Hiker slides 1,000 feet on Oregon’s highest peak after slipping on ice, rescuers say

A hiker fell and slid 1,000 feet down Oregon’s highest peak, rescuers said.

The hiker planned to hike Mount Hood with a group on Saturday, Jan. 29, Portland Mountain Rescue said. The hikers were wearing “snowshoes and/or microspikes,” according to the rescue group.

“On the way down, one member of the party fell and slid around 1000’ on sun-cupped ice, sustaining numerous injuries,” the group said on Facebook.

Officials did not disclose the hiker’s specific injuries.

Rescuers said the surface of the volcano above the treeline is frozen and slick. The conditions have led to four rescues in one week.

“It is not skiable, not hike-able and extremely dangerous,” rescuers said. “Stay off it unless you are prepared with the skills and equipment for those conditions.”

The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office said many people were exploring Mount Hood on days when the weather was clear. However, the winter conditions are extreme on the volcano, officials said.

Temperatures can quickly drop to an “extreme low,” and the wind makes the surface stay slick.

Hikers and climbers should always have the proper equipment. The sheriff’s office also encourages people to climb with a guide or take training before hiking the mountain.

“Even on a clear day, however, Mt. Hood’s winter is a severe and unforgiving environment,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release. “Climbing in these conditions requires technical equipment and advanced mountaineering skills.”

Mount Hood is Oregon’s highest peak at 11,240 feet. The volcano has had two major eruptions in the past 1,500 years, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The most recent eruption was in 1865.

Mount Hood is about 70 miles east of Portland.

This story was originally published January 31, 2022 at 9:17 AM with the headline "Hiker slides 1,000 feet on Oregon’s highest peak after slipping on ice, rescuers say."