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

[Lurker Steve]

I think I'd rather die doing something I truly loved and lived for, than in an office of a heart attack or in some nursing home.

Having seen the photos on CascadeClimbers - and knowing some of the views I have seen from the mountains in this area - you're always taking a risk when heading off into the woods, or on a mountain. There are no guarantees in life.

 

[Buzz Mills]

On the news they said that Kelly James had a still camera, and they said the pictures showed they were traveling very light, and were unprepared for what they ran into.

They also said that Kelly had a shoulder injury.

 

[scandi]

Yes Steve, I hear you. But the extreme sport of Mountainering on the ultimate slopes that were very difficult and primed for danger with every decision and step - that should be for men or women who are on their own with no responsibilities. One slip and that is it! A huge slide down a glacier into oblivion, and who wants to take that ride, especially if you have a partner roped to you.

I read about a famous mountaineer tonight who climbed one of these well known mountains and he disappeared, was lost and his body has never been found. Look at Hyerdahl - he was so great, so supreme in this sport, and got swallowed up on Mt Rainier. Not even Everest. Very dangerous. I look at the walls going straight down, pure vertical from the summit on the north side and I think, well you would have to be on a different plane in life to even think of doing it. Guess I'm :chicken:

Scandi

 

[scandi]

I read in one link Buzz that he had a badly broken arm. Whatever, that was unfortunate. To get out of there he needed all four appendages they said tonight on TV. Scandi

PS: Boy, I'm suddenly turning very cynical which I don't like. Think I need to relieve this stress. I want to investigate, not judge someone!

 

[Buzz Mills]

Search pinpoints perilous area
Disturbing details surface, possibly indicating a fall, as Kelly James' body is taken off Mount Hood
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
ERIC MORTENSON
The Oregonian
HOOD RIVER -- Clues to the last known location of Brian Hall and Jerry "Nikko" Cooke began to emerge Monday as searchers launched a more focused effort to find the two missing climbers on Mount Hood.

Footprints and equipment left at a hastily dug shelter indicated that after leaving to get help for injured climber Kelly James, Hall and Cooke found themselves at an area called "the gullies" above Eliot Glacier, where they would have confronted howling winds and blowing snow. If they fell while attempting to descend, they faced a steep, 2,500-foot drop, Hood County Sheriff Joe Wampler said.

http://www.oregonlive.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/news/116650411780180.xml&coll=7&thispage=2

 

[scandi]

There are a lot of inaccuracies in that link. Written fast, which is understandable. Scandi

 

[Buzz Mills]

It is considerably warmer tonight at 6,000'-7,000', about 10 degrees warmer, than it was last night at this time. If this warming trend continues through the night, the avalanche danger tomorrow could increase dramatically.

 

[scandi]

Thanks for that info Buzz. If that is the case I don't think they will go. The avalanche expert is one of the backbones of the search, in fact I think he led the search on Sunday. An older guy, but very savy!

Scandi

PS: What are the winds like?

 

[dark_shadows]

Forgive me, but I am just wondering why the media is speculating that the 2 men left an injured Kelly to get help. Is it solid that Kelly was alive when the men set out on foot?

Respectfully,
dark_shadows

 

[scandi]

Hi Dark_Shadows,

I think maybe Kelly's two friends realized it was a life or death situation. He was evidently injured to the point that he could never make it down on his own. You need both arms and legs to do this. He was missing one of the necessities, an arm. I read somewhere he had a badly broken arm. Buzz read a link that evidently said it was a shoulder injury. Whatever, it was bad. And that was at the beginning. We think the two made that cave on Fri eve and left Kelly there the next morning to go get help for him to get off the mountain. Vertical walls of ice going down to the top of the glacier, and they could never carry him.

A very sad situation. They really loved their friend. They made a great, well made ice cave the Sheriff said, and I think it was because they knew they would have to leave their friend there. That was on Sat morn. Kelly was not doing well on Sunday when he called out. I think he lasted till Tues morn, or whenever he turned the cell on and then off right away. He did codes with the phones his wife said. I think it was his code to tell the world he would be gone very soon. On and off right away. Gone.

