high drama on Mt. Hood

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:21 pm

Rope, snow cave found in search for climbers

Crews of rescuers are on their way to very rugged terrain on Mount Hood after rope was spotted near an area when one of three missing climbers made a cell phone call telling his family he was in trouble one week ago. The rescuers will be dropped by helicopter and will make their way to the spot where the rope was seen near what is likely a snow cave.............i've been following this rescue effort live on FOX news all day, it has just been announced nobody is in snow cave, and darkness will soon descend. there is every reason for hope however, the climbers are very experienced men.

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 4:12 pm

I've been following this too...with hope for the families and, of course, the hikers. Luckily, they're very experienced....I certainly hope it was their cave.

danieeeel · Post by **danieeeel** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 4:12 pm

Yeah , I see it, Fox News reporting of it non stop.

They found sleeping bag in the cave.. wandering why they left such an essential thing behind. maybe they planned to come back to the cave.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 4:16 pm

the possible physiological difficulties they might be having by now are worrisome.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 4:40 pm

The weather is such a factor now, not looking good.. :-1 The cave was their biggest hope for staying alive leaving it wasn't a good move, and leaving thing behind tells me they might be suffering from the cold.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 4:42 pm

no details or ID, but it has just been reported that one person has been found deceased.

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 6:33 pm

SCRAT "The only difference between them and the average lemming is the lemmings run over cliffs, not up them."

" Have they reproduced yet? If not this would be a perfect case for the Darwin awards!!!"

++++++++++++++++++++ And you're concerned for them and their families, I take it?

Adam Zapple · Post by **Adam Zapple** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 8:14 pm

Scrats just pointing out how fulfilling and adventurous their lives would be if they were smart enough to spend all day at a computer talking on a message board rather than mountain climbing, river rafting, biking, or any other physical activity out in our awesome natural world. To some life is to be experience with a mouse in hand.

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:02 pm

Gotcha'....

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 3:14 am

Scrat;489767 wrote: Funny.

I can't get into this tragedy rage people seems to have going here. I don't watch TV.

These morons are not victims of tragedy. They are victims of their own stupidity. They could have hiked up to Mt Sye. They would have had a real thrill and near death experience by communing with the druggies down at Pike Place and frolicking in the heaps of discarded needles like a lot of tourists do.

They could have rode bikes down the interurban too. There is any number of things to do in this area BESIDES CLIMB MT HOOD IN DECEMBER!!!

The only tragedy is the tax money I have to pay to get 3 corpsicles off a mountain.

And as for the family, just send them the bill.

Don't know about the US but in the UK if the RAF were not carrying out rescue for real they would be running training exercises anyway. The civillian rescue services are all volunteer financed by climbers themselves.

I suspect it's much the same in the US at last so far as the civilian part is concerned. If not for real they would have to practice this kind of thing anyway in case a plane goes down in the mountains.

You need to get out more. Keep away from things like golf though. more people die on the golf course and from stress induced illnesses than from outdoor sports.

At least climbers if they make a mistake die quickly they don't linger on taking up hospital beds.

You don't know what you are missing.

They could have rode bikes down the interurban too. There is any number of things to do in this area BESIDES CLIMB MT HOOD IN DECEMBER!!!

Don't know what an interurban is but suspect it has tp do with roads. Mountain biking is a lot safer than road cycling. At least you don' t have half asleep short sighted drivers trying to knock you off. The first time you somersault with a mountain bike is an experience that stays with you for the rest of your life, even it it was unintentional.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:23 am

The body of Kelly James was found inside a snow cave, a family spokesman told the media.

Dead climber identified; search for 2 others continues

Rescuers will are returning to Mount Hood today to search for two missing climbers and to bring down the body of a third climber found dead. The body of Kelly James was found Sunday inside the second of two snow caves rescuers searched Sunday afternoon, his family told NBC News.

chrisb84uk · Post by **chrisb84uk** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:26 am

What a really sad story, I sincerely hope that the other two climbers are found alive soon.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 8:22 am

Not looking good if the other snow cave had the other 2 men in it and they left it and gear behind that's not a good sign..

chrisb84uk · Post by **chrisb84uk** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 8:31 am

That's what I thought, but I suppose all that is left now is to hope and pray for the both of them. I dare to think what their families are going through right now, must be terrible!

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:12 am

I wonder if they had proper gear for this climb. My brother-in-law helicopter ski's all over the world. He always has GPS on him, and Avlanche monitor which also server and a signal device if they get lost.

