Buzz Mills
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The Discovery Channel has a special on tonight--Everest--Beyond The Limt at 10:00PM PST.
OR OR - Kelly James (dead), Brian Hall, 37, Jerry Cooke, 36, Mt. Hood Climbers, Dec 2006
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Mygirlsadie
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Your right it is a matter of life or death and the military is trained to battle with those black hawks so I am sure they would be of wonderful use in this situation. This is a civilian thing though so I don't know about all the ''rules''... ugh! I just wish they would find them already there is too much of this going on in the last couple weeks everytime I go outside now and start to complain about the cold I shut myself up really fast. 
Sundayrain said:
Buzz Mills
New Member
It always seems that there is a day in the life of a search when optimism fades dramatically, and today, with the better weather, is sadly, that day for me. The search day is rapidly coming to a close, if it hasn't ended already. If the bad weather comes as expected, today may have been the only real opportunity they had to find the climbers alive. I hope not.
Mygirlsadie
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Aww Buzz.. don't lose hope.
Buzzm1 said:
Buzz Mills
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Mygirlsadie said:Aww Buzz.. don't lose hope.
Climbers not found; searchers turning back
The window of relatively calm weather today is closing as night falls, and searches scouring Mount Hood for the missing climbers are turning back.
A search helicopter briefly got off the ground this afternoon but couldn't rise above 6,000 feet because of powerful winds. An airplane also couldn't get close to the mountain because of wind.
One of the missing climbers is believed to be in a snow cave at 10,300 feet.
The mood is one of disappointment, said Gerry Tiffany, a detective sergeant with the Hood River County Sheriff's Office.
"The weather isn't predicted to get any better," Tiffany said.
Sheriff Joe Wampler had said that this afternoon's helicopter attempt represented the best chance of locating the climbers, who split into two groups after one was too weak or injured to carry on.
Kelly James, Brian Hall and Jerry "Nikko" Cooke set out to climb the mountain Thursday and descend it Friday. Hall and Cooke built a snow cave for James before leaving to find help.
Tiffany said searchers will regroup tonight and discuss a strategy for Wednesday's search.
http://www.oregonlive.com/
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Mountain Locator Unit could have helped two climbers
Rescuers say a Mountain Locator Unit could have made all the difference for at least two of three missing climbers on Mount Hood.
The units were created after nine students and adults from an Oregon Episcopal School field trip died in 1986 as they huddled in a snow cave or ventured out in a snowstorm in search of help. Searchers came within 15 feet of their snow cave the day before they were found.
The units are worn on a sash across the chest and are relatively light, said Steve Rollins, president of Portland Mountain Rescue. They can be rented for as little as $5 at mountain shops, including REI, Oregon Mountain Community and the Mt. Hood Inn at Government Camp. The inn is open 24 hours.
"So you can walk in at 2 a.m. in the morning to rent one if you want," Rollins said.
Rollins said the units, which were made specifically for Mount Hood, could have made all the difference in the search so far for Brian Hall and Jerry "Nikko" Cooke, who dug their injured or exhausted friend Kelly James a snow cave and sought help.
"We don't even know what side of the mountain they're on," Rollins said of Hall and Cooke.
The group left their car Thursday, reached the summit and planned to descend Friday. James' general location has been determined through his cell phone signal, but searchers haven't been able to reach him because of wintry weather.
Rollins said personal locator beacons also are an option. They can be bought, with prices at REI around $600 of $700, or rented for use in any wilderness area.
Buzz Mills
New Member
Eventually all cell phones will have GPS units in them, so a person can easily be located in cases such as this.
buzz-- you were the voice of realism last time- and i think you are probably right this time too. how many days can a person- especially an injured and distressed person- stay alive in a snow cave? not to mention the other 2 out in the elements...
Buzz Mills
New Member
I can remember building a few snow caves when I was a kid reb, and the thing I remember most was how high the humidity became in the snow cave, and how it would begin dripping. The one thing that will do anyone in, in this situation, is hypothermia, and a snow cave raises the danger of that happening--I can remember my clothing getting damp, from normal perspiration, and respiration. This can quickly lead to hypothermia.reb said:
scandi
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It is a blowing and raining in big spurts and bursts tonight in Portland. On the map I am quite close to downtown - only a 10 min drive. And I'm up about 1000' above sea level, so imagine what it's doing at Hood right now.
One of the searchers said tonight he has rescued even kids who have been in a snow cave up to a week and they were fine.
You brought me to tears when I read about my alma mater, OES Buzz. That's OK. :blowkiss: I graduated in '62 when it was St Helen's Hall, and that year they moved the school and renamed it. I can't believe it was 20 years ago that it happened - seems like only about 10 years, but perception and time can be very illusive.
What was so gut wrenching about that climb, if I remember correctly, was the snow cave they were in was not really one they made. It was existing and they stumbled across it. There was an entrance like a cave, but then it turned into a simple big, odd shaped hole in the ground. The students crammed in there to survive. It took seemingly forever for them to be found. And when the search crew spotted two students as I remember standing at the entrance to the cave, the only students that were alive were the ones on top inside that cold hole. Nine who were squished from the weight of all the other students above them were dead, and had been for days. It was absolutely he!! on earth for those simply scholarly students, which is what they all are. Very serious minded, all top notch scholars, to end up dead, and who would have all been at the top of the pick list from Universities and colleges around the world.
Major lawsuits sprouted up and I think the insurance companies paid thru the nose. The parents were all well heeled movers and shakers and were madder than hops. I'm trying to find out what was done wrong - where the fault was. Will have to find an article.
