UPDATE: 29-year-old injured climber rescued; search on for 3 female hikers in Kittitas County

Mt. Stuart. From Wikipedia.



LEAVENWORTH -- A 29-year-old woman who was seriously injured in a climbing fall and her climbing partner were airlifted off of Mount Stuart southwest of Leavenworth, authorities said Thursday.

The woman was climbing the 8,900- foot tall Mount Stuart about 12 miles southwest of Leavenworth Wednesday when she slipped and slid about 800 feet, Chelan County Sheriff's Office said.

The woman's climbing partner called 911 and rescue teams were given the GPS coordinates. Due to very steep terrain and the 8,900 feet elevation of the scene, a hoist helicopter was requested through the state Emergency Management Department.

But when the hoist arrived to the area, it couldn't perform the rescue because winds were too high, officials said. The victim was forced to wait out the night on the mountain.

A U.S. Navy helicopter lifted the two climbers off the mountain Thursday. There was no information on her condition.

Meanwhile, in Kittitas County, three females --  Sarah Brandon, 37, Lisa Anderson, 40, and a 15-year-old niece, possibly from the Sultan area --  were doing a five-day loop hike from the Middle Fork of the Teanaway and were due home Wednesday, the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office said.  They sent  a text at about 6 a.m. Thursday that they had made camp but one of them was injured and needed assistance.

"Although the search teams have the coordinates, the trail is very rugged requiring crossing several dangerous streams running fast and full from the spring melt. A Chelan County Helicopter is enroute to assist," the sheriff's office said.