Search Under Way As 3 Fall From Mt. Hood

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Beyond Belief

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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Three climbers fell off a ledge on Mount Hood Sunday morning, and rescuers were ascending the snowy mountain in an effort to find them, authorities said.

Jim Strovink, a spokesman for the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, said the climbers' condition isn't known. Rescuers were expected to reach the area late Sunday, but snow and strong winds were complicating efforts.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MOUNT_HOOD_CLIMBERS?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US
 
The 5 other members have been told apparently to dig a snow cave, and then there are 2 other climbers from a different team stuck at the top. White out conditions...praying they can rescue them!!!!!!
 
Fox just reported there is more people stuck on Mt Hood.
3 have fallen in a crevice.....
5 are making a snow cave......
and 2 others further up are making a cave also......
Don't know if this was the origonal group or not, it was a quick report.
 
I looked and must have missed your thread Beyond. Thanks for the quick notice, and I'm going to delete my thread so we have unified attention to follow this. Scandi

ETA: I PM'ed a Mo, Bee Bee to deete it as I can't do it! LOL
 
Ohmygosh... this is so reminiscent of the other story which had such a tragic ending. This time there are more people involved. I pray that everyone makes it out alive, but it sure doesn't sound good for the ones that fell.
 
The weather is nice in Portland, well it's not raining. But on the mountain it iw pure whiteout conditions they say, and the snow has a crispy little crunch on the top. That is not good they say, as it makes the possibility of avalanches quite high.

Wish I remembered the climbing site we read when we had that last tragedy on Mt Hood.

When in a pinch, it all comes back. Here is the climbing site, Cascade Climbers:
http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/648904/page/1#Post648904


Here is a link to KATU News in Portland:
http://www.katu.com/news/local/5923071.html


This time the Clackamas Count Sheriff is in charge of the search effort. Evidently they are on the way down the mtn with the 5 climbers in the 8 party group, and there is also a husb and wife also stranded, leaving the 3 climbers in the cravase.

One big difference this time. All climbers have GPS units on their person, and they also have cellies with GPS as well. They are sending up a snow cat to bring down the 5 men who holed up in a snow cave at the direction of LE around noon today when the tragedy was reported. One of the 3 in the cravase is an experienced climber, but there is emergent consideration right now as there isn't much daylight left today.

I just heard the husband and wife are not in danger. The climbers went up yesterday and camped last night on purpose, and tried to come down today in the middle of the storm. 70+ mph gusting winds up there now.

Looks like Mother Nature roared around noon today. I just pray that everyone is brought back safe.
 
Scandi, thank you for the link. I am praying for all of those people and their families that all of the climbers are found safe.

Is it just me? Or are there a higher number of climbing mishaps this season, I wonder.

Lion
 
Here's the other avalanche information that happened over the weekend.

HELENA, Mont. (AP) -- Weekend avalanches killed five people in Montana, Utah and Idaho, with one bruised survivor traveling miles by snowmobile and on foot to reach help, authorities said.

In Montana's Big Belt Mountains, the bodies of two snowmobilers caught in an avalanche were found by searchers early Sunday and removed by helicopter later in the day

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AVALANCHE_DEATHS?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US
 
MOUNT HOOD, Oregon (CNN) -- All eight climbers who went missing earlier Sunday on Mount Hood have been located, rescue officials said.

Two of the climbers who fell off a mountain ledge suffered minor injuries, but all others were unharmed, according to Russell Gubele, command officer for Mountain Wave Search and Rescue.

The accident occurred in white-out conditions at an altitude of more than 8,300 feet in the area of Illumination Saddle, said the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, which got news of the missing climbers shortly before noon (3 p.m. ET).
Click to expand...
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/18/missing.climbers/
 
or.jpg


Mt Hood
 
LionRun said:
Scandi, thank you for the link. I am praying for all of those people and their families that all of the climbers are found safe.

Is it just me? Or are there a higher number of climbing mishaps this season, I wonder.

Lion
Click to expand...

Hi LionRun, Great to see you! I read that a girl was hit by a chunk of ice in the last month, and a stranded climber was rescued by the SAR's in Jan I think.

We have entered a new age though in cimbing safety. All of these people today had those wearable GPS units on their person. There is a bill in the Oregon State legislature right now to make it mandatory to wear one when climbing. The tragedy in December brought the sport to its heels, and I think it will save many lives.
There is one man and 2 women in the cravase. The man is in very good shape,the two women bunged up a bit but not terribly so. The man had a cell phone with a GPS unit on it which is probably what is going to save their lives.

