A 29-year-old Beaverton man was rescued after he fell about 20-25 feet from a cliff while hiking in Skamania County Wednesday evening.
Jared West was hiking with his brother and a friend east of Washougal in an area known as the Ozone Wall, near State Route 14. The group had researched a climbing route but realized they were in the wrong area and the climb was more technical than they anticipated, according to Sheriff Dave Brown of the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office.
Jared's brother, Danny, says Jared lost his grip on the towering rock wall when he fell. It was no joke, but as Danny points out, it could have been a lot worse.
"He could've come all the way down and that would've been a real bad scenario for everyone involved," said Danny.
Jared shattered his ankle. Crews quickly arrived on scene to begin a rope rescue.
"I was so grateful they gout out here as quick as they did," Danny said about the first responders.
Rescue crews used ropes and pulleys, anchored at three spots, to pull Jared up the side of the rock wall. It took hours, but as the sun started to dip below the horizon, the hard work paid off.
An injured Jared emerged on a backboard, much to Danny's relief.
"He's had a couple close calls in the past, nothing serious, this is the most serious he's ever had," Danny said.
Jared was taken to Peace Health Southwest Medical Center, with a lesson learned for both him and Danny.
"Make sure you know where you're climbing and make sure you know what your skill level is," Danny said.