By Gina Gomez
July 29, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Lee F. Adams, 52, a Seattle scientist died Tuesday after falling into a crevasse of Mount Rainier. The scientist reportedly was part of a four-men crew climbing down the mountain on Emmons Glacier at a height of about 13,000 when the rope tripped leading to his fall. A Mount Rainier National Park official said that Lee. F. Adams died after falling into a 35 feet deep crevasse. The official also reported that another climber was hurt and two others escaped injuries as they fell on the false floor.

Fred Slater, a member of the Washington Alpine Club expressed his condolence by saying that the news was a big shock to him and also added that everybody expected Lee Adams to continue his climbing even in his late years. Lee F. Adams was a research scientist at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle and one his friends from his office, Debbie Chang was in “complete shock” after hearing the news and she said that without Lee F. Adams’ contribution the project could not have been started. The Washington Alpine Club’s chairman Pat O’Brian said that Lee F. Adams was climbing with a friend from Texas and his friend’s two teenage sons through the second most popular route on the 14,411 foot mountain where the mishap happened.

The rescuers retrieved Lee F. Adams’ body from the crevasse yesterday and it was airlifted off the mountain by helicopter. Lee Taylor, Mount Rainier National Park’s Information Officer expressed his condolence by saying that it was really tragic that a simple “misstep” had such severe consequence for the team. On behalf of Mount Rainier National Park, he expressed his sympathy for Lee F.Adams’ friends and family.