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SammyLee
Trad climber
Memphis
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 11, 2006 - 04:43pm PT
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CNN is reporting three men needing rescue on Mount Hood. One called his son on a cell phone from an ice cave reporting that the other two had gone for help. Rescue activities are in progress but the weather is too poor for a helicopter.
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GhoulweJ
Trad climber
Sacramento, CA
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Dec 11, 2006 - 09:25pm PT
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Sending positive vibes to the climbers and the recuers.
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golsen
Social climber
kennewick, wa
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Dec 12, 2006 - 12:14am PT
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This is very sad. It is our own Everest tragedy happening right now about 140 miles away from where I live.
One of the climbers called his wife the other day from a snow cave. He didnt sound good then. Rescuers could not make the summit today due to high winds, snow and hideous weather. They are (were) on the North Face and the easiest route climbs the South Face from Timberline Lodge.
Wether forecast is for 18" of snow, and winds of 85 mph have been recorded.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003472215_webmissingclimbers11.html
In bad weather in the winter, Mountains like Hood and Rainier are deadly. My thoughts go to them. Hang in there guys!
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WoodySt
Trad climber
Riverside
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Dec 12, 2006 - 02:06am PT
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Radio tonight said that the rescuers had to retreat and had found no one. I talked to my son in Tigard, and he said another storm was coming in. This looks very bad.
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Nohea
Trad climber
Aiea,Hi
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Dec 12, 2006 - 02:19am PT
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The cascade climbers thread has allot of info even from a guy that was up searching. I wish them all the best. Hang in there!
Imua!
wil
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Hangerlessbolt
Trad climber
Portland, OR
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Dec 12, 2006 - 02:26am PT
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It's uncomfortable sitting here...just a few miles west of Mt. Hood knowing that there are folks up there in trouble...and feeling helpless to do anything.
So we hope and we pray...
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Dec 12, 2006 - 02:27am PT
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Leading edge of the latest front just went through downtown like a freight train. Hopefully they'll get a shot sometime tomorrow to go in with a chopper...
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Hangerlessbolt
Trad climber
Portland, OR
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Dec 12, 2006 - 02:29am PT
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You felt that too, brutha
Was insane up here. Lost power for a second
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Dec 12, 2006 - 02:32am PT
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poor bastards.
keep in mind they have good equipment and some mountain sense.
if they can keep out of avalanches, hunker down in somekind of shelter, and the guy on the summits injuries arn't to bad they have a good chance of being fine.
lets hope...
lets also hope for the safety of the rescue teams who will be heading back up on an unforgiving mountain with lots of fresh snow tommorow.
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Wonder
climber
WA
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Dec 12, 2006 - 02:39am PT
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Yes,
GoodWishes!
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Dec 12, 2006 - 10:13am PT
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Even if they were going "fast and light", the report said they planned on two nights out, so they have some bivy gear with them. If they're all in snow caves - by far the best shelter in such storms - they should still be OK. If...
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Dec 12, 2006 - 05:55pm PT
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bump
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Tahoe climber
climber
Texas to Tahoe
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Dec 12, 2006 - 08:06pm PT
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Man, Timberline Lodge is going to be the best stay in the world if they make it down okay.
Here's sending well wishes to climbers and rescuers up there working it out.
Please, post if you hear any further news.
Thanks,
Aaron
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Sheets
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Dec 12, 2006 - 08:37pm PT
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This is all over CNN HN right now. Nancy Grace really has no clue about what climbing a mountain in winter entails.
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monolith
Trad climber
Albany,CA
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Dec 12, 2006 - 09:15pm PT
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I hear they are still looking for mountaineers with winter experience and gear to help with search.
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Hawkeye
climber
State of Mine
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Dec 12, 2006 - 10:04pm PT
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i have not heard that. besides, unless the weather clears it is like finding a needle in a haystack. my thoughts and prayers go out to those guys. the south side of the mountain is relatively easy but not without danger, especially in a whiteout.
one of the common problems is descending the fall line. it is a relatively expansive moderate slope with no significant landmarks (at least in a storm). the bottom of the slope leads to the Timberline Ski Area and the lodge where the movie "The Shining" was filmed. The right way to hit the ski area, if i recollect, is to take a due South compass bearing. based upon the experience of these guys they would have known that, however, the searchers have been searching the area of zig zag cyn where the fall line would take you. that canyon has some cliffs and other hazards, especially after and during a significant snowfall.
i really hope they are doing alright under the circumstances.
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golsen
Social climber
kennewick, wa
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Dec 12, 2006 - 10:41pm PT
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Riley,
My honeymoon was skiing across the Wapta icefields. Luckily we had some great weather except the last day. That is a really cool thing to ski hut to hut across there. But I am damn glad it was not a whiteout. Navigating with a GPS across that would be childs play compared to a map and compass in a whiteout. I am thinking of the traverse from the North and going to the Bow Hut. I am sure there are other equally bad places. I never figured myself for a GPS sort of person but I like them now. I was out for a ski tour here and there were few tracks and it got dark. The GPS saved me 30 minutes of potential skiing around. Depends on the terrain as to how useful they are I guess. I wonder why the Kim guy didnt have one? He was an editor at that tech site. One vehicle talked to me if you plugged in where you wanna go. I hardly used it that way, the voice wasnt sexy enough...
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golsen
Social climber
kennewick, wa
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Dec 12, 2006 - 11:03pm PT
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Good story riley, I remember that area. We got a late start across Peyto Lake. As we were heading up the Glacier I told my new wife that we may not make the hut, that she should be prepared to spend her Honeymoon night in a snow cave. (No wonder that marriage didnt work). It was getting dark and visibility was poor but we were only at the foot of the Glacier when we found a little hut (not the Peyto Hut) with a ladder to the upper part where we found foan pads and shelter, it was awesome. I think they used it to monitor the movement of the glacier.
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