Low Clouds Prevent Helicopter Rescue

Low clouds and winds Tuesday prevented a helicopter from evacuating an injured climber from a remote mountain, a Chelan County sheriff’s dispatcher said.

A helicopter crew from Fairchild Air Force Base made several flights Tuesday near Bonanza Peak but were unable to reach Bert Daniels, dispatcher Eileen Ervin said.

The crew flew back to Fairchild Tuesday evening and planned to return this morning to make another try. Poor weather also blocked evacuation efforts Sunday and Monday.

Daniels, 56, of Puyallup, injured the Achilles’ tendons in both his ankles Saturday when he fell on a glacier near the top of the 9,511-foot mountain. The area is in the Cascades’ Glacier Peak Wilderness about 45 miles northwest of Chelan.

Daniels’ two companions managed to get him down to about the 8,700-foot level, where they set up camp. One companion stayed with Daniels while the third climber hiked out and notified authorities.

A rescue team on foot reached the stranded men on Monday and stabilized Daniels. New snowfall prevented a land evacuation, and the team hiked down Monday night. They left Daniels and a member of the original party with supplies.