Search under way for climber missing near Mount Rainier summit

Climber missing near Mount Rainier summit

ASHFORD, Wash. — A 57-year-old climber unclipped his rope and vanished near Mount Rainier’s summit, setting off searches by ground and helicopter, a National Parks spokeswoman said Friday.

Eric Lewis of Duvall, Wash., was ascending with two partners Thursday when they stopped to rest and regroup. Lewis was last on their rope line. When they pulled the rope, they discovered Lewis had unclipped it and was nowhere to be seen, Mount Rainier National Park spokeswoman Lee Taylor said.

Taylor said the group was almost at the 14,000-foot level of the mountain. Mount Rainier’s peak is at 14,410 feet, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

“There’s crevasses all over that part of the mountain,” Taylor said.

The climbing partners scoured the nearby area but could not find him. Searchers later located Lewis’ backpack and shovel at 13,600 feet and a snow cave at 13,800 feet.

Two helicopters — one from Fort Lewis and another from a private company — flew for several hours Friday, but turned back as the weather worsened.

“We have a dozen skilled climbers on the mountain and at least 20 others providing other types of support. We’re doing everything we can to find him and get him down safely,” search Incident Commander Glenn Kessler said.

Taylor said crews would search for Lewis until dark and resume Saturday if he is not found.

Lewis was climbing with Trevor Lane and Don Storms. Their ages and hometowns were not immediately available.