Monday morning crews found the body of a 55-year-old who went to scale one of Mount Hood’s most difficult routes and he was hit by a falling rock, causing his death. According to The Associated Press, the Hood River County sheriff's office said that crews were trying to recuperate the 55-year-old man’s body from the mountain. The area in which the tragedy happened is described as vertical snow, ice and rock and is about 9,000 feet near the Elliot Glacier.

The man was a member of a climbing crew. His identity was not made public but KATU-TV reported that he worked as a doctor. He was from Eugene and his family members said that his passion was climbing and nothing could get in the way of it.

The man’s body was seen Sunday evening by helicopter crews from the Oregon National Guard. The helicopter used thermal technology to confirm that the man was dead.

Hood River Crag Rats and Portland Mountain Rescue staged at Cloud Cap on Monday to begin the man’s recuperation.

Hood River County deputies said that the climber was descending the Cooper Spur Route on the northeast side of Mount Hood. After he arrived at the top, he was hit by a rock and fell.

In December 2006, another climber Kelly James died of hypothermia in the same part of the mountain. The route is one of Mount Hood’s most challenging routes and even experienced climber can encounter difficulties.