MOUNT HOOD, Ore. — A climber has died and seven others were stranded on Mount Hood amid changing weather conditions on Tuesday.
On the backside of the popular Hogsback area, a climber fell between 700 and 1000 feet near the main chutes of the upper crater, according to KOIN News.
Witnesses called for help immediately, and other climbers got to the man -- believed to be in his 30s -- and began to render aid.
The man was taken to the hospital by a rescue chopper, but he has died.
Nearly 40 rescuers are on the mountain to help in the effort to get the remaining people off the mountain before dark, when the weather is expected to get worse.
The other seven people in need of help were in two climbing groups, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.
The first group of four people stranded were also in the Hogsback area. One person was hurt, but the injuries are non-life threatening. The group was stranded at a safe location, but they could not descend because the area was hazardous.
KIRO 7 News talked to Seattle-based travel agency Mountain Madness. The Director of International Programs said while it's a great time of year to do Mount Hood, that area where people are stranded is known to be a problem.
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"Conditions seem to be pretty icy, and that's partly due to the weather, the freeze melt cycles we've been having," said director Steve Guthrie. "Mt Hood tends to be kind of icy anyway, and where this accident happened is on the South side, so it gets full sun. So they're gonna get all the heat of the day, and then it's going to cool off at night."
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