2 climbers rescued from Mount Stuart; one seriously injured in fall

WENATCHEE, Wash. -- Two climbers were rescued from Mount Stuart in Chelan County after one was seriously injured when a boulder he was leaning against broke free and he fell nearly 50 feet over a ledge, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office said Monday.

Tim Pate, 64, of Camas, was found to be unresponsive when his climbing partner, Jim Schiller, 59, of Happy Valley, Ore., traversed down the slope to his location. Schiller called 911 Sunday night, and a helicopter from Naval Air Base Whidbey Island was able to lift Pate off the mountain. He was then airlifted to Seattle's Harborview Medical Center.

Schiller said he would descend on his own, but called Monday for the county's rescue team, saying he was exhausted and felt he was unable to safely make the trek down by himself. He was then rescued.