Hikers walk through the snow in 2019 in Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park.
A search for a Seattle climber reported missing Friday while skiing on Mount Rainier has turned up nothing, according to a spokesperson with Mount Rainier National Park.
Matthew Bunker was skiing ahead of his climbing partner near Thumb Rock on the north side of Mount Rainier, at about 10,400 feet, when he was believed to have fallen in steep terrain during the descent of the upper mountain, according to Kevin Bacher, a public information officer with the park.
The other members of Bunker's climbing party reported him missing at 3 p.m. Friday, according to Bacher.
The National Park Service surveyed the area by helicopter, but winds around Liberty Ridge prevented the helicopter from coming in close to the terrain.
Later in the evening, winds and increasing clouds hampered another search flight, carrying three climbing rangers. Poor flying conditions Saturday prevented additional flights.
The area below where Bunker went missing is known for its steep terrain, frequent avalanches and rockfall.
At the nearby Liberty Ridge in 2014, six climbers died in an avalanche. The terrain, as well as the fragile surface of the Carbon Glacier, prohibits a ground search for Bunker.
The park service is not requesting additional help in searching for the missing climber, and will resume helicopter searches when the weather is more stable early in the week.
