Climbers stranded near frigid mountain summit forced to camp overnight, MT cops say
Two stranded climbers were forced to camp overnight on a frigid mountain, Montana deputies said.
The pair were stuck in “technical terrain” near the summit of Mount Cowen the evening of Sunday, Sept. 29, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
With “nightfall setting in,” deputies said they could not send in a helicopter to rescue the pair.
Multiple agencies, including the Park County Sheriff’s Office, Montana National Guard and U.S. Air Force, tried to “rescue the climbers, as overnight temps were going to dip into the teens,” deputies said.
However, the agencies were not able to reach the pair “due to weather conditions,” and the climbers were forced to camp on the mountain face overnight, the sheriff’s office said.
The next morning, the sheriff’s office said it was “finally able” to send in a helicopter.
A rescuer was lowered to the climbers, who were both put into a rescue harness and “hauled to safety,” deputies said.
“Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind those seeking outdoor opportunities this time of year to be prepared for any weather conditions including low overnight temperatures,” the sheriff’s department said, adding that outdoor visitors should also be prepared with cell phones or satellite communication devices.
Mount Cowen, about a 100 miles southwest from Billings, reaches an elevation of 11,206 feet, making it “the highest peak in the Western Beartooth Mountains,” according to the hiking website SummitPost.
This story was originally published October 1, 2024 at 3:27 PM with the headline "Climbers stranded near frigid mountain summit forced to camp overnight, MT cops say."
