Oregon rescuers search for missing climbers

CNN.com ^ | 12/11/2006 | Staff writer

[surfer]

PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) -- Rescue teams headed up the flanks of Mount Hood on Monday to search for three climbers reported missing in heavy snow, the Hood River County sheriff's office said.

The mother of one of the men said he had called his son on a cell phone to say he was stranded in a snow cave just below the summit of the 11,235-foot peak while his companions went for help.

"From the conversation, it left us very concerned for the person's welfare," Hood River County Chief Deputy Jerry Brown said.

Snow was falling heavily Monday at Timberline Lodge, where the three were to have met friends on Friday or Saturday, and a winter storm watch was in effect for the area at least through Tuesday. The Oregon Air National Guard had a helicopter on standby in case the weather improved.

The route the climbers took is very difficult, with slopes of 50 or 60 degrees and occasional sheer walls of ice, said Steve Rollins, a rescue leader with Portland Mountain Rescue, which sent two teams up the mountain.

"There is more than 2,000 feet of that terrain," he told The Associated Press.

Rollins said conditions on the mountain were deadly. There is "very hard ice, coupled with very high winds. You have a lot of snow on very hard ice. There is no easy way off the mountain," he said.

...

[surfer]

Another group of people missing Oregon. Anyone have any information that could be helpful?

[Enchante]

A winter climb in the Cascades is extremely serious business - they'd better be exceptionally experienced and well-equipped even to have thought about such a thing, but the article says they took only "minimal" gear so they may not be the sharpest tools in the shed. Of course, lots of people get away with zipping up and down Mt. Hood in a day, but it's the very accessibility that helps to make it a death trap to many people who shouldn't be there......

[surfer]

Based on family member responses they are experienced climbers with global climbing experience including McKinley.

It says they created a snow cave just below the summit. They were going to take one of the 3 variations up the north face. Does anyone have direct experience with this route on Mount Hood?

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

It is ridiculous for anyone to be climbing Hood at this time of year. They put others in danger because of their arrogance.

[Old Professer]

Going to be a long wait for Global Warming to rescue them; might have to use a bunch of CO2.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

They sound like a lot of people in the Northwest who I knew when I lived there who think that, because they live in the Northwest and are regarded by the rest of the country as hardy mountaineers, they are natural mountain climbers who can just head out for a "day on the hill."

There's a reason a few people die every year in those mountains and dozens are lost and require rescue teams to carry them out. It's because they have no idea how much skill, training, and preparation it takes to climb in the Cascades year-round, let alone during the winter.

Yet the Left wants to penalize people eat fast food while each of these rescue operations costs in the tens of thousands depending on the difficulty of the rescue.

[2banana]

The Oregon wilderness is kicking our butt, it is a quagmire...we need to pull out.

[rabidralph]

Maybe they were taping an episode for one of Discovery Channel's adventure shows.

[Niteranger68]

I hope they prepaid for their rescue. Otherwise, leave them there until rescue personnel are bored or need a training mission.

[Salvation]

Oregon Ping

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Oregon Ping List.

[Abigail Adams]

LOL! Well, this is a tragic situation, and I hope they are able to rescue all the climbers.

[daybreakcoming]

they are natural mountain climbers who can just head out for a "day on the hill."

A cousin's husband was one of those until he had a close call on Mt Hood. He found another hobby.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

Climbing routes on Hood per www.mountain-guiding.com

[Abigail Adams]

I heard on radio news that rescuers are going to try searching again today. Forecast is for heavy snow.

[Abigail Adams]

Interesting article here:

http://www.startribune.com/484/story/870006.html

[Abigail Adams]

Any news today on the rescue?

[Plutarch]

Whats with all this media attention for the lost climbers, and before that the lost Kim? None of these lost persons were pretty young women, so nobody is supposed to care.

[onehipdad]

Visit oregonlive.com for latest news. Doesn't look good, snow today and tomorrow and heavy winds tomorrow night.

[surfer]

More info...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,236182,00.html

Also www.kgw.com typically has good coverage.

T-Mobile is reporting they are still getting pings from one of the climbers phones and have pinpointed his location within 500 meters. SAR just needs a break in the weather.

http://www.skimountaineer.com/CascadeSki/CascadeWebCams.php

Here are some webcams if you want to check the weather up there.

Hopefully they will be found alive.

[Abigail Adams]

Thanks for the links! I do hope they get a break in the weather soon.