MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, Wash. (AP) -- A firefighter who fell 200 feet during a recreational climb on Mount Rainier died before frantic rescuers could reach him.
Jon Cahill, 40, a fire captain and father of four, fell to his death Thursday, about two weeks after another person perished on the same route, one of the mountain's most dangerous.
Cahill's climbing partner, Mark H. Anderson, 33, was rescued by helicopter and flown to a hospital for treatment of a hand injury. He was in satisfactory condition late Thursday.
Cahill fell on Liberty Ridge, about 11,300 feet up the 14,410-foot peak.
Rescue climbers and an Oregon National Guard helicopter rushed to reach him, but by the time the helicopter arrived, he was dead, said Mount Rainier National Park spokesman Barry Fraissinet.
Cahill and Anderson, also both trained as emergency medical technicians, had planned to reach the summit by midmorning Thursday. It was not immediately known what caused Cahill's fall.
Kimberly McDonald, a spokeswoman for the Auburn Fire Department, said Cahill had climbed Rainier 25 times. He was married with four children and had been with the department since 1989.
``He was like a family member to all of us,'' she said.
Mount Rainier head ranger Jill Hawk said Cahill had climbed the Liberty Ridge route on Rainier's north side more than a half dozen times.
``Our hearts go out to their families,'' she said. ``It's truly a tragic situation.''
On May 15 on the same ridge, Peter Cooley tumbled down a steep, icy slope and hit his head on a rock spur. His climbing partner, Scott Richards, maneuvered the two of them to a tiny flat spot, but the Maine men were stranded for two days as temperatures dipped below freezing in whiteout conditions.
Cooley, 39, was picked up by a National Guard helicopter May 17 from the 12,300-foot level but died on the way to a hospital. Accompanied by two rangers, Richards hiked down to a glacier the following day and was picked up by a helicopter.
Cahill's death during a summit ascent of Mount Rainier was the 91st since 1887, when records were first kept.
City of Auburn Press ReleaseAuburn Fire Captain Jon Cahill tragically died in a mountain climbing accident on Mt. Rainier today. A very experienced mountain climber, Jon had been climbing most of his adult life and had climbed Mount Rainier 25 times.
Jon began his career with the Auburn Fire Department on July 3, 1989, after having served as a Firefighter for King Co. Fire Dist. # 10 for five years. Cahill was promoted to the rank of Captain on August 15, 1995. He was on the Battalion Chief promotional list and was the primary acting Battalion Chief for ?B? Shift. Captain Cahill was also actively involved as an instructor for the State Fire Recruit Academy. He was awarded Fire Officer of the Year in 1996 and again in 2000.
?Jon was a dedicated professional fire officer who gave 110% to the performance of his duties,? said Fire Chief Russ Vandver. ?He will be greatly missed. Our hearts go out to his family, and we will do anything we can to support them at this time.?
Jon was 40 years old and is survived by his wife and their four children. Please respect the wishes of the family for privacy during this difficult time.
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