Laura Mandaro

USA TODAY Network

Three bodies were found on Washington's Mount Rainier close to where six hikers disappeared in late May, a park spokeswoman said Tuesday.

A park service helicopter flying over the park on a training exercise spotted the bodies near the head of the 9,000-foot Carbon Glacier. The location, at the foot of a steep, rocky wall, is unstable. The summer heat has made it even more precarious, increasing the potential for falling rocks and ice. Park rangers have not been able to reach or identify the bodies.

"Right now, we're considering options for discovery. The location where they are isn't safe to put anyone in," said Patti Wold, a spokeswoman for Mount Rainier National Park.

The snow-capped Mount Rainier, southeast of Seattle, rises 14,410 feet above sea level. It attracts climbers of all levels, from novices to more experienced alpine climbers who are training to scale taller summits.

In late May, park rangers said they believed six climbers, including two guides, were missing and presumed dead while climbing the steep Liberty Ridge route toward the summit when the weather turned bad. Park rangers found camping and climbing gear 3,000 feet below the ridge. They were believed to have fallen, perhaps victims of an avalanche.

It's the worst accident on Mount Rainier since 1981, when 11 climbers died.

KING-TV in Seattle contributed to this report.

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