Climber Pinned by 16,000-Pound Boulder on Mount Hood

May 27, 2026

A climber is expected to recover after being pinned by a massive boulder in Oregon. Saving the climber, who was not named, required a complex rescue effort, involving technical rescuers, air medical crews and a specialized surgical team.

The incident occurred near Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood. As Clackamas Fire detailed in a social media post, on Sunday, May 24, their Technical Rescue Team responded to a mutual aid request from Hoodland Fire to assist with the rescue of an injured climber. They arrived on the scene to find the climber pinned under what they estimated to be a 16,000-pound boulder which had become dislodged during a minor rock slide. A crowd of bystanders had attempted to free the victim, but were unable to move the massive stone. THE Inertia