BASE jumper rescued near Snoqualmie Pass after falling 100 feet

An experienced BASE jumper was rescued from Guye Peak early Sunday afternoon after falling 100 feet while climbing.

The 38-year-old woman called 911 right before noon, and the King County Sheriff’s Office dispatched Seattle Mountain Rescue, a volunteer-run search and rescue organization headquartered in North Bend.

Three of the organization’s volunteers happened to be recreating in the area. First responders reached the fallen climber within 45 minutes of dispatch, said Doug McCall, president of Seattle Mountain Rescue.

BASE jumping is an outdoor activity in which participants jump off objects, free fall and then deploy a parachute to land. The woman rescued on Sunday did not fall while BASE jumping; she fell while climbing, said McCall.

The woman was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center.

“This was a really great success because we were able to get people to her relatively quickly,” McCall said.

Medics, a ski patrol rescue team and the King County Sheriff’s Office air ambulance team were also involved in the rescue.

In a separate incident Monday afternoon, two people were rescued on Granite Mountain, also near Snoqualmie Pass. They were glissading, or sliding without a sled, when they lost control and ran into trees, McCall said. Both suffered injuries.

A volunteer from Seattle Mountain Rescue happened to be hiking down Granite Mountain at the time and was able to reach them within 30 minutes. The sheriff’s office contacted the Naval Air Station on Whidbey Island, and the injured people were hoisted by Navy helicopter and flown to Harborview.

Conditions in the backcountry can be dangerous in the winter, and people who spend time outdoors should be prepared for unexpected events like falls or injuries, said McCall.

Rescue missions take significantly longer in remote areas than in urban settings, due to the logistics of locating and reaching people. In addition, many search and rescue organizations like Seattle Mountain Rescue are funded by donations and run by volunteers, so they can’t always dispatch support immediately.

For those heading out for the mountains, McCall shared the following tips for keeping safe:

• Wear and pack extra clothing to help stay warm during emergencies.
• If possible, avoid lying on snow, which can draw warmth out of the body quickly. Bring an insulating mat to sit on while waiting for help.
• Pack the 10 essentials, including food, hydration and a first aid kit.
• Be patient. “If there’s an incident, call 911, get warm, and be prepared to wait a while,” McCall said.