Dog wanders onto steep WA ledge near 150-foot drop. Then owner ends up trapped, too
A dog wandered away in a Washington ravine and got trapped on a ledge with a 150-foot drop, authorities said.
Then when the dog owner tried to save the animal, he also got stuck.
Rescuers responded at 12:52 p.m. Sunday, March 5, to the Kalama River near Fallert Road, the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office said.
Once they reached the area, they could hear Nathan J. Mueller, 44, of Vancouver yelling, deputies said in a March 6 Facebook post.
“He was located in a heavily timbered, deep ravine above the fast-moving Kalama River,” deputies said.
The ledge he was on had a drop-off of about 100 to 150 feet, deputies said, and the steep and muddy terrain was difficult for rescuers.
But they worked quickly to save Mueller and his dog in the cold weather because there was a risk of hypothermia or falling, deputies said.
Rescuers rappelled to the man and his “uncooperative” dog and brought them back to safety, the release said.
Kalama River near Fallert Road is about 40 miles north of Vancouver.
This story was originally published March 7, 2023 at 12:19 PM with the headline "Dog wanders onto steep WA ledge near 150-foot drop. Then owner ends up trapped, too."
