(MT) -- A climber was snatched off Mount Hood after suffering a 500-foot
freefall in the Hell’s Kitchen area.

John Robert Craeger, 54, of Milwaukie, was climbing at the 10,600-foot level
of the mountain when he broke loose.

Craeger was successfully attended to by rescue personnel on May 17 after a
few gripping hours on the south slope.

The following is a recap of the events that took place.

10:30 a.m. — Clackamas County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue coordinators
report some comforting information. The deployed rescue personnel
representing the American Medical Response Reach & Treat team have arrived
with the injured climber (Craeger) and indicate that despite being rendered
unconscious initially, is now conversing with rescue personnel and in
amazingly good spirits. The patient suffers from severe facial, arm and leg
injuries as a result of the fall. The climber is being packaged for carry by
rescue personnel to the Devil’s Kitchen area of Mount Hood. It is from this
location, at approximately 10,000 feet, where an Oregon Army Air National
Guard Black Hawk helicopter is predicted to land and airlift the patient from
the mountain. All this is expected to happen in less than two hours.

12:15 p.m. — Sheriff’s report from Timberline Lodge the weather conditions
on the mountain are not conducive for airlifting the climber from the Hell’s
Kitchen area. The concern is with the helicopter rotor vibration that may
create additional hazards on the present delicate and unstable surface of the
mountain. Also, the warm weather has created challenges for the helicopter
with respect to lifting abilities at that elevation. To insure safety to all
involved, the patient has been packaged and is being transported down the
mountain to Timberline Lodge. They are expected in 30 minutes. The
helicopter awaits to transport the patient from the lodge parking lot to Oregon
Health Sciences University Hospital in Portland.

12:35 p.m. — Search and Rescue personnel report the patient has arrived at
Timberline Lodge and has been successfully airlifted by helicopter to the
hospital.

Personnel involved in the rescue operation include: Clackamas County
Sheriff’s Search and Rescue unit; American Medical Response; Mountain Wave
Communications; Reach and Treat Team; Mount Hood ski patrol; Portland
Mountain Rescue; and Oregon Army National Guard.