Weather Strands Climber, Rescuers

An injured climber and his rescuers were safe but pinned down by bad weather on a wilderness mountain Monday, leaving them no choice but to camp in the snow until a helicopter could reach them.

Bert Daniels, 56, of Puyallup, injured the Achilles’ tendons in both his ankles Saturday when he fell about 30 feet on Mary Green Glacier, about 9,200 feet up 9,511-foot Bonanza Peak, Chelan County Sheriff Dan Breda said.Daniels’ two companions managed to get him down to the 8,700-foot level, where they set up camp. One companion, a physician, stayed with Daniels while the third climber, Roger Turnest, hiked out and notified authorities about 2:30 a.m. Sunday.

An Air Force helicopter tried to reach the climbers Sunday, but was stymied by low clouds, Breda said.

A rescue team on foot, including Dr. Mark Shipman, an emergency room physician from Wenatchee, reached the stranded men about noon Monday.