6 feared dead on Mt. Rainier

SEATTLE — Six climbers who disappeared three days ago on Washington’s Mount Rainier are not expected to be found alive, the National Park Service said yesterday after search teams found their scattered gear.

Search crews for Mount Rainier National Park found climbing and camping gear in snow more than 3,000 feet below the last known position of the six climbers and also picked up distress signals from the group’s avalanche beacons, said Fawn Bauer, a park spokeswoman.

The climbers appear to have fallen or got caught in an avalanche, Bauer said. No bodies have been located.

“We don’t believe there was a viable chance for survival,” Bauer said.

The climbing party, including two guides from Seattle’s Alpine Ascents International, set off on Monday for a five-day ascent along the north face of the mountain. They were last heard from via satellite phone on Wednesday evening when they had reached an elevation of 12,800 feet, Bauer said.

All was fine, they said, although they noted some bad weather moving in, according to Bauer. Their plan was to hike to the top on Thursday, she said.

A rain- and hail-storm swept through the park’s lower elevationson Wednesday, with snow at higher elevations, she said.

Alpine Ascents contacted the park service on Friday to report the hikers missing, Bauer said.

She could not give details about the hikers’ identities.