PEAK PUTTERS

Posted: **Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:16 pm**

Truck Drives off mountain from String Trail (4W309)

Manastash Ridge, Washington -
On August 8th, 2009 a guy decides to drive his truck off the 4W309 trail on the ridge to get to the lower part of 4W309 which he could see from the top. This is what we were told by the people in the other rig with them we met earlier on 4W330. They were on their way to look for Search & Recue and had a flat and had to borrow a jack.

Some quad riders in the area where there helping by the time we got there. The quad riders said the driver was in pain but could walk around. The passenger was conscious but could not move. We stayed to help until the Search & Recue got there. We had to guide the helicopter in by phone. The Search & Recue and Forest Rangers on the ground showed up as the helicopter was landing.

We do not know how this story ended. We just hope for the best.

Posted: **Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:15 am**

Wow thats a long ways to roll down a mountain. Surprised they survived.

Posted: **Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:36 am**

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/08/09/man-injured-when-truck-rolls-down-cliff

POSTED ON Sunday, August 09, 2009 AT 09:43PM

Man injured when truck rolls down cliff

Yakima Herald-Republic

ELLENSBURG, Wash. -- A 25-year-old Woodinville man was seriously injured after the truck he was in rolled off a cliff near Ellensburg on Saturday afternoon.

Authorities believe alcohol was a factor in the accident, which took place on a rock slide outside the Manastash Campground in Shoestring Ridge.

The passenger, Mark Olliver, was in satisfactory condition at Seattle's Harborview Medical Center late Sunday evening, hospital officials said.

Authorities have yet to identify the driver, who they say boasted that he could go down the steep rock slide and then climb back up, according to the news release from Kittitas County Sheriff's Office.

Right after starting down, the front end of the truck caught a rock, wheeling it some 400 feet down the cliff before it came to rest on its side. A Snohomish County Sheriff's Office rescue helicopter airlifted Olliver to Harborview.

The case remains under investigation.

The Kittitas County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Unit, Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue, Department of Emergency Management and U.S. Forest Service also assisted.

Posted: **Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:02 am**

Wow. I hope they will be ok.

I think next time they will stay on the trail, and hopefully leave the guns and beer in camp, or at home.

Posted: **Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:24 am**

the driver, who they say boasted that he could go down the steep rock slide and then climb back up

Sounds like Darwinism at work.... :roll:

Posted: **Mon Aug 10, 2009 3:31 pm**

Screaming Toylet wrote:
the driver, who they say boasted that he could go down the steep rock slide and then climb back up

Sounds like Darwinism at work....

Sounds like a nice way to say...STUPID a$$!!! We could use less of these in for forrest.

Sorry, but it has to be said.

Posted: **Mon Aug 10, 2009 5:18 pm**

Thanks for sharing Clay. I seen this on the local news last night but they didn't have much info, I should have know you would be on the trail to get us some good pics! Can't believe they tried to drive down that.

Posted: **Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:28 pm**

commando14 wrote:Thanks for sharing Clay.

Thanks for viewing!

The Yakima Herald call me this morning and wanted to use my pictures on their on line site. They used two: http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/08/10/cliff-drive-ends-with-harborview-hospital-visit