WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – An injured hiker was rescued from the Cascade Mountains on Sept. 16.

A Search and Rescue team from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island received a report early in the morning of a hiker with a possible spinal injury who had lost consciousness at Whistler Creek.

Bellingham Mountain Rescue was already on the scene with the injured 40-year-old man but needed an aircraft capable of hoisting the hiker due to the nature of the terrain.

The Whidbey Island search and rescue team arrived at 4:30 a.m. and rappelled two crewmembers to extract the man. He was flown to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center for treatment.

It was the 21st rescue mission of the year for Whidbey’s Naval Air Station search and rescue team.