The most improtant gear he has started taking is one of the Energizer portable phone rechargers they are excellent for such adventures, sure they need batteries but you can carry 4 or more AA batteries on you no problem and this would keep your phone battery charged and a signal being sent out is very important.. :-1

Also if your going into the wilderness you should pack all necessary gear to survive double the time of your trip.. batterie, food, socks(very important in the cold). I have watched and helped him pack for these trips many times. The check off list is extensive prior to him every leaving. SAFETY is always first.

I actually carry one on me at all times to recharge my phone.. simple device that can save lives..

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:39 am

Good to know, Carla! Sounds like something which should be included in my earthquake preparedness kit. (And yours!)

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:48 am

Great Idea LULU2 for all of us on the west coast.. :-6

My concern for the other two guys is the gear they left behind they should be wearing their sleeping bags and anything else they have to keep them warm.

[QUOTE]Good to know, Carla! Sounds like something which should be included in my earthquake preparedness kit. (And yours!)[/QUOTE]

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:24 am

CARLA;490085 wrote: I wonder if they had proper gear for this climb. My brother-in-law helicopter ski's all over the world. He always has GPS on him, and Avlanche monitor which also server and a signal device if they get lost.

The most improtant gear he has started taking is one of the Energizer portable phone rechargers they are excellent for such adventures, sure they need batteries but you can carry 4 or more AA batteries on you no problem and this would keep your phone battery charged and a signal being sent out is very important.. :-1

Also if your going into the wilderness you should pack all necessary gear to survive double the time of your trip.. batterie, food, socks(very important in the cold). I have watched and helped him pack for these trips many times. The check off list is extensive prior to him every leaving. SAFETY is always first.

I actually carry one one me at all times to recharge my phone.. simple device that can save lives..

You can get wind up re-chargers now so you don't have to depend on batteries.

A GPS is no use if you can't navigate properly in the first place or interpret a map properly so you programme it properly. nowadays you often meet groups of the wherethefukarwe tribe wandering the hills with their characteric opening question-(hence the name.) Usually with a perplexed nerd leading and a group of thoroughly pissed off followers.

You can get in to a lot of trouble very quickly even with the best equipment.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:38 am

Of course you can that goes without saying. But being prepared and knowing your surroundings is the key. If they don't know how to use GPS then carrying it is stupid as you stated. I understood these men to be experienced climbers.

I also wonder why they even went on the hike if they checked the weather it was very clear that Washington and Oregon were going to be hit, and hit hard with this last storm front. Mother Nature is not a force you want to reckon with.

[QUOTE]You can get in to a lot of trouble very quickly even with the best equipment.[/QUOTE]

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:17 pm

Fears that climbers fell into Mt. Hood 'gullies'

Body ID'd as missing climber Kelly James; hope for others dims as rescuers focus on half-mile deep glacial cracks

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:37 pm

CARLA;490237 wrote: Of course you can that goes without saying. But being prepared and knowing your surroundings is the key. If they don't know how to use GPS then carrying it is stupid as you stated. I understood these men to be experienced climbers.

I also wonder why they even went on the hike if they checked the weather it was very clear that Washington and Oregon were going to be hit, and hit hard with this last storm front. Mother Nature is not a force you want to reckon with.

My apologies. I didn't mean to imply these guys didn't know what they were doing. I just meant you do get some real numpties that think a GPS means they can navigate amd won't get lost.

But also it is very easy for even the most experienced to find themselves in difficulty sometimes.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 3:27 pm

GMC, no apology necessary your are very correct in your assesment of the situation. Even the most experienced can get into trouble if you don't know the area your in, and even then during a whiteout you have no idea which way is up or down, left or right, north or south. (been there done that). I don't hold out much hope of the other 2 being found alive.:-1

[QUOTE]My apologies. I didn't mean to imply these guys didn't know what they were doing. I just meant you do get some real numpties that think a GPS means they can navigate amd won't get lost.

But also it is very easy for even the most experienced to find themselves in difficulty sometimes.[/QUOTE]

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 3:41 pm

the sheriff just stated he believes they are past the window of survivability.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 3:55 pm

I watched Larry King last night. He had experts, rescue workers, friends who have climbed with them, a reporter who climbed 4 hrs up the mountain and the guy who was stuck on the same mountain for 17 days. Its an overwhelming situation.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:16 pm

Lucky man to have made it off the mountain alive 17days..

I haven't climbed Mt. Hood but I have been at is base camping it is a beautiful site from below, can't imagine how it looks climbing it.

