A paraglider was stuck for several hours Tuesday afternoon after winds apparently blew him off course and into trees on Tiger Mountain.

Gene Beaver, a 47-year-old Spanaway resident, was paragliding around Tiger Mountain when strong winds apparently knocked him into a tree, leaving him hanging approximately 50 feet above the ground.

The call came in around 4:45 p.m., said Josie Williams with Eastside Fire and Rescue. She said because of Beaver’s remote location it took a while for crews to get access to where he was located.

“It was pretty remote,” she said. In the beginning in order to determine his exact location rescue crews received help from one of the TV crew helicopters in the area. Due to the location and the fact that Beaver had suffered injuries during the incident a Backhawk Navy 3 was called in to help hoist him out. Williams said that crews from Northwest Paragliders were also on hand, with trained climbers who helped remove equipment.

Williams said the ladder truck, aid and medic responders had to hike down from the top of the mountain to Beaver’s location, while the command center was stationed at the bottom on the Issaquah Hobart Road.

“It took quite some time to get to him because it was so remote,” said Williams.

After crews were able to safely detach Beaver’s equipment, the Navy helicopter hoisted him away and took him to Harborview Medical Center. While Williams couldn’t comment specifically on Beaver’s injuries, she said when a trip to Harborview is necessary it’s serious.

“When you’re going to Harborview it’s fairly serious,” said Williams.

Williams said the call ended around 8:30 p.m.