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

[Floh]

Just posted at CC:

BREAKING NEWS: Searchers find signs of one of the climbers


A helicopter surveying the Mount Hood summit this morning has captured images of what appears to be a snow cave, scattered equipment and what looks like frozen tracks in the snow.

Search organizers plan to airlift pararescuers to the summit by helicopter so they can make their way to the area by foot.

http://www.oregonlive.com/newslogs/oregonian/index.ssf?/mtlogs/olive_oregonian_news/archives/2006_12.html#216538

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

 

[Lurker Steve]

Hi Steve,

Who were Rob Hall and Scott Fischer?

Two of the best climbers - these guys made multiple summits of Everest.

Both died on there in 1996; they were guiding people up Everest when a terrible blizzard struck, and they violated some of the basic rules of Everest (if you haven't summited by 2pm, turn around.)

I highly recommend "Into Thin Air" about this tragedy. Thankfully, many survived.

You may also want to read (or rent, there's a movie version) "Touching the Void", which is about survival against all odds. Incredible story.

 

[cricket]

Fox News is saying there will be another press conference at 5 PM Eastern time, but I think this was planned anyway - before they saw signs of a snow cave.

 

[Buzz Mills]

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

Floh, you might want to hold off on an early celebration. Celebrate on survival.

 

[scandi]

Thanks Kahskye.

So many tragedies in mountaineering. I remember when Thor Heirdahl {sp} was killed while climbing at Mt Ranier. That was a very sad day, and think he got caught in an avalanche.

Today we are filled with hope for these men, and it already looks like someone's cleaning house up there on the summit!

Scandi

 

[Floh]

Floh, you might want to hold off on an early celebration. Celebrate on survival.

You are right. but it's making me feel even more positive, this news. i can't help it.

 

[Buzz Mills]

You are right. but it's making me feel even more positive, this news. i can't help it.

My feelings are loaded with trepidation. A week is a very long time.

 

[Floh]

My feelings are loaded with trepidation. A week is a very long time.

My middle name is Pollyanna.

 

[cwiz24]

Thanks Kahskye.

So many tragedies in mountaineering. I remember when Thor Heirdahl {sp} was killed while climbing at Mt Ranier. That was a very sad day, and think he got caught in an avalanche.

Today we are filled with hope for these men, and it already looks like someone's cleaning house up there on the summit!

Scandi

Maybe you're thinking of someone else, scandi? Thor Heyerdahl was an adventurer famous for the Kon-Tiki expedition. He died of a brain tumour in Italy.

 

[cricket]

Fox News is saying that a Y or an X are symbols left by climbers.


Hood River police on the phone now referring it to as a Y - it looks like a Y, meaning Yes, we are in the snow cave.

also saw rope.

 

[Ca-Sun]

Updated aricle from Oregonlive.com

[font=arial,sans-serif]Sunday, December 17, 2006[/font]

[font=arial,sans-serif]BREAKING NEWS: Searchers find signs of climbers



A helicopter surveying the Mount Hood summit this morning has captured images of what appears to be a snow cave, scattered equipment and what looks like frozen tracks in the snow, according to veteran climber and Hood River Crag Rat search and rescue member Bill Pattison.

At noon a Chinook helicopter staffed with parajumpers and medics was en route to the area where a possible snow cave has been sited along with scattered equipment and tracks in the snow.

The area is at the 11,000-foot elevation, said Marc Smith, a deputy with the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office. He said little else is known about the siting, including how fresh the tracks are and whether it appears to be the tracks of one person or more.
[/font]

 

[Sassygerl]

This is so exciting.....but why aren't they coming out...surely they hear the helicopter don't they??? Maybe they are too weak...maybe they can't hear it, in any case I'm hoping and praying for great news soon!!!!

 

[cricket]

This is so exciting.....but why aren't they coming out...surely they hear the helicopter don't they??? Maybe they are too weak...maybe they can't hear it, in any case I'm hoping and praying for great news soon!!!!

They probably wouldn't come out until the chopper is really close, since it is supposedly zero degrees outside.

The sheriff is on the phone on CNN and is saying that a chopper with at least 10-12 rescuers recently left to go to what they found. They also saw a harness tethered by a rope to the mountain. It will probably take more than an hour to know more.

 

[Ca-Sun]

Live footage on CNN right now.

 

[Floh]

Live footage on CNN right now.

Please return and report!

 

[Sassygerl]

Press conf. in 5 minutes....fresh tracks seen too from snow cave! :woohoo:

 

[cricket]

I sure hope that the other two are in that cave with Kelly James!

 

[cricket]

Fox is interviewing Randy Knapp who survived 2+ weeks on Mount Hood. He said that if you were in the cave and heard the copter, that would be a reason to throw equipment, etc. out of the cave. That it's too cold to come out, but you want to attract attention.

 

[cwiz24]

News conference just saying that they have no definitive yes or no that what they spotted is actually the climbers. People are on their way right now to investigate. They are confident that what they saw is a snow cave.

 

[LaMer]

They probably wouldn't come out until the chopper is really close, since it is supposedly zero degrees outside.

The sheriff is on the phone on CNN and is saying that a chopper with at least 10-12 rescuers recently left to go to what they found. They also saw a harness tethered by a rope to the mountain. It will probably take more than an hour to know more.

It was reported, footprints were observed leading from the rope up the mountain, but the prints were not visible further up to the top. Most likely due to the blowing snow from earlier.

It is now being said, not sure about anything having to do with the foorprints. Could have been made at anytime.

O God, I pray they are there and are ALIVE!

Latest:

Info from yesterday shrunk the circle down and also is the area of the cell-phone signal.


Possible tho they will not find anything and the circle will get larger. Dose appear to be a 'snowcave'! They believe it is a 'snowcave'.