Climber Killed Near Yelm, Wash.

A Yelm man fell about 200 feet to his death while rock-climbing, authorities said.

The accident happened Saturday afternoon in the Fossil Rock climbing area, about 17 miles east of Yelm.

The man apparently was climbing alone, and there were no witnesses to the fall, said Mike Vega, a member of the Bald Hills Fire Department who helped recover the body.

The man was identified Sunday by Thurston County Coroner Judy Arnold as Robert Elam, 49.

Arnold said other climbers had seen the man earlier, sitting on a ledge halfway up a steep cliff.

The body was removed from the rugged area by helicopter.

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