Crag Rats

The Crag Rats are the oldest volunteer mountain search and rescue organization in the United States.[1][2][3] Based in Hood River, Oregon, the Crag Rats are an all-volunteer, nonprofit rescue agency that primarily covers Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge.[4][1]

Crag Rats
Founded1926
FounderA. L. Anderson
Typesearch and rescue
Location
Area served
Mount Hood and Columbia River Gorge

History

As a charter member of the Mountain Rescue Association, they were founded in 1926 by A.L. Anderson,[5] a lumberman from Hood River, after a search for missing seven year old on Mt. Hood.[6] Their name originates from a wife of a founding member, who stated that the men spent so much time on the crags of the mountain that they were like "crag rats".[2]

Operations

Working under the direction of local authorities like the Hood River County Sheriff's office, they regularly conduct rescue operations for those lost, stranded, or injured in the popular recreation areas surrounding the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and Mount Hood National Forest. In 2022, they responded to over 50 search and rescue incidents just through September.[7] Since the 1950s, the club has maintained Cloud Cap Inn on the mountain as a base.[8]

References
  1. Bell, Jon (2011-05-03). On Mount Hood: A Biography of Oregon's Perilous Peak. Sasquatch Books. ISBN 978-1-57061-775-1.
  2. Hill, Cheryl (2014). Mount Hood National Forest. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4671-3120-9.
  3. Santella, Chris (2012-11-16). Fifty Places to Hike Before You Die: Outdoor Experts Share the World's Greatest Destinations. Abrams. ISBN 978-1-61312-050-7.
  4. Hogfoss, Robert (2022-08-22). Natural History of the Columbia River Gorge. iUniverse. ISBN 978-1-6632-4260-0.
  5. "CRAG RATS" RESCUE THE LOST; Like the Monks of St. Bernard Pass, They Are Always Ready to Endure Hardships in the Mountains". The New York Times. 23 August 1931.
  6. "Thrilling Mountain Rescues Performed by a Unique Club". Popular Science. August 1935.
  7. "Record numbers in Hood River County search and rescue calls". kgw.com. KGW. 10 September 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
  8. "Cloud Cap Inn". oregonencyclopedia.org. The Oregon Historical Society. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
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