A 33-year-old woman is recovering after falling 120 feet down a steep mountain gully in Washington state, prompting a dramatic rescue operation by U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crews on Saturday evening.
The incident occurred on Mount Larrabee, a remote peak in the northern Cascades range near the Canadian border, where the woman was hiking when she plunged down a narrow gully on the mountain’s south side. Her injuries were severe enough to prevent her from descending under her own power, according to Coast Guard officials who released details of the rescue Wednesday.
The rescue presented significant challenges. The rural location and approaching nightfall created an urgent timeline for extraction. Washington state emergency officials requested federal assistance, and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles responded to the call.
What followed was a race against both darkness and fuel capacity. The aircrew spent 40 minutes searching the narrow gully, their helicopter’s fuel supply dwindling to critical levels as they worked to locate the injured hiker. At approximately 8:40 p.m. Pacific Time, they successfully found her and executed a hoist operation to lift her into the aircraft.
Video footage from the scene captures the tension of those final moments. As the Coast Guard helicopter came into view, a member of the woman’s hiking party can be heard calling out desperately, “Come save my friend!” The footage shows what appears to be green fabric being waved as a signal to the approaching crew.
The woman was immediately transported to Bellingham Airport, north of Seattle, where emergency medical services personnel stood ready to receive her.
Lieutenant Commander Marshall Burtt, who served as aircraft commander during the rescue, credited the successful outcome to coordinated efforts among multiple agencies. He specifically thanked search and rescue teams along with fire officials from Whatcom County and Bellingham who supported the mission.
Notably, Burtt also praised the injured woman’s hiking companions, whose preparation proved invaluable during the crisis. “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,” Burtt stated.
Mount Larrabee stands at approximately 7,861 feet in elevation and is part of Washington’s northern Cascades range. The mountain attracts experienced hikers but presents serious challenges, particularly in its steeper sections where Saturday’s fall occurred.
The incident serves as a reminder of both the inherent dangers of mountain hiking and the importance of proper preparation. The woman’s hiking party demonstrated the value of carrying appropriate safety equipment and possessing survival training when venturing into remote wilderness areas.
The successful rescue also highlights the capabilities and dedication of Coast Guard aviation crews, who regularly respond to emergencies in challenging terrain and weather conditions throughout the Pacific Northwest.
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