58 year old British Columbian, Ronald Veperts, was airlifted off Mt. Baker Sunday after falling into a 60ft crevasse while descending the main route on Coleman Glacier on the volcano’s western slopes with a climbing group. The Bellingham Herald reports he was actually skiing when he fell. The newspaper spoke with Whatcom County Undersheriff Jeff Parks:
“His climbing group was able to get him out of the crevasse but he was unable to move any further. (Veperts), from Ladner, B.C., was stable when transported but thought to have possible head, rib, and wrist injuries.”
The incident occurred at the 9,000-foot level of the 10,781-foot active volcano. Mount Baker is a popular destination for climbers in the late spring and summer months and crevasse falls are not uncommon during peak season.
In the past two weeks at least three such incidents have happened in the North Cascades. Western Washington University student Shelby Withington, 20, died on Memorial Day in a fall on Goat Wall in the Methow Valley. Two snowmobilers were rescued by a Navy helicopter crew May 21 after falling into a crevasse on Mt. Baker, they did not suffer serious injuries.
