Current:Home > MyExperienced climber found dead in Mount St. Helens volcano crater 1,200 feet below summit -FundPrime
Experienced climber found dead in Mount St. Helens volcano crater 1,200 feet below summit
View
Date:2025-04-14 22:17:19
An experienced climber was found dead on Saturday inside the crater of Mount St. Helens, a volcano in Washington state that draws hikers, skiers and snowboarders year-round. Officials say he was attempting to snowboard and died after falling roughly 1,200 feet from the summit, where an icy ridge had cracked off near the rim beneath his feet.
The climber was identified as Roscoe "Rocky" Shorey, a 42-year-old from Washougal, Washington, according to the Skamania County Sheriff's Office. In a statement, the office called Shorey "an experienced mountain climber" who had successfully reached the summit of Mount St. Helens 28 times before.
When he arrived at the summit of Mount St. Helens, authorities believe that Shorey encountered an enormous cornice that proceeded to break away from the rest of the volcano and crash inward into the crater. A cornice is essentially an overhanging block of snow that is tightly-packed and perched atop a mountain crest or ridge. They can become less sturdy and harder to detect in warmer weather.
The sheriff said that Shorey's body was discovered Saturday by a group of climbers who reached the mountain's summit at around 7 a.m. and noticed various personal items near the rim of the crater, including a backpack and digital recording devices. Close by, a snow cornice had broken off and tipped into the crater.
A search and rescue team was able to successfully recover the body after being airlifted into the crater itself and then walking on foot to the remains.
"The Skamania County Sheriff's Office would like to remind climbers of the dangers warmer weather brings to the local mountain attractions," their statement said.
The sheriff's office will work with search and rescue crews to compile a more thorough report on the circumstances surrounding Shorey's death, with input from the Northwest Avalanche Center. A preliminary report from the avalanche center included findings similar to those released by the sheriff.
"NWAC is saddened to report an avalanche fatality as a result of a cornice fall on Mount St. Helens," the center said in a statement. "On Friday, March 29, 2024, a snowboarder summited the peak. While standing near the top, he triggered a cornice and fell to his death. Our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and community."
Preliminary Report: NWAC is saddened to report an avalanche fatality as a result of a cornice fall on Mount St. Helens....
Posted by Northwest Avalanche Center on Saturday, March 30, 2024
Located inside a national park in the Pacific Northwest, Mount St. Helens stands about 50 miles north of Portland and 100 miles south of Seattle. It is an active stratovolcano, with a conical shape composed of many layers of hardened lava and other volcanic material that towers over neighboring mountain ranges at an elevation of more than 8,300 feet. After the volcano infamously erupted in 1980, there is a massive crater extending two miles across the top, where its peak once was.
Although there was continuous volcanic activity happening at Mount St. Helens for decades after the deadly eruption, officials have estimated that thousands of people visit the crater rim every year, among even more who visit the park and keep lower to the ground. Permits are required for climbers to summit the volcano past 4,000 feet.
- In:
- Washington
Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.
Twitter InstagramveryGood! (56)
Related
- Civic engagement nonprofits say democracy needs support in between big elections. Do funders agree?
- Can Florida win Stanley Cup? Panthers vs. Oilers live stream, TV, odds, keys to Game 5
- Authorities across US grapple with rash of violence in final days of spring
- Horoscopes Today, June 17, 2024
- 'Vanderpump Rules' star DJ James Kennedy arrested on domestic violence charges
- A trial date has been set for a man charged in the kidnapping, killing of a Memphis school teacher
- Fisker files for bankruptcy protection, the second electric vehicle maker to do so in the past year
- Should solo moms celebrate Father's Day? These parents weigh in on the social media debate
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- 15-year-old girl shot to death hours before her middle school graduation, authorities say
Ranking
- Toyota to invest $922 million to build a new paint facility at its Kentucky complex
- Rebellious. Cool. Nostalgic. Bringing ‘The Bikeriders’ to life, and movie theaters
- RHOBH's PK Kemsley Shares Sobriety Journey Milestone Amid Dorit Kemsley Breakup
- Dozens killed, hundreds injured in shootings nationwide over Father's Day weekend
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- Fans accused of heckling Florida coach about batboy's murder during College World Series
- Biden’s Title IX law expanding protections for LGBTQ+ students is dealt another setback
- Howie Mandel Details Finding His Wife in Pool of Blood After Gruesome Freak Accident
Recommendation
Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
Stock market today: Asian shares mostly gain after Wall St rallies to new records
Firefighters gain ground against Southern California wildfire but face dry, windy weather
Joe Alwyn Addresses Theory He Inspired Taylor Swift Song “The Black Dog”
Gen. Mark Milley's security detail and security clearance revoked, Pentagon says
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, I Won't Stand For It!
RHOBH's PK Kemsley Shares Sobriety Journey Milestone Amid Dorit Kemsley Breakup
Dallas star Luka Doncic following footsteps of LeBron, MJ, Olajuwon with familiar lesson