Woman who plunged 120 feet on Washington mountain rescued by helicopter

A woman who fell more than 100 feet down a mountain in Washington state was rescued by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter on Saturday, after suffering injuries that prevented her from descending the rest of the mountain herself, the military branch said Wednesday.

The woman, 33, was hiking from Mount Larrabee near the Canadian border when she plunged 120 feet down a steep gully on the south side of the mountain, according to the Coast Guard. The hiker’s injuries were serious, the rescuers said.

Because of the rural location and the need to retrieve her from the mountain before nightfall, Washington state emergency officials requested assistance from the federal MH-65 Dolphin aircrew. 

After searching the narrow gully for 40 minutes and nearly running out of the fuel their aircraft required to remain at the scene, the Coast Guard crew located the injured hiker and hoisted her up into the helicopter at around 8:40 p.m. PT. In a video of the rescue, a member of the woman’s hiking party can be heard calling to the aircrew as their chopper comes into view. 

“Come save my friend!” the voice is heard saying, as a flash of green fabric, seemingly being waved as some kind of signal, enters the frame.

The woman was flown to Bellingham Airport, north of Seattle, where an emergency medical services team awaited her.

“This successful outcome is a direct result of the outstanding teamwork and rapid coordination between our agencies,” said Lt. Commander Marshall Burtt, aircraft commander of the rescue, in a statement. 

Burtt thanked search and rescue teams as well as fire officials out of nearby Whatcom County and Bellingham, which supported the mission.

He also praised the injured woman’s hiking group for their help.

“Equipped with advanced survival training and critical safety gear, the hiking party was uniquely prepared to serve as active partners during the rescue of their fellow hiker,” said Burtt.

Mount Larrabee is located in Washington’s northern Cascades range, with a summit that stands at an altitude of at about 7,861 feet, according to the Washington Trails Association.