[QUOTE]I watched Larry King last night. He had experts, rescue workers, friends who have climbed with them, a reporter who climbed 4 hrs up the mountain and the guy who was stuck on the same mountain for 17 days. Its an overwhelming situation.[/QUOTE]

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:18 pm

LC, I saw an extremely touching interview with the families in which they expressed the same fears. I was reminded of that fellow who died on Everest, but had time to call his wife and say goodbye.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 5:18 am

Cold can 'assault' lost climbers

chrisb84uk · Post by **chrisb84uk** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 6:13 am

Really not looking very promising for them is it, what a shame!

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:03 am

according to the sheriff, the photos that were recovered indicate they were very ill-equipped...no sleeping bags and no stove, they only planned a one-day climb. pretty shocking since they were very experienced climbers according to all reports.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 1:39 pm

PORTLAND, Ore. â€” The rescue effort for two hikers who have been missing on Mount Hood for more than 12 days was officially called off Wednesday, as officials said it was now turning into a recovery mission.

The news came from the Hood County Sheriff Joe Wampler, leader of the rescue operation, after rainy weather in the region temporarily halted search and rescue team efforts. Wampler personally flew a Piper Cub airplane over the mountain Wednesday one last time before a series of storms moved into the Northwest.

rainbowsmiles · Post by **rainbowsmiles** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 6:58 pm

I'm a rock-climber and have done some basic mountaineering in the Adirondacks. I've gotten to know a number of climbers since I was pretty young and I also understand the passion for the sport. I've taken a crevass self rescue course and did some basic ice climbing but never did any major mountaineering. My heart goes out to the families in this situation. Climbers know the risk they take when they hit a mountain. These climbers were very experienced and it isn't unusual for them to limit the amount of gear they take up the mountain considering it was only suppose to last a short time.

On Nancy Grace it seems they keep trying to make these climbers look inexperienced - going on and on about how they CHOSE to climb in bad weather. What a farce. They didn't go up in bad weather they got caught in it. I'd be VERY shocked if it ever was known that these climbers didn't obtain a weather report before climbing. I'm sure they did. They also had plenty of time to climb Mt. Hood before the bad weather hit. It seems the injury Kelly had is what slowed them down and IMO the only mistake they made is they didn't take into account the possibility of an accident/injury slowing them down when they planned the trip. But then again, the most experienced climbers usually don't do that - its us paranoid amateurs that do.

According to my climbing guide in the Adirondacks, "THE MOST AT RISK CLIMBER IS AN EXPERIENCED ONE." :-3

If any thing can comfort the surviving family members of the climbers on Mt. Hood I'd think it would be the fact that these men died doing what they loved. I know it would comfort me and I've always felt if I had to die in another way other than in my sleep I'd like it to be while I was climbing.

I haven't given up hope for these climbers. I know its crazy but I've read Joe Simpsons story, Jon Krakauers story, Nando Parrados story (surviving 70+ days in the Andes and climbing out with NO equipment), plus many more and I just believe that anything is possible unless the searchers prove otherwise. I still pray they are alive.

I think its funny how critical people are of these climbers. On CNN people have commented on how these guys took unnecessary risks to their lives. That’s laughable. We risk death every time we walk out the front door. Should we not drive because we might get in a car accident? Should we not swim because we could drown? People acquire skills so they are capable of climbing these mountains and just as people who are injured in car accidents deserve saving so do people who are trapped in mountains. Accidents happen, even to those most experienced. Its not as if someone with my level of expertise was trying to climb Mt. Hood. :rolleyes: Now that would be a death wish.

I hope they find them. Too bad they couldn't find them before the holidays.

At least for the families sake.

And wtf on the gps system. There are numerous climbers who don't use them. Whats wrong with good old fashioned skill. Just because technology exists doesn't mean it needs to be used. I don't think Sir Edmund Hillary was carrying a GPS when he summitted Everest.

Scrats just pointing out how fulfilling and adventurous their lives would be if they were smart enough to spend all day at a computer talking on a message board rather than mountain climbing, river rafting, biking, or any other physical activity out in our awesome natural world. To some life is to be experience with a mouse in hand.

GREAT POST Adam Zapple!

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:09 pm

i have certainly not criticized the men. and i am very sorry for their familes at Christmas. and for them. i followed this story with a lump in my throat. i still find it a shock that they did not prepare for unexpected contingencies. the weather can change in a heartbeat. ....all i can compare it to is my years of SCUBA diving....i would not go without a full tank of O2, checked-out equipment and gauges, some spare air, or an extra tank.

rainbowsmiles · Post by **rainbowsmiles** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:21 pm

lady cop;492645 wrote: i have certainly not criticized the men. and i am very sorry for their familes at Christmas. and for them. i followed this story with a lump in my throat. i still find it a shock that they did not prepare for unexpected contingencies. the weather can change in a heartbeat. ....all i can compare it to is my years of SCUBA diving....i would not go without a full tank of O2, checked-out equipment and gauges, some spare air, or an extra tank.