Nitey Nite Dark_Shadows Scandi

 

[RoughlyCollie]

Scandi, I, for one, do not want you to delete this post. Probably because I agree with you.

True, anyone can die at any time, just crossing the street, for example. But the odds of dying while mountain climbing are significantly higher. That's why life insurance for those who practice extreme sports is so high.

I think of Kelly's youngest son, who is 12 years old. I have three sons that age (triplets) and they and I would be devastated if anything happened to my husband. I would be very angry if my husband died doing something as dangerous as mountain climbing. His responsibilities as a husband and father are more important, in my view.

I suppose I would look at it like he thought the enjoyment he got from mountain climbing outweighed the pain and hardship he would leave behind for his family. Knowing that he died doing something he loved would not be a good substitute for not having him around. Knowing he died in severe pain, cold, alone, wet, hungry, thirsty, and afraid would not be much comfort either.

I think that when a person becomes a parent, giving up things one used to enjoy or buy or be or go to or whatever, is part of the picture.

Whatever happened up on that mountain was a tragic accident. I hope the risk was worth the price, to those involved. It wouldn't be to me and my family.

There is a trip report posted at Cascade Climbers on the new thread (the first was locked due to length, but the link is at the end of it). It tells of a harrowing, dangerous experience Jerry Cooke had when climbing Mt. Ranier. Out of nowhere, an accident can occur that is deadly -- Cooke and his partner lived through that one.

http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/foru...=Fuggedaboudit&topic=0&Search=true#Post481415

That said, if these men wanted to do what they did, with the blessings of their families, then that's okay with me. I don't pretend to understand why someone would pursue a dangerous sport, since I am not someone who would do that myself -- I'd be too scared.

This extreme sport is a fantastic one. It is also a very selfish one, motivated by savoring every spark of the experience to beat defeat, and let the fear that could devestate you turn into your reason for living when you beat it and succeed in your climb. Living on the edge.

To be married, have 4 children, a life so blessed with a wife who adores you - or maybe she doesn't. I don't know. In that place in life why would you risk dying, when any wrong move on your part might send you to your death on the mountain.

I just hope his wife accepted him for what it was that she loved, and took her place as second and it didn't matter what place she was. Everyone does what they have to or want to do in living their life. I just think how unfair for the children he had.

Their children had no choice in choosing a father who loved the sport so much, but knew in a heartbeat that one wrong move and that could be it for this life on earth. And that happened.

If you want me to delete this I will. I just had to say something. Thank goodness I stopped, as I could have said a few more things.

 

[RoughlyCollie]

They think that happened because (1) during the phone call to his son, Kelly said the other two men had left him, and (2) ordinarily climbers won't separate from each other unless the circumstances are dire.

I think they were alive after Kelly was injured because the snow cave Kelly was found in could not have been dug by him.

Forgive me, but I am just wondering why the media is speculating that the 2 men left an injured Kelly to get help. Is it solid that Kelly was alive when the men set out on foot?

Respectfully,
dark_shadows

 

[hipmamajen]

I just finished reading a book called Where the Mountain Casts Its Shadow: The Dark Side of Extreme Adventure by Maria Coffey, which keeps coming to my mind as I read this thread and think about these climbers.

The author's boyfriend was killed as he was climbing, and she went on to interview other partners, spouses, children, etc who are left behind when these extreme climbers die. It was really interesting to see the range of emotions, some folks were just completely devastated when their loved ones were killed on the mountain, while others seemed to feel it was almost a foregone conclusion that someday they'd get this kind of news.

It was a hard read, ploughing through so many tragedies, but it was fascinating, too. I know that anyone can die at any time, but it would be so hard to love someone who routinely put him or herself in life or death situations as a hobby. I know there's a whole mystique involved that I just don't "get" so it's harder for me to picture...

As things stand right now, these climbers and their families are in my prayers.

 

[scandi]

I brought this post over from Johhny R at CC. This sounds very plausible to me:

http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/foru...showflat/Number/620992/Main/47156/#Post620992

" . .You both are asking for a lot of speculation. I'll take a shot at ONE possible scenerio but please - no spray - I'm just trying to help make some sense for those who have never been on the mountain and/or haven't been in full-on winter conditions while dealing with the stress of an injured climbing partner.

