MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK — Two helicopters took to the sky over Mount Rainier on Saturday to continue the search for a Utah climber.
The second day of the search for 25-year-old Kyle Bufis is focused on a spot where the Winthrop and Emmons glaciers meet, Mount Rainier National Park spokeswoman Patricia Wold said.
Bufis was part of a three-climber team when he went missing during extreme weather near Liberty Saddle about 9 p.m. Thursday. The team had just finished climbing the challenging Liberty Ridge, a route on the north flank of Mount Rainier. The group was descending the mountain in high winds and low visibility.
The two other climbers, Derek Gavelis and Mathew Wiech, descended to Camp Schurman of their own accord late Friday. Both were tired, but in good physical condition, Wold said.
Saturday’s search will be conducted by two air operations, she said.
Three climbing rangers on board a U.S. Army Reserve 214th Air Division Chinook plan to conduct a visual aerial search.
Meanwhile, helicopter from Airlift Northwest will look for signals from an avalanche beacon that they believe Bufis is carrying. They plan to use an avalanche beacon receiver provided by King County.
The Airlift Northwest helicopter’s second mission will be to carry searchers while they look into crevasses from the air. Climbing rangers are on standby at Camp Muir and Camp Schurman high camps in case additional help is needed.
Weather conditions will become increasingly favorable for search efforts throughout the day, Wold said.
Each year, about 10,000 people try to climb the 14,410-foot glaciated peak southeast of Seattle.
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