E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSEfforts to recover the body of climbing ranger Nick Hall, who fell to his death a week ago off Mount Rainier, were cancelled Thursday because of strong winds, according to media reports.
Officials at Mount Rainier National Park, about 70 miles southwest of Seattle, said they had been confident about recovering Hall's body because of clear weather and lower avalanche risk, The Associated Press reported.
The AP reported officials will try again if winds subside Thursday afternoon.
"We want to recover Nick as soon as it is safe to do so," park Superintendent Randy King told NBC station KING5 in Seattle. "Conditions must be stable before it is safe to put recovery teams on the mountain."
Hall, 34, died June 21 after falling 2,500 feet from a glacier on the mountain during the rescue of four injured climbers.
Hall was part of the first team that responded to the report about the climbers, who had fallen at the 11,000-foot level on the mountain's northeast side. He was helping with the helicopter rescue when he fell.
Rangers hoped to get Hall's body off the mountain Wednesday during a break in the weather, but clouds and avalanche danger prevented that. But improved weather conditions Thursday are allowing helicopters to fly, KING5 reported.
Watch US News videos on msnbc.com
"This is a bad circumstance that led to a tragedy, and the tragedy’s gotta stop," Nick's brother Aaron Hall told KING5 in urging caution on the recovery. "It’s not going to change the outcome any longer and safety is paramount."
Hall, originally from Maine, was a four-year veteran of Mount Rainier National Park's climbing ranger program.
His death is the second of a ranger at Mount Rainier this year. In January, Margaret Anderson was shot by a gunman on New Year's Day after trying to stop his vehicle in the park. The gunman was later found dead.
More content from after trying to stop his ve msnbc.com and NBC News:
- Supreme Court upholds health care mandate | Stolen Valor Act struck down
- 7-year-old girl, Heaven, shot dead in Chicago
- Lying about military service? These bloggers have you in their sights
- Video: Teacher who slammed student in blog is fired
Follow US News on msnbc.com on Twitter and Facebook
Leave a Comment:
They might have to just leave him there like on Mount Everest.
Yes. Ranier is a very beautiful, but very tough mountain. And it's a tough call. Always is.
In this case, however, those who are pressing to recover Nick Hall's body are his fellow Mountain Rangers who will themselves be mounting the effort to recover "one of our brothers", as was stated by their spokesperson. By contrast, Mr. Hall's family members have made it quite clear to the Rangers that they do not request for anyone to be placed at risk in order to recover the body.
So, this is one case where everyone involved in this recovery will be making his/her own judgments and will be doing exactly as they choose, when they deem it appropriate, and for their own internal reasons. We couldn't ask for more assurances than that. And in this case, because of these facts, we shouldn't draw conclusions or pass judgments.
It's important to these men and women to recover one of their own, and it's what they choose to do; no pressure from family.
Godspeed, you courageous and selfless Mt.Ranier Rangers.
Bring Nick home if you can.
Stay safe.
ditto
The people that do this kind of work have big brass ones. It's a tragedy when one is lost. Best of luck and safety to the rescuers of the rescuer.
I can't even imagine the horror of falling that far.....or any distance for that matter.
yeah I wont even climb a ladder to clean my gutters
SAD
to have an angel die helping others
thank god for our angels on this earth
they actually make it bearable to live on such a chaotic planet
easyer to deal with the horrific parts of life knowing there are peeps who have huge hearts
one thing for sure jesus has a place right next to himself for nick
prayers for his family
nick doesnt need prayers after sacraficing himself for others
he stands high on his horse like a knight in shining armor
and well deserved the right to heaven
May Ranger Nick Hall RIP. My sincere condolences to his family and his unit of the Park Rangers. I give them my full respect for recovering their fallen brother officer.
It is such a shame that this man lost his life trying to save an idiot. To the people that he tried to save, I hope that every day of your life you have to see this young mans face in front of you. Was getting your name in the paper or on t.v. worth him dying? He paid a hell of a price for your ego. May you rest in Hell because you killed him as certain as if you shot him in the head.
Yes, 'MrPerk', it is always unfortunate that a member of a mountain rescue team lost his life going to the aid of others. But that does not make the climbers who needed assistance "idiots". Your labelling them such shows much more about your personal character than theirs.
Your post is not only uncivil, it is uninformed. I suggest you read about the accident involving the four climbers, and read about their experience level and prior climbing experience (probably for the first time, since you appear to have no actual knowledge of the facts).
Even the most experienced climbers in the world can fall into a hidden crevasse. If you are trying to say that no one, regardless of experience level and competency should climb mouintains, then say so.
Thousands climb Mt. Ranier every year. You merely show you ignorance and disinterest in facts by ascribing personal motivations to others when you are clueless to the truth.
FYI: The leader of the 4-member climbing team involved in the Mt. Rainier crevasse fall accident, Stuart Smith of Waco, TX, is among the world's most experienced mountain climbers. He is one of a very few members of the "7 Summits" climbing fraternity; mountaineers who have successfully summited the highest peaks on all seven continents, including Mt. Everest. He has also been to both the North and South Poles.
This was not a group of "idiots". But I know where to find one....
Why were these very very intelligent mountain climbers on that mountain? Was it in search of some life saving knowledge. Could it be they thought the Holy Grail or Noah's Ark was to be found there. They were there only to prove that they could do it or because it is there.Yes any climber can fall but is it worth another man's life when you didn't have to be there. They were there because of their ego and a man died trying to save them. You can say it was his job but please stand in front of his family members and say "Oh well he was doing his job. I think I will stick by my first statement "idiot'.
Mrperk--sorry, but are you against auto racing? Olympic diving? How about the little girl who was electrocuted on a miniature golf course?
Sorry you feel that no one has the right to test their own limits. That could also be said about every Marine in the US.
MOmaid- sorry, but I don't understand your point of view. I mean I really don't. Yes I believe everyone has a right to "test their own limits". I sky dive but if I have an equipment failure I don't expect someone to risk their life trying to save me. The life I am risking is my own. That is my real problem with mountain climbing ; if a climber gets in trouble he not only is risking his life and health he is risking the life of those who are trying to save him. That climber knows before he starts his climb that if something happens brave people are going to risk their life trying to save him, and in a lot of cases just like this one that brave soul dies. Now ask yourself what did this ranger die for? He died so that someone could test their own limits. I wouldn't want to know that someone died so that I could test my own limits. I wouldn't want to face that young Rangers kids and have them ask me " why did my Daddy die?" and the only answer would be "so that I could test my limits.