Injured rock climber rescued after fall near Darrington

Published 1:30 am Monday, July 3, 2017

DARRINGTON — A 22-year-old rock climber was rescued by helicopter Sunday after she fell down a ravine outside of Darrington. She tumbled at least 100 feet.

The woman was climbing with a partner on Exfoliation Dome off the Mountain Loop Highway. Her partner called for help around 7:44 p.m.

She broke her hand in the fall, said Lt. Steven McDonald of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.

“She was wearing a helmet but had hit numerous rocks,” he said.

The climber was taken to a local hospital.

The Mountaineers website describes Exfoliation Dome as an intermediate rock climb with a high point of 4,235 feet. The path gains 1,000 feet over 3 miles.

Sunday’s mission was one of at least a dozen by search-and-rescue crews already this summer.