Olympic National Park: Kayaker rescued from upper Elwha River

Published 12:01 am Sunday, October 7, 2001

OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — A kayaker was rescued Saturday from a steep canyon on the Elwha River after his friends called 9-1-1 from a cellular phone, park officials said.

A Coast Guard helicopter flew Robert Feller Jr., 26, of Port Angeles, from Rica Canyon about 3 p.m. and flew him to Olympic Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for a hip injury, park spokeswoman Barb Maynes said.

He was listed in stable condition Saturday night, said Pattijo Hoskins, nursing supervisor.

Feller and three friends were kayaking along a “very, very advanced whitewater” stretch of the river at about 11 a.m. when Feller’s kayak got turned around and went backward over a drop, Maynes said.

“Apparently, he became lodged against a rock wall underwater,” Maynes said.

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