OR - Climber falls into Mount St Helens crater

"An Air Force helicopter has joined the search for a 52-year-old Washington state man who spent the night in the crater of Mount St. Helens after plunging 1,500 feet when a snow cornice gave way yesterday.

Joseph Bohlig of Kelso, an experienced climber making his 68th ascent of the volcano, was posing for a celebratory photo and had taken off his parka moments before the edge gave way about 12:30 p.m. PT."

More at:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/02/rescuers-try-to-reach-climber-who-fell-into-mount-st-helens/1

This is just such terrible news ...my prayers are with his family and friends right now.

Climber tells of moment friend fell into Mount St Helens volcano

By Nick Allen in Los Angeles
Published: 10:10PM GMT 16 Feb 2010

Joseph Bohlig, 52, had just reached the summit of Mount St Helens in Washington state in the US, and wanted to mark the moment with a picture.

After stripping off his jacket and backpack he handed his camera to another climber, telling him to make sure to get the scenic outline of Mount Rainierin the background
Boom, it busted off and I saw him clawing for the edge with a startled look on his face and then he disappeared," Mr Bohlig's climbing companion Scott Salkovics, said. "I was looking right at him, he was only 10 feet away."told the KGW television station in Portland, Oregon.

Mr Salkovics, an Army rescue pilot, told the KGW television station in Portland, Oregon, that he threw a jacket, an avalanche beacon, food and water into the crater after his friend.

Mr Bohlig tumbled 1,500ft down the near vertical inside of the crater and the bag of supplies came to rest 300ft away.

Rescuers have launched a desperate bid to get to Mr Bohlig but were being hampered by high winds and white-out conditions.

Mr Bohlig, an experienced climber, had been to the top of the mountain 68 times.

He fell on Monday afternoon and rescuers heard him blowing an emergency whistle, suggesting he had survived the fall

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...friend-fell-into-Mount-St-Helens-volcano.html

Climber found dead in Mount St. Helens crater

Mount St. Helens, Washington (CNN) -- A climber who fell into the crater of Mount St. Helens volcano on Monday has been found dead, an official said Tuesday.

A U.S. Naval helicopter lifted the body of Joseph Bohlig, 52, from the south crater wall at 2:45 p.m. local time and flew it to Carson, Washington, for transport to the Clark County Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy, said David L. Cox, undersheriff of the Skamania County sheriff's office.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/02/16/washington.hiker.volcano/index.html