A 33-year-old woman was rescued from Mount Larrabee in the Mount Baker Wilderness on Saturday after falling 120 feet down a steep gully on the mountain’s south face and sustaining serious injuries that left her unable to descend on her own.
Because of her remote location and the need to complete the evacuation before sunset, the Washington State Emergency Management Division requested assistance from a US Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from Air Station Port Angeles. The crew spent approximately 40 minutes searching the narrow gully before spotting a reflection from other hikers on the mountain. Those hikers then led the aircrew directly to the injured woman.
Operating at an altitude of 6,710 feet and with less than 10 minutes of fuel remaining on scene, the crew completed a precision hoist at approximately 8:40 p.m. The helicopter then transported the woman to Bellingham Airport, where Bellingham Fire Department emergency medical services were waiting to receive her.
Lieutenant Commander Marshall Burtt, aircraft commander of the rescue, praised the coordination between agencies and credited the hikers on the mountain as active participants in the outcome. “This successful outcome is a direct result of the outstanding teamwork and rapid coordination between our agencies,” Burtt said. “Equipped with advanced survival training and critical safety gear, the hiking party was uniquely prepared to serve as active partners during the rescue of their fellow hiker.”
