OR OR - Kelly James (dead), Brian Hall, 37, Jerry Cooke, 36, Mt. Hood Climbers, Dec 2006

[Ca-Sun]

People are quick! I just found this under Mount Hood, Climbing Accidents on Wiki

The attraction of Oregon's highest point, easy access and lack of technical climbing challenges lures many to climb Mount Hood. However, the Cascade Range weather patterns are unfamiliar to many, even local residents. Many are seduced by gentle wind and warm air at access points, only to encounter 60 F temperature drop in less than an hour, with suddenly increased sustained winds of 60 mph and more, with visibility going from hundreds of miles to arm's length in the same span of time. That pattern fairly well describes what happened in the December, 2006, story.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Hood#Climbing_accidents

 

[dark_shadows]

Here is the latitude and longitude for Mt. Hood

45°21'55.72"N
121°41'52.10"W

Thank-you Buzz.:blowkiss:
Respectfully,
dark_shadows

 

[Buzz Mills]

At sunrise this morning (Saturday), the sun was shining brightly, as evidenced by the picture from the upper lift at Timberline. Within just a few minutes, the sun went behind the clouds and that was the last I saw of it for the remainder of the day, and as the day went on, it became evermore gray and overcast. Let's all hope that tomorrow is a much better day.

 

[Buzz Mills]

12-16-2006
Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center
Timberline Lodge, Oregon

Live cams:
http://www.skihood.com/cams/mhmtop.jpg

http://www.skihood.com/cams/vista.jpg

http://www.localsnow.org/meadows.htm

http://www.kgw.com/livecams/popup_timberline.html


Temps/Winds/Precipitation
http://www.nwac.us/products/OSOMHM

http://www.nwac.us/products/OSOTML

http://www.nwac.us/products/OSOGVT

 

[Ca-Sun]

Video from the C-130

http://www.katu.com/news/local/4937871.html?video=pop&t=a

 

[Sundayrain]

Me too Mama :blowkiss: I wonder what they do when they have to go pp. Only the big caves have a bathroom!

Buzz, I adore you, but for the life of me can not figure out that chart, and it is 5000' too low. Do you know what it is up at the summit tonight. I read at the CC blog that Kelly James is JUST below the summit. To me that means right at about 11,200'.


Scandi

One of the climbers explained that..(LOL)......on Cascade.....
and venting is needed due to carbon monoxide.....( good golly)
I can't figure the charts either......I think they have gotten to 8,500 feet.....is that what you have heard? Or there abouts? They need to get to 11,500....they think..........Randy Knapp was on TV last night he survived SEVENTEEN days in a snow cave.....So this can still be the answer to our prayers. They can make it........Today is SUNDAY......lets go getem"

 

[Floh]

Nearly 6:30 a.m. in the Hood right now and i'm anxiously awaiting news. i so hope SAR'll be able zoom in and scoop them up.

i have great hope a snow cave has been constructed by the fit of the three and they're belting out rock songs to pass the interminable time.

The Randy Knapp survival story -

It's been almost 31 years since Randy Knapp and two high school friends emerged from their 13th night in a wet, cold snow cave on Mount Hood, where they held onto hope through prayers and struggled to survive while a snowstorm raged outside.
As the years passed, Knapp, 48, a finish carpenter and part-time pastor who lives in Medford, refused requests for interviews. But Thursday, as headlines detailed the unfolding drama of another Mount Hood climbing party in trouble, the father of two said he wanted to give the climbers' families some hope.

More: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1753891/posts

ETA: don't bother with the pluriel comments after this wonderful story.

 

[RoughlyCollie]

Hi Scandi,

I thought the article was very hopeful. I think if Kelly is injured, it would be hard for him to move around, so he put the climbing gear out there to signal to the searchers.

I hope they find the climbers alive and well today. After the James Kim tragedy, it would be wonderful to have something good happen. Of course, that James' family was rescued is great, but it was devastating to have him found dead after all that.

These climbers are in a different boat since they were prepared and experienced to deal with situations like this. Therefore they must have made some plans about what to do if the weather changed on them, like it did. If anyone knows what to do in situations like this, those three guys do!

Kelly has 4 kids and I think I read that they are up in Portland with their Mom. Those kids need their father to come off that mountain alive. At first, I thought maybe she shouldn't have brought the kids with her, then I looked at my brood and realized that there is no way they would have been left behind.

I thought this was interesting, and don't know if it is already posted here:

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1166329517283160.xml&coll=7 Shows our PMA {positive mental attitude} about these guys being found and coming off that high mtn.

 

[Buzz Mills]

12-16-2006
Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center
Timberline Lodge, Oregon

Live cams:
http://www.skihood.com/cams/mhmtop.jpg

http://www.skihood.com/cams/vista.jpg

http://www.localsnow.org/meadows.htm

http://www.kgw.com/livecams/popup_timberline.html


Temps/Winds/Precipitation
http://www.nwac.us/products/OSOMHM

http://www.nwac.us/products/OSOTML

http://www.nwac.us/products/OSOGVT

It's clear and cold this morning, and the winds have subsided; let's hope they stay down. Daylight shortly; it would be nice if the sun shows through this morning.

