Coast Guard rescues hiker who fell 120 feet on Mount Larrabee
A Coast Guard helicopter found a 33-year-old hiker after a 120-foot fall into a steep gully on Mount Larrabee, then hoisted her out with under 10 minutes of fuel left.
A Coast Guard helicopter crew pulled a 33-year-old hiker from Mount Larrabee after she fell 120 feet down a steep gully on the mountain’s south face in Washington state. The rescue, completed Saturday, June 20, came before sunset after a difficult search in rugged terrain near the Canadian border.
Washington State Emergency Management Division requested Coast Guard assistance because the evacuation had to be finished before dark. An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles searched the narrow gully for 40 minutes before crew members caught a reflection from hikers on the mountain and used that signal to locate the injured woman.
The aircraft was operating at 6,710 feet, with less than 10 minutes of fuel remaining to stay on scene, when the crew completed a precision hoist at about 8:40 p.m. The woman was flown to Bellingham Airport, also identified as Bellingham International Airport, where emergency medical services from Bellingham Fire were waiting to take over her care.
Lt. Cmdr. Marshall Burtt, the aircraft commander, said the outcome reflected “outstanding teamwork and rapid coordination” among the agencies involved. He thanked Whatcom County Search and Rescue, Bellingham Fire Department and the hikers who helped direct the crew to the patient.
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