Hiker’s Condition Serious After Fall

A 31-year-old hiker is in serious condition after falling 300 feet from Mount Stuart in Chelan County on Sunday.

Gordon Rieker, of Yakima, suffered a cut on his head, a fractured collar bone and broken ribs during the fall.

He and several other hikers were at the 8,300-foot level on the south face of the mountain about 8:30 a.m. when Rieker lost his footing, sheriff’s deputies said.

A rescue helicopter from Fairchild Air Force Base was called to the scene, but couldn’t land near the accident site. The pilot hovered over the victim and paramedics lifted him onto a stretcher that was hauled back into the helicopter.

Rieker was flown to Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee, where he remained in critical condition late Monday.

, DataTimes