Breaking new on Channel 5 at 6:30 on Saturday - Hoping this has a good ending? Thoughts and prayers for this person.
Sledder Falls into Crater of Mt. St. Helens!
- Thread starter Lake Cle Elum
- Start date
bummer...... hope he turns out okay
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wa_st_helens_fall.html
YACOLT, Wash. -- A snowmobiler from Oregon suffered an injured leg but survived a fall of up to 200 feet into the crater of Mount St. Helens on Saturday.
Skamania County Undersheriff Dave Cox says 52-year-old John Slemp, from Damascus, Ore., was on one of three snowmobiles that climbed to the west crater rim.
Cox says Slemp got off his snowmobile and walked out onto a cornice overhanging the crater when it gave way.
He reportedly fell 100 to 200 feet before landing on the inside slope of the crater. He then slid on his hands and knees to the bottom of the crater.
He was wearing his snowmobile helmet, and Cox said there is a heavy snowpack in the area, so snow may have broken his fall.
Officials were notified at 5:20 p.m., and a private helicopter flew two paramedics to the crater and located Slemp about 7 p.m.
He had an injured leg, but was able with assistance to get to the helicopter and be flown out to Yacolt.
His exact condition and whether he required transport to a hospital weren't immediately known.
Cox says the U.S. Forest Service will investigate the incident.
YACOLT, Wash. -- A snowmobiler from Oregon suffered an injured leg but survived a fall of up to 200 feet into the crater of Mount St. Helens on Saturday.
Skamania County Undersheriff Dave Cox says 52-year-old John Slemp, from Damascus, Ore., was on one of three snowmobiles that climbed to the west crater rim.
Cox says Slemp got off his snowmobile and walked out onto a cornice overhanging the crater when it gave way.
He reportedly fell 100 to 200 feet before landing on the inside slope of the crater. He then slid on his hands and knees to the bottom of the crater.
He was wearing his snowmobile helmet, and Cox said there is a heavy snowpack in the area, so snow may have broken his fall.
Officials were notified at 5:20 p.m., and a private helicopter flew two paramedics to the crater and located Slemp about 7 p.m.
He had an injured leg, but was able with assistance to get to the helicopter and be flown out to Yacolt.
His exact condition and whether he required transport to a hospital weren't immediately known.
Cox says the U.S. Forest Service will investigate the incident.
That's probably the "best" place to go over....hope he is ok. Also hope this doesn't stir up a hornet's nest of new rules and regulations.
wow, nuts...
but man, must have been a cool feeling and site standing on the craters edge... before falling of course
but man, must have been a cool feeling and site standing on the craters edge... before falling of course
it is pretty cool feeling climbing it and standing at the top looking down. you can see alot of stuff on a clear day. last time I was up there at the top was right before it started being active again.
I just need to figure out about the permit so you legally can go up there
OH YOU KNOW IT WILL, WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THEY DON'T CLOSE IT ALL DOWN. I JUST DON'T GET WHY PEOPLE RIDE WHERE THERE NOT SUPPOSE TO. PEOPLE OF OUR SPORT ACT SO PIZZED ABOUT CLOSURE AFTER CLOSURE. EVEN BETTER THE GUY IS FROM OREGON, SO WE SUFFER IN THIS STATE FOR HIS ACTIONS.....................NICE
THANKS OREGONIANS
BIGSKINS
he was not breaking any laws except if he did not have a permit, I have never had a permit riding there but I looked it up and it is $22 if you want to go over 4800 ft. here is the info
http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/mount-st-helens/permit-system.shtml
http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/mount-st-helens/permit-system.shtml
And I would bet 99% of the people that ride up there (myself included) did not realize we needed a permit other than the one we leave on the dash of the tow rig. I knew climbers needed to get one but thought the sled license fee took care of us.
Bigskins- Slow down there big guy. You may be spouting off before knowing all the facts. Yep, I've done that before, too. Who hasn't?!
Just thought I'd point it out
Just thought I'd point it out
I did not realize it either until they said they were not sure if he had a permit or not to be up there so I looked it up, I have been up there many of times and did not know. I go to the top off of the lahar at the farthest point you can go. it seemed the safest to me. the permits are only for the day also so it could get really expensive. sounds like we need to find out if we really need one or not
it IS LGEAL to ride a snowmobile to the top, our other permits allow us to go to the top (assuming he had tags and snopark pass). Guy just wasn't to smart standing on one of those HUGE cornices..
he has been rideing up there for alot of years and the other riders that were with him live in washington i even think one of them was a local lives just outside of the cougar area...........his wife hasn't called me back yet but i do know he fell about 100 to 200 feet then slid down about another 1000 feet on his hands and knees all 3 were standing in the same area and they were getting ready to head back down when the snow just gave away....................
Hello...there are alot of cornices out there right now that are just waitng to break loose. We have had alot of warm and even an 80 degree day on Sat. . A great mix for a cornice to break off. We all need to be a little more careful. There is a ton of snow this year. We all may know are areas. But there is always that one little chance something may happen. This is a very unfortinate situation. Hope this person is ok....PB
i just got off the phone with john and he explained what happned they were about 30 feet from the edge they walked up to about 15 feet from the edge was comeing back to the sled when the edge started to go about 25 feet of the cornice went johns son almost went over with him and theother rider grabed him and was all he could do to save him from dropping over .............he fell about 200 feet then hit snow then fell another 2000 feet into the crader bellow.......................he only has knee problems mcl and acl he is going home tomarrow................
Glad to hear he's alright.
Thats one hell of a story..."This one time i fell into a volcano, no joke!"
Brealy thats good to know. i was afraid i wouldn't reach my quota this week.
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