Tonight they are asking on TV for a vote from listeners, if these GPS locators you talked about Buzz should be mandatory. I would vote no. I hate too much intervention into the privacy of our lives from government. But I would vote yes for a law that says if you need to have search and rescue come for you, you pay the bill. Especially in a case like we are looking at right now.
And I don't have any reason to believe these people won't offer to help pay the bill. Even the Army S&R were there today.
Two punishing storms coming in within the next 48 hours before the lull on Friday. Let's all keep them in our thoughts and prayers, because we do know this can work miracles. Here at WS we have seen it over and over again!
Scandi
One of the searchers said tonight he has rescued even kids who have been in a snow cave up to a week and they were fine.
You brought me to tears when I read about my alma mater, OES Buzz. That's OK. :blowkiss: I graduated in '62 when it was St Helen's Hall, and that year they moved the school and renamed it. I can't believe it was 20 years ago that it happened - seems like only about 10 years, but perception and time can be very illusive.
What was so gut wrenching about that climb, if I remember correctly, was the snow cave they were in was not really one they made. It was existing and they stumbled across it. There was an entrance like a cave, but then it turned into a simple big, odd shaped hole in the ground. The students crammed in there to survive. It took seemingly forever for them to be found. And when the search crew spotted two students as I remember standing at the entrance to the cave, the only students that were alive were the ones on top inside that cold hole. Nine who were squished from the weight of all the other students above them were dead, and had been for days. It was absolutely he!! on earth for those simply scholarly students, which is what they all are. Very serious minded, all top notch scholars, to end up dead, and who would have all been at the top of the pick list from Universities and colleges around the world.
Major lawsuits sprouted up and I think the insurance companies paid thru the nose. The parents were all well heeled movers and shakers and were madder than hops. I'm trying to find out what was done wrong - where the fault was. Will have to find an article.
Tonight they are asking on TV for a vote from listeners, if these GPS locators you talked about Buzz should be mandatory. I would vote no. I hate too much intervention into the privacy of our lives from government. But I would vote yes for a law that says if you need to have search and rescue come for you, you pay the bill. Especially in a case like we are looking at right now.
And I don't have any reason to believe these people won't offer to help pay the bill. Even the Army S&R were there today.
Two punishing storms coming in within the next 48 hours before the lull on Friday. Let's all keep them in our thoughts and prayers, because we do know this can work miracles. Here at WS we have seen it over and over again!
Scandi
Buzz Mills
New Member
Scandi, climbers should be required to have a Mountain Locator:scandi said:
Mountain Locator Unit could have helped two climbers
Rescuers say a Mountain Locator Unit could have made all the difference for at least two of three missing climbers on Mount Hood.
The units were created after nine students and adults from an Oregon Episcopal School field trip died in 1986 as they huddled in a snow cave or ventured out in a snowstorm in search of help. Searchers came within 15 feet of their snow cave the day before they were found.
The units are worn on a sash across the chest and are relatively light, said Steve Rollins, president of Portland Mountain Rescue. They can be rented for as little as $5 at mountain shops, including REI, Oregon Mountain Community and the Mt. Hood Inn at Government Camp. The inn is open 24 hours.
"So you can walk in at 2 a.m. in the morning to rent one if you want," Rollins said.
scandi
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You could be right Buzz, if you equate it to wearing a helmet when biking which is required by law. We just have so many laws that there has to be a cut off point to where people doing something dangerous on their own should take responsibility for their own safety and use what has been developed that works to save lives.
It is something very positive that came out of the OES tragedy, and I can't understand why every hiker doesn't just have it on his list of necessities!
Scandi
It is something very positive that came out of the OES tragedy, and I can't understand why every hiker doesn't just have it on his list of necessities!
Scandi
All three are experienced climbers, so I'm surprised they didn't want to take that extra measure for their own safety, particularly when they were checking the weather about every hour before they went up the mountain. All I can come up with is they thought they would make it up and back down before the storm hit. Due to the weather, they have been unable to reach the Kelly James, but it is scary that they can't find the other two, and no cell phone pings either.scandi said:
if people try to make this into a law, be prepared for the "freedom fighters" who will demand to be able to climb anywhere anytime WITHOUT a locator... and then expect to be rescued immediately when something goes wrong.
Buzz Mills
New Member
There's a fairly major storm moving through the Mt. Hood area; I don't think there will be any searching today.
Scandi, please let us know of anything you hear.
Scandi, please let us know of anything you hear.
Buzz Mills
New Member
The climbers have been on the mountain for a week now. Any searching today, will be limited to below 7000'. Thery are planning on using unmanned infrared equipped search planes, donated by a company somewhere in that area. I don't think today's weather will allow their use, so all search efforts will be waiting on clearing weather.
nanandjim
Former Member
Geez. I hope that they are able to find these hikers. I hope that this case does not end up like the one where the husband left the car to look for help for his family.
From www.katu.com
LIVE AT NOON: Watch KATU News online
Watch KATU News at Noon for all the latest updates on the missing climbers and a strong wind storm headed for the Northwest.
Searchers are focusing on the mountain's lower canyons on the chance that two climbers who descended for help got that far. One climber is thought to be at the 11,000-foot level, but teams cannot go higher than 7,000 feet due to severe weather. Read more »
LIVE AT NOON: Watch KATU News online
Watch KATU News at Noon for all the latest updates on the missing climbers and a strong wind storm headed for the Northwest.
Searchers are focusing on the mountain's lower canyons on the chance that two climbers who descended for help got that far. One climber is thought to be at the 11,000-foot level, but teams cannot go higher than 7,000 feet due to severe weather. Read more »