Let's assume they left the comfort of the Tilly Jane A-frame and traveled to the base of Mt Hood's north face. This is not a simple hike in winter and would take a bit of time and energy. Once at the base of the wall they would have needed to prepare their technical gear which takes a bit more time and energy and then push off onto a mentally and physically challenging route that requires more time and energy. And, due to the nature of roped climbing, 3-on-a-rope climbing adds to the slowness of the party's ascent.

Now, assume that somewhere on the north face gully Kelly falls and his arm gets damaged such that movement for the threesome is now very slow and difficult and retreat back down the gully is not an option. As there is no place to safely stop on the gully portion of the north face they push on (this effort would literally be heroic) until they get far enough above the wall where there is sufficient snow to built a snow shelter. Two digging a snow shelter for three takes lots of time and energy as does caring for their injured partner. It's winter so the days are short and they are now out of daylight and Brian and Jerry have an injured member of the party so spending the night in the snow cave is the obvious choice.

During the night the weather changes for the worse and in the morning all hell is breaking out outside. Brian and Jerry leave the cave in the morning with the idea of heading up and over the summit and descending the south side to reach help at Timberline Lodge but discover they can't see anything - it's blowing 80-100+ mph and visibility is essentially zero. They can hardly stand - crawling is the only safe option - and the wind is so loud even shouting doesn't work as well as hand signals. They've never been on or seen the south side and can't see down it now so they decide to do what most of us do - chose the known over the unknown.

Brian and Jerry retreat towards the snow cave which they know is near the top of the Cooper Spur route - a route they at least were able to recon while on their approach to the base of the north face. They decide that their best option is to attempt to carefully down climb the Cooper Spur route and to more or less retrace their steps back to the shelter of timberline and the Tilly Jane A-frame (a known shelter) and then down the Tilly Jane trail to the Cooper Spur Ski Area where they would find help. Full-on winter conditions continue as they build an anchor using their pickets. Tired, cold, hungry and thirsty with a friend and climbing partner injured and in need of help they begin their descent down Cooper Spur.

The above scenerio is completely hypothetical. . . ." Johnny R @ CC

Scandi

 

[izzyB]

This is horrible. My former bosses son Trevor Stokol was lost in Nepal last year and never found. They searched for over a week, and had to pay for much of the search themselves. This brings back a lot of memories, however this has received so much more media attention. Why do some stories get tons of coverage, and others so little? Trevor was only 25, and was due to start medical school when he returned for his trip.

i remember the article they had on this in the dallas morning news. at one time mr. izzyB had an office in the area and i would pass by your office every day. i sure did feel for his family (mom, dad and sister i believe). a young man with such a promising future.

 

[MrsMush99]

The air search has been called off:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,237382,00.html

 

[Sundayrain]

I don't know if this has been posted but a few things came out from interviews that are interesting:
James Whittaker who was the first American to climb Mt Everest and who has climbed many mountains over his years......has said that Mt Hood was as dangerous as Mt Everest. This came as a surprise to the interviewer. He noted that the winds were in line with the winds on Mt Everest. That Mt. Hood was a bit deceiving from its bace. Being quite calm and inviting..........but, up above much like Mt Everest. This being, even though it is only a third of the height.
There was also a man who spoke of teaching climbers for 40 years.......and that in all that time he always told them to never, ever, leave the snow cave.
I can imagine though that in the shape that James was in, that the climbers were hoping to get him help ASAP. I wonder what the rule is in that case........
Do you stay put, as this teacher has suggested?...........Or would your compassion for your fellow climber take hold?
Prayers for the two climbers...Miracles do happen............

 

[MrsMush99]

I'm wondering if we know when Nikko and Brian left Kelly to go find help? Was it Saturday? How was the weather on Saturday? This is so sad.

 

[Lurker Steve]

What surprises me is that they left the cell phone with James. If they knew about it, they should have taken it with them - they could have tried to use it once they got down to get help for themselves and their friend.

 

[MrsMush99]

What surprises me is that they left the cell phone with James. If they knew about it, they should have taken it with them - they could have tried to use it once they got down to get help for themselves and their friend.

I was actually surprised that there was only one cell phone.