Special team set to search for Atlanta woman, 3 others on Mount Rainier

By Associated Press

For the AJC

ASHFORD, Wash. — A special team of skilled skiers and climbers is being assembled at Mount Rainier National Park to search for an Atlanta woman and three other people overdue from winter outings, park officials said Wednesday.

But even this team has to wait for weather conditions to improve to launch the search for the two campers and two hikers, National Park Service spokeswoman Patti Wold said.

A major winter storm has dumped a few feet of snow on Mount Rainier and brought wind gusts clocking in at more than 100 mph. All of western Washington state is seeing unusual amounts of snowfall Wednesday.

Search plans also call for a helicopter flight once conditions improve, Wold added.

On Tuesday, a search team of two people hiked on the route from Paradise, the launching point for campers at the mountain, and Panorama Point. They reported back to say that they sank in 2 or 3 feet of snow with each step and had limited visibility.

The two parties are believed to be well-equipped with tents, sleeping bags and other gear needed to survive. Rangers hope they're waiting out the storm.

The campers are Mark Vucich, 37, of San Diego and Michelle Trojanowski, 30, of Atlanta. They were due back Sunday from the Muir snowfield at the 10,000-foot level.

The climbers are a Springfield, Ore., couple who have not been named. They were due back Monday from an attempt to reach the summit of 14,410-foot Mount Rainier.