Climbers Stranded On Mt. Rainier Conditions Poor

MT. RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, Wa.–Rescue efforts continue for climbers who have been stranded on the north side of Mount Rainier in Washington state since Monday.Mount Rainier National Park spokesman Kevin Bacher says the park received a report Monday afternoon that the climbers needed help because wind blew away or destroyed their tent and climbing equipment. Bacher says the climbers include Yevgeniy Krasnitskiy of Portland, Oregon; Vasily Aushev and Kostya “Constantine” Toporov of New York City; and Ruslan Khasbulatov of Jersey City, New Jersey.
A park helicopter crew found them Monday on the Liberty Ridge route but high winds thwarted rescue attempts. On Tuesday the U.S. Army sent a Chinook helicopter and crew but they have been unable so far to make a rescue.Officials say the Liberty Ridge route is one of the more dangerous routes on Mount Rainier. KGW Meteorologist Matt Zaffino says, “Winds could reach 40 miles per hour Thursday and Friday.  There may not be a break in the weather until the weekend.”