Injured climber rescued on Mount Erie, transported to Bellingham hospital via helicopter
An injured climber was rescued over the weekend from the bottom of a cliff on Mount Erie.
The Anacortes Fire Department first responded Saturday afternoon before requesting additional assistance in securing and transporting the climber to a medical facility due to the nature of the injury and the surrounding terrain.
The Anacortes Fire Department was not immediately able to provide details about the injury to The Bellingham Herald.
A Search and Rescue team from the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station responded at about 3:15 p.m. via helicopter and found the injured climber on a ledge near the cliff face at about 1,100 feet elevation. Two crew members rappelled down to a ledge near the climber and were able to hoist them up into the helicopter.
The climber was transported to St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham before 4 p.m. Saturday.
The Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Search and Rescue Unit has conducted seven missions so far in 2023, including one medical evacuation, one search and five rescues.
Mount Erie is a mountain on Fidalgo Island in Skagit County and is a popular destination for sport climbing and bouldering. It’s on public park land owned and managed by the city of Anacortes.
