OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — A man in his 60s was flown in a helicopter to a hospital in Everett after he was struck by a falling tree while he was riding a bicycle in the area of the Glines Canyon Overlook in the Elwha Valley.
The man, whom Clallam County Fire District 2 Chief Jake Patterson declined to name citing HIPAA regulations, was transported by Lifeflight to Providence Hospital in Everett. An update on his condition was unavailable Wednesday.
The man reported hearing a crack before he was struck by the tree, estimated at approximately 18 inches in diameter, just after 1 p.m. Tuesday, according to a press release.
The victim was not pinned under the tree and was able to get free on his own.
Initial attempts by the victim to call 911 failed, but eventually he received enough of a cell signal to reach emergency dispatchers and report a possible broken arm and leg.
“First of all, he has to be extremely unlucky to be hit by that tree in the middle of nowhere and extremely lucky that he was not killed,” Patterson said.
Emergency personnel carry a man to a waiting helicopter to be flown via Lifeflight to an Everett hospital Tuesday afternoon. The man in his 60s was reportedly struck by a falling tree while he rode his bicycle in the Olympic National Park. (Photo courtesy of Clallam County Fire District 2)
Ten personnel responded from Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue up Olympic Hot Springs Road in the Elwha Valley and eventually located the man in Olympic National Park past the old Altair Campground almost to the Glines Canyon Dam overlook, according to the press release.
Park rangers opened an access gate so vehicles and crews could drive to where the road washed out in 2017. Then they hiked a bypass trail to reach the road on the far side of the washout, according to the press release.
From there, park rangers used an ATV and a pickup, which are stored on the south side of the washed-out road. They transported EMTs and a paramedic to help the man.
Several hikers who had passed by stopped to render aid while they waited for emergency personnel to arrive, the press release said.
The man was flown from the old Elwha Ranger station at 3:31 p.m. by Lifelight due to his “traumatic injuries, hypothermia risk, limited daylight remaining and difficult trail conditions,” according to the press release.
Patterson said the rescue was an example of teamwork and interagency cooperation.
“It worked out pretty smoothly,” Patterson said.