The C-130's didn't pick up anything overnight. The helicopters should be flying soon, if they aren't already. Let's hope they are able to drop some S&R teams on top this morning, and allow them to work down. Also they will be able to check out the climbing gear they saw at the end of the day yesterday.

 

[RoughlyCollie]

I saw that last night. It was cool! It was too short, though. I wish they'd do that for the entire search so we could follow along. OTOH, I'd be glued to it all day instead of getting ready for Christmas.

Video from the C-130

http://www.katu.com/news/local/4937871.html?video=pop&t=a

 

[RoughlyCollie]

That is a great story, Floh. I can just imagine how one of the kids' father felt, as part of the search party, when the boys showed up.

The problem with FR, though, is that so many people are negative in another thread I read about this story. So I quit reading the comments.

Nearly 6:30 a.m. in the Hood right now and i'm anxiously awaiting news. i so hope SAR'll be able zoom in and scoop them up.

i have great hope a snow cave has been constructed by the fit of the three and they're belting out rock songs to pass the interminable time.

The Randy Knapp survival story -

It's been almost 31 years since Randy Knapp and two high school friends emerged from their 13th night in a wet, cold snow cave on Mount Hood, where they held onto hope through prayers and struggled to survive while a snowstorm raged outside.
As the years passed, Knapp, 48, a finish carpenter and part-time pastor who lives in Medford, refused requests for interviews. But Thursday, as headlines detailed the unfolding drama of another Mount Hood climbing party in trouble, the father of two said he wanted to give the climbers' families some hope.

More: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1753891/posts

 

[Buzz Mills]

Am I seeing blue sky this morning?? Looks good to go.

http://www.skihood.com/cams/mhmtop.jpg

 

[RoughlyCollie]

It looks blue, and clear, and beautiful to me.

Forecast is clear and cold with temps climbing into the 20s.

Am I seeing blue sky this morning?? Looks good to go.

http://www.skihood.com/cams/mhmtop.jpg

 

[RoughlyCollie]

New article: Profiles of 3 missing climbers:

http://www.oregonlive.com/newslogs/...e_oregonian_news/archives/2006_12.html#216494

 

[cricket]

from Oregonlive.com:

Mount Hood forecast: "nice day" for searching
Mount Hood will be clear and cold today -- "a pretty nice day" for searching, said Dave Elson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Elson said high clouds may drift over the mountain, but searchers should not encounter problems with visibility today. He said temperatures will start out in the teens and will climb into the 20s by afternoon.

Searchers have begun their trek up the mountain this morning; avalanche danger remains high
Forty-six searchers will trek up Mount Hood today in search of three climbers stranded for more than a week on the storm-ravaged mountain. Most of the climbers set out about 6 a.m. with one team planning to strike out later in the morning. In ideal conditions, the climb to the peak takes about six to eight hours from the Cloud Cap Inn.
Three teams will attempt the summit today, said Deputy Brian Rockett with the Hood River County Sheriff's Department.

The weather will offer some sun breaks at the summit today, though conditions will remain very cold and windy. Rockett said teams on the mountain Saturday did avalanche tests so they may be able to move more quickly up the mountain this morning.



Link:
http://www.oregonlive.com/newslogs/oregonian/index.ssf?/mtlogs/olive_oregonian_news/archives/2006_12.html#216494

 

[Buzz Mills]

Here comes the sun!!

http://www.skihood.com/cams/mhmtop.jpg

Yesterday, the sun was only out for 5 minutes--let's hope it stays out today.

 

[cricket]

Here comes the sun!!

http://www.skihood.com/cams/mhmtop.jpg

What a beautiful sight!

 

[LaMer]

Nearly 6:30 a.m. in the Hood right now and i'm anxiously awaiting news. i so hope SAR'll be able zoom in and scoop them up.

i have great hope a snow cave has been constructed by the fit of the three and they're belting out rock songs to pass the interminable time.

The Randy Knapp survival story -

It's been almost 31 years since Randy Knapp and two high school friends emerged from their 13th night in a wet, cold snow cave on Mount Hood, where they held onto hope through prayers and struggled to survive while a snowstorm raged outside.
As the years passed, Knapp, 48, a finish carpenter and part-time pastor who lives in Medford, refused requests for interviews. But Thursday, as headlines detailed the unfolding drama of another Mount Hood climbing party in trouble, the father of two said he wanted to give the climbers' families some hope.

More: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1753891/posts

Hi Floh, and thanks so much for your link. I followed another link from the messages, which followed the article, and found some great posts made a poster named Ryland Moore.

http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/616247/page/1/fpart/19

 

[Floh]

That is a great story, Floh. I can just imagine how one of the kids' father felt, as part of the search party, when the boys showed up.

The problem with FR, though, is that so many people are negative in another thread I read about this story. So I quit reading the comments.

Yesss! i was sorry the story appeared on that site and concentrated only on the article. which is WONDERFUL! :woohoo:

 

[Floh]

Hi Floh, and thanks so much for your link. I followed another link from the messages, which followed the article, and found some great posts made a poster named Ryland Moore.

http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/616247/page/1/fpart/19

Yes. i read his positive comments earlier and posted the link a page before this one. gives great hope and everyone should read what he has to say about staying alive in a snow cave! :woohoo: