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Contact: Denise Shultz
On Saturday, August 12, 2017, the body of Susan Bennett, a 61-year old climber from Bellingham who died on July 22, 2017 while descending the West Ridge of Forbidden Peak, was recovered by search and rescue personnel from North Cascades and Mount Rainier National Parks. Her body was located in a crevasse on the Forbidden Glacier, which required technical teams to recover. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Susan Bennett”, said North Cascades National Park Service Complex Superintendent Karen Taylor-Goodrich. Recovery efforts were initially hampered by weather, location, and unstable crevasse conditions. Weather and conditions finally cooperated on Saturday and the recovery was completed. Skagit County Sheriff’s and Coroner’s Offices worked in partnership with National Park Service personnel to search, recover, and bring some closure to this accident. The initial response to this incident was routed to rescue personnel from a satellite texting device used by Bennett’s companions from the mountain. Devices like these can help facilitate prompt rescue operations in remote areas. |
Last updated: August 23, 2017