Nine safely led off Mount Index after two nights

Published 10:39 pm Monday, August 9, 2010

INDEX — Nine hikers who were stranded for two nights on Mount Index have been rescued and were on their way down Monday morning.

“They are off, at least from where they were stranded,” said Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Office. Names and hometowns of the hikers were not released.

The group decided to take a different route down the mountain and became stuck on a ledge, Urquhart said.

They were able to call for help on a cell phone. Bad weather slowed the search but they were reached by rescuers Sunday. No one was injured.

Urquhart said the group included experienced and inexperienced hikers.

“They ran out of rope and they were stuck,” he said. “I’m told it was a very technical rescue.”

Mount Index is part of the Cascade Range and lies south of the Skykomish River and U.S. 2.