^ LadyCop, I wasn't referring to you. I was talking about the comments that came in on CNN regarding these climbers. I watched both CNN and HNN and most of the comments were so negative and OF COURSE, ALL those comments came from people who don't climb. :rolleyes: It is easy to judge another persons sport. I also scuba dive and I assure you that climbing and scuba are entirely different, especially when it comes to preparedness.

I agree that the climbers should have been more prepared as far as what the took with them and when they chose to climb but I also know that most "experienced" climbers just don't work that way. I think if they approached a long expedition or even just a day climb with the idea that an accident might occur then they probably would never go. Worrying about safety (beyond the basics) holds you back - I've seen climbers who were new to the sport have major panic attacks while climbing just because they thought too much about what "could" happen.

Climbers prepare - it took years for them to reach the level of expertise they were at. They took calculated risks and they lost. It is rare. It seems much too often to those who don't climb because we only hear about the tragedies but it truly is rare.

When my guide made the comment about "experienced climbers" I asked him what he meant. He stated that in all the years he's been a climber (which are over 30) that the most experienced climbers make the dumbest mistakes. He saw climbers with 20 + years of experience, some who have summitted some of the highest and most difficult mountains, fall because they didn't buckle their harness properly. I guess it is over confidence. I think these climbers on Mt. Hood could have been over confident in their ability to summit, get back down, and not have a single problem along the way. But I'm just guessing

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:28 pm

i'm not so sure that the 'sports' are all that different. equipment is life-support. ...ever dive the keys? (that's another thread:-6 )

rainbowsmiles · Post by **rainbowsmiles** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:34 pm

^ No, I haven't been to the Keys - Sadly, NEVER

My parents always go to Costa Rica or the Caymens and keep trying to get me to go along but I just don't have the nerve for it. Scuba diving was something I was manipulated into in the first place and I have never been that comfortable with it. I had a major panic attack during lessons when we had to remove our mask 15 feet down (in a wimpy lake) and put the mask back on. It was horrifying.

So the only time I've gone scuba diving is in area lakes and I feel safe there feeding snails to lake fish

Rock climbing I can handle because it is above water.

I know, I'm pathetic.

For me, its about control. Under water I feel so out of control. I hate the idea that if you go too deep and ascend too fast that you can get the bends. Thats why I do lakes - I stick to areas that don't go deeper than 30 ft.

For me, climbing lets me have all the control I need to feel confident. Ok, now everyone knows I'm a wimpy diver

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:36 pm

rainbowsmiles;492658 wrote: ^ No, I haven't been to the Keys - Sadly, NEVER

My parents always go to Costa Rica or the Caymens and keep trying to get me to go along but I just don't have the nerve for it. Scuba diving was something I was manipulated into in the first place and I have never been that comfortable with it. I had a major panic attack during lessons when we had to remove our mask 15 feet down (in a wimpy lake) and put the mask back on. It was horrifying.

So the only time I've gone scuba diving is in area lakes and I feel safe there feeding snails to lake fish

I know, I'm pathetic.you're not pathetic...it's not for everyone.

rainbowsmiles · Post by **rainbowsmiles** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:40 pm

Thanks LadyCop!

I wish I could get over it though because I'd love to dive somewhere where visibility is more than 3 feet. I think someday I'll get the nerve up to do some "real" diving.

I'll check out the "keys" thread - I'd love to see pictures.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:46 pm

~the fabulous florida keys~ ( 1 2 3 ... Last Page)

lady cop ................oh well, off topic, but it's my thread! LOL

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:00 pm

Have they said what kind on injury the hiker they found dead in the ice cave had.??

Not much in the new or I'm just not seeing it.

I fear they won't find them till after winter just to much bad weather right now.

rainbowsmiles · Post by **rainbowsmiles** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 7:50 pm

Shoulder or Arm injury is what I heard on CNN. I was only half paying attention at the time and the first time they said arm injury that wasn't fatal (the autopsy report indicated) but then later they said dislocated shoulder. He had been dead a few days before they found him I guess

I thought about the families over Christmas... very sad.

Thanks lady cop for the links to the pictures... I'm off to check them out right now