A climber in Washington is dead after a 150-foot fall

NORTH BEND, Wash. (NBC, KYMA) - A climber is dead after a roughly 150-foot fall Sunday evening near North Bend, Washington.

Emergency crews responded shortly after 5 pm Sunday evening to reports of a climber who had fallen near the Middle Fork trail in the Snoqualmie River Valley.

Authorities say the man was an experienced climber leading friends on Stegosaurus Butte, a popular but challenging climbing area.

Witnesses say he fell about 150 feet while on the second pitch of the climb.

A member of the group with emergency response training initially assessed the climber, while another climber used text-to-911 to report the fall.

King County Search and Rescue, the sheriff's office and Seattle Mountain Rescue joined Eastside Fire and Rescue in response.

When rescuers reached the man, he was pronounced dead, his body was recovered around 8 p.m.

The American Alpine Club says Washington has recorded more climbing and mountaineering accidents than any other state, with more than 2,100 accidents and 378 fatalities since 1951.