefully the fourth will be found before the snow starts piling up again.
I don't want to sound like a dick but why go hiking on a mountain glacier in January? Was slapping hornet's nests not exciting enough?
 @Mumblix Grumph You never know - maybe they were training for a far more dangerous hike (Like Everest, or some other high elevation alpine peak), but still...to be hiking in those conditions, at that time of year, you'd have to know and be prepared for dangerous conditions. Being unaware of them would be to sign your own death warrant.
 @Mumblix Grumph I was thinking the same thing.Â
 @Mumblix Grumph Good point.
Ihope they can make a positive ID's and give family's closer.
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