A couple of weeks ago, our across-the-street neighbor told my husband of his upcoming plans to go hiking with guides on Mt. Rainier, though we didn’t know of any specific date. Then we heard of the horrific accident, and have been hoping that he wasn’t on this particular hike. However, activity at his house does not seem promising. His truck has been parked in the same place for a week now, and his mom’s car is now in the driveway. We’re not close enough friends to walk over there and bluntly intrude to see if he’s alive or not.
The latest articles are still not publishing the names of the lost. Does anyone have any inside information?
The only two names that have been reported are Mark Mahaney (a 26-year-old from St. Paul, Minn) and Matt Hegeman, a guide from Alpine Ascents.
Lots of people are on Ranier at any one point in time, most don’t climb by the Liberty Ridge Route. If this was your neighbors first time there or if he wasn’t an experienced mountaineer he probably wouldn’t be going up this route.
ETA - I was looking at an older news report. They are now reporting the other Guide was Eitan Green and another climber was John Mullally from Seattle.
Thanks for that link, zoltar7. I’m not seeing his name there.
Telemark, he is possibly an experienced mountaineer; I’m not sure to what degree. He does do a lot of mountain hiking, and is a physically fit fireman.
This route would require climbing experience, not just hiking. It’s quite a technical route. It’s not hiking.
He could have volunteered for the search-and-rescue, especially if he hikes that area regularly. Might account for a family vigil beyond what a vacation would draw.
Thanks for everybody’s replies. My husband thought to email the guide company to ask if our neighbor was part of that group, and they said he wasn’t. Whew. He has a wife and two daughters, and it would have been bad news.
Personally, I think it would be okay to stop by to say “When we heard about the accident on Rainier, we were worried about you, so we just wanted to stop by and say hi”.