Climber who died in Mt. Rainier National Park identified as Bellevue resident

Officials have identified Bellevue resident Timothy Hagan, 62, as the climber that died during a climb in Mount Rainier National Park on Sunday, Sept. 13.

Officials have identified Bellevue resident Timothy Hagan, 62, as the climber that died during a climb in Mount Rainier National Park on Sunday, Sept. 13.

Hagan was one of three climbers that left Carbon River to camp and climb in the Lake Crescent area. After a successful climb of The Chief (elevation of 7,076 feet), Hagan reportedly fell during the groups’ descent, according to the National Parks Service.

Weather conditions prevented efforts to locate Hagan by air on Sept. 14, but a ground team of two park rangers and Mount Rainier National Park’s exclusive-use helicoptor were able to reach the victim on the morning of Sept. 15.

His body was transported to the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s office, where it was confirmed that Hagan died of multiple blunt force injuries.

An active climber, Hagan was reportedly attempting to scale all 100 of the Mountaineers Peaks at Mount Rainier National Park. The Chief was one of two remaining peaks he needed to complete the task. He had also scaled 18,491-foot Pico de Orizaba, the tallest mountain Mexico and the third highest in North America, and 20,561-foot Chimborazo, the tallest mountain in Ecuador, according to Peakbagger.com, where many climbers log their goals and summits.

The Chief is a pronounced, rugged peak located in an isolated area just east of Windy Gap on the Northern Loop Trail, and is one of two summits of Sluiskin Mountain.