CHELAN COUNTY, Wash. — The rescue of a 28-year-old Montana man who became pinned under a large boulder on Aasgard Pass turned out to be a challenging operation requiring special equipment and help from several local and out-of-area agencies.
Once the man was finally freed, he was hoisted up to a Snohomish County Helicopter Rescue Team chopper and taken out of the area. The rescue was caught on camera by the sheriff’s office air support team.
On Monday, Ben Delahunty’s hiking partner called 911 at about 9:30 a.m. and said his friend was trapped under a large boulder near Lake Viviane on Aasgard Pass, south of Leavenworth.
A Chelan County Sheriff’s Office search and rescue coordinator spoke with the man, who said his friend’s wrist and legs were pinned under the rock and they were unable to move it because it was roughly the size of a refrigerator.
Getting rescuers and equipment capable of moving the boulder to the scene was challenging, as the location where the man was trapped was a several-hour hike from the trailhead.
The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Helicopter Rescue Team responded on SnoHawk10, and the first paramedics were dropped at the location at about 12:20 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Wenatchee Valley Fire Department helicopter, 1MR, was used to shuttle rescuers and equipment to the scene.
Rescuers from Cascade Ambulance, Chelan County Mountain Rescue, Wenatchee Valley Fire Department, and Snohomish County Helicopter Rescue Team were all inserted at the rescue scene. Additional equipment was provided by Chelan County Fire District 3.
As rescuers arrived, they found the operation had additional challenges, according to the sheriff’s office. The area where the man was trapped required ropes to access it and there was a risk of rescuers falling while they worked on the boulder.
Using air bladders from WVFD, crews were able to free Delahunty from the boulder at about 2:50 p.m.
By the time Delahunty was freed from the boulder, winds had picked up. The first attempt to hoist him to a helicopter was unsuccessful.
At 4:45 p.m., there was enough of a break in the weather for Snohomish County Helicopter Rescue Team rescue deputies to hoist the victim to the helicopter.
He was taken to Central Washington Hospital with significant leg injuries but is expected to recover.
Over the next several hours, rescuers hiked out of the location and made it to the trailhead at about 11 p.m.
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