The body of Nick Hall, 33, was recovered from Mount Rainier on 5 July 2012. Hall perished in a 2,600′ fall onto Rainier’s Winthrop Glacier from 13,800′ while rescuing climbers from Emmons Glacier on 21 June. Hall had just placed the 4 injured climbers from Texas into a rescue helicopter for their evacuation, when a gust of wind pushed him over the edge. He was in the process of securing an empty litter to the helicopter prior to departure.
Rangers made it to the lower incident scene that day and attempted recovery then, and again on 28 June, but had to call-off the missions due to Avalanche danger, high winds and unfavorable weather conditions at the 11,000’+ location. 
Hall had been a climbing Ranger on Mount Rainier for four years. Six rescue workers from the 214th Air Regiment of Joint Base Lewis McChord used a Chinook helicopter with the assistance of a Hughes 530 from Olimpia’s Northwest Helicopters for the evacuation of Hall to Sunrise. He was then transferred to an ambulance for transport to the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office. Preparations had been made following the incident to secure him in an anchored litter for later transport. Avalanche rescue dog, Cirrus, from Chrystal Mountain Ski Patrol was used to locate the body under several feet of recent snow. Cirrus is owned by Crystal patrollers Andrew and Michelle Longstreth.
A local service was held at the Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park on 29 June, with around 450 in attendance and many others watching throughout the local area and country via a live feed. Hall was originally from Patten, Maine, and another service was held there on 6 July. The National Park Service accident investigation is in its final stages.
The family has requested that contributions be made to one of the memorial funds that have been established in honor of Nick Hall, including one established by the National Park Foundation, which is accessible via this link. More details can be found on the other funds in the Park Service release below.
Park Service accident release
Park Service rescue release
TheNewsTribune.com coverage
Examiner.com coverage