To fall off a ledge and slide into a crack in the snow, or cravase, means you are stuck unless someone can assist you up out of the cravase. I've read several stories about being trapped in a cravasse, staying put only by your legs planted solidly on the opposite side of the crack and your back on the other side to hold you in place. And the bottom of the cravasse is a dark clear blue if you are looking down into it!

I just heard the 3 are building a snow cave for the night, so there must be a lot that is happening I don't know.
 
Praying that everyone is rescued alive. Glad to hear the climbers are wising up and using GPS locators!
 
3 Mount Hood climbers await rescue

GOVERNMENT CAMP, Ore. - Three climbers who fell from a ledge on snowy Mount Hood on Sunday got into their sleeping bags for warmth and awaited rescue, officials said.

Rescuers were trying to rappel 150 feet to reach the climbers, but were caught in whiteout conditions. Officials were in sporadic cell phone contact with the three, and believed they were in good condition.

"They're wet, shivering and cold," said Jim Strovink, a spokesman for the Clackamas County Sheriff's office.

All three — a man and two women — were able to walk, and rescuers had earlier suggested they cautiously try to work their way down the mountain as rescue teams worked their way up toward them.

At least one of the three had a mountain locator unit, which emits signals used to find missing or stranded climbers. Rescuers were using the signals to keep track of the trio's position on the mountain.

"They're very cold," said Russell Gubele, who was coordinating communications for the rescue operation. "It's snowing heavy. Conditions are awful."

Sgt. Sean Collinson, a spokesman for the Clackamas County Sheriff's office, said the two women appeared to have suffered some bumps and bruises and their male companion is in good condition. He said all three "were in fairly good spirits when we talked to them on the phone."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070219/ap_on_re_us/mount_hood_climbers
 
Hi Buzz, Great to see you Sweetie!

The news is coming on in 20 min, so I'll see if there's anything new. I think this is crazeeee in white out conditions to have these 3 walk down the mountain in a freezing snow storm. Don't you?

The last I heard they were building a snow cave to stay warm. I wonder how they cot out of the cravasse? Guess I'm missing something. The gal on CBS said they had conflicting reports this afternoon which often happens when news is breaking.
 
Searchers are trying to triangulate their exact location right now. They can't find them even though they have had constant contact with them by phone. It sounds like they went futher down to the base of white river canyon..You have blowing ice so they are going to HAVE TO literally stumble into these people from what the news man is saying. The climbers moved from their original location WHICH is why they are having a hard time finding them.

Can you believe it! I told you Buzz, they should have told them to stay put. Smow advisory till 4am. 12 to 24" of snow due up on mountain in next 24 hours.

This is taking place on the south side of the mountain. That is where the lifts go up with skiiers.

The 5 are already back down the mountain and in good shape.

Over and out! lololol.
 
scandi said:
Searchers are trying to triangulate their exact location right now. They can't find them even though they have had constant contact with them by phone. It sounds like they went futher down to the base of white river canyon..You have blowing ice so they are going to HAVE TO literally stumble into these people from what the news man is saying. The climbers moved from their original location WHICH is why they are having a hard time finding them.

Can you believe it! I told you Buzz, they should have told them to stay put. Smow advisory till 4am. 12 to 24" of snow due up on mountain in next 24 hours.

This is taking place on the south side of the mountain. That is where the lifts go up with skiiers.

The 5 are already back down the mountain and in good shape.

Over and out! lololol.
Click to expand...
Scandi, good to see you. The climbers have a mountain locator unit too. They were only at 8300 feet to begin with. If they came down further?? Hopefully the weather will clear in the morning and they can have a helicopter pick them up.
 
Scandi, that's a GORGEOUS picture.

I'm glad this group of climbers were wise and took emergency equipment!
 
Isn't that an incredible picture of the mountain? Worthy of a watercolor maybe! LOL

Gee, I woke up and felt a bit of a chill and now can't go back to sleep thinking of those 3 people up on that mountain. Bet they are freezing, and hope the man built a snow cave for them.

Thought I might find an update about them.

See you guys in the mornign! ;} ;}
 
This article came out about 1/2 hour ago, and even though they may have found these 3 climbers, I thought the article was a really good synopsis:

http://www.komotv.com/news/5927791.html

070218searcher2.jpg


Here is one of the rescuers. They all wear red coats.
 
scandi said:
<snip> The 5 are already back down the mountain and in good shape.

Over and out! lololol.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the good news, Scandi! Now we have only the last three to worry about. Hope they are rescued soon after sun-up.
 
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