Woman survives 5-foot fall into fumarole on Mt. Hood
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MT. HOOD, OR (KPTV ) — A Portland woman suffered a shoulder injury after falling into a 5-foot fumarole on Mt. Hood Friday.
Caroline Sundbaum, 35, fell into the opening-which emits steam and volcanic gases- in the Devil’s Kitchen area of the mountain around 1:30 p.m., according to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.
Sundbaum said it was covered in snow and seemed like a safe spot in the Devil’s Kitchen Area when she set her pack down to rest. She told FOX 12 that she was waiting for her husband and friend to return from the summit so they could all ski back down together.
“I sat on my pack and it all came out from underneath me,” she said.
She says she fell about five feet and slid down some more. The impact dislocating her shoulder.
A climber in the area saw Sundbaum sit down her pack to rest. A few moments later, he noticed she had disappeared. The climber then realized there was a hole where Sundbaum had been sitting.
“He heard me. He sort of yelled at me to see how I was doing, asked me if I was breathing,” Sundbaum said. “I said I was breathing, he said hang tight I need to get a rope and anchor myself in.”
The climber was able to help hoist her out of the hole with a rope.
“It’s fortunate another climber witnessed this incident – it would have been extremely difficult to locate Sundbaum otherwise, and the air inside fumaroles can be toxic and potentially deadly,” according to CCSO.
The extent of her shoulder injury is unknown, and with help, she was able to make her way to the Palmer lift.
Sheriff’s Office SAR Coordinators arrived at Timberline Lodge and established a command post. A Snow Cat was sent to the top of Palmer Lift with a PMR team. They brought Sundbaum down from the mountain.
Sundbaum said she’s grateful and glad she had her crampons and helmet on.
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