Rock Fall Kills Mount Hood Climber

A 55-year-old man was killed by falling rock after summiting Mount Hood on the Elliot Glacier route (pictured above), one of the most difficult routes on the mountain.

The man, reported to be a doctor from Eugene, was hit by a rock and knocked down the mountain. His body came to rest at the 9,000-foot level near the glacier on a section described as near-vertical snow, ice and rock.

A helicopter fitted with thermal technology confirmed the man’s position and that he was dead. The elevation combined with the terrain is going to make the recovery mission tricky. Authorities hope to retrieve the body today, weather permitting.

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