Accomplished Mountain Climber Dies After Fall During Climb in Chelan County

Image courtesy of Okagnogan-Wenatchee National Forest Service

(Leavenworth, WA) -- A 66-year-old Washington man is dead after falling while solo climbing in the Enchantments southwest of Leavenworth. According to the Chelan County Sheriff's Office, Richard Thurmer of Mukilteo was climbing Dragontail Peak when the accident happened. Authorities first received notification that something may have happened when his wife called 9-1-1 Monday after her husband failed to check in. She called again the next evening when he didn't return home as planned

Emergency Management Specialist Rich Magnussen says they dispatched a helicopter and a two-man ground team Wednesday, but Thurmer's remains couldn't be removed until Thursday morning due to high winds. It's believed he was killed by a several-hundred foot fall.

Thurmer is one of less than 500 people in the world to have summited the tallest peak on every continent--including Mount Everest.