Climber okay after fall

Pam Mattson of Portland escaped serious injury on Tuesday, August 15, after she fell at the 8,400 foot level of the Middle Sister.

According to Deschutes County Sheriff's Search and Rescue, Mattson, 20, a college student at George Fox College in Newberg, completed a group climb to the summit and was descending across a snowfield on the southwest flank of the mountain when she slipped, slid down the glacier and struck some rocks.

The climb leader called 911 on his cell phone and was connected with search and rescue, who scrambled a mountain rescue team.

Air Life transported the team to a landing zone about 1,000 vertical feet below the location of the climber, who had suffered a back injury and was unable to descend further.

Search and Rescue coordinator Wayne Inman and an Air life flight nurse hiked to the climber's location. A five man team assembled and lowered the patient down the snowfield by a rope belay.

Then, assisted by her fellow school climbers, the rescuers brought her to a landing zone.

Air Life transported the woman to St. Charles Medical Center, where she was examined, treated and released.