Oregon man breaks both legs in fall on Mt. Tallac

A Portland man was whisked off Mount Tallac via helicopter Saturday after he broke both legs in a 400-foot fall.

Brian Meek, 50, was on snowshoes when he lost traction on the ice. He tumbled down the west bowl area, stopping only after hitting a large rock.

With the snowy and icy conditions of the terrain on Dec. 8 and the location of the victim, technical mountaineering skills were necessary.

El Dorado County and Douglas County search and rescue teams led the effort, with Lake Valley fire, Calstar and CHP assisting. It was the California Highway Patrol helicopter that airlifted Meek to Renown Medical Center in Reno.

 — Lake Tahoe News staff report