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

[Buzz Mills]

They just said on TV that this discoloration is very unusual and so something of color is there beneath the snow. I think it has to be them, and they must not be buried too deep if they can see this discoloration through the snow, right? Hopes are up for sure.

Wampler has done such a stellar job I think, so I also want this to be them for his sake as well. If a Sheriff ever deserved a break and have the other 2 men brought off the mountain, he certainly deserves this.

Scandi, will a helicopter be dropping a search team?? Did they say where, or at what altitude, they saw the possible discoloration??

 

[reb]

<I can think of so many other ways to help the world than this form of self ego needing to be recognized>

i think that says it all. if i had a wonderful spouse, a happy marriage, a loving family, a huge incredible comfortable home, a nice successful life.. i mean... why on earth would you do this to yourself....?? i just don't get it. is the 'thrill' (or, addiction to danger and flirting with death) that strong.. to risk your life, risk your loved one's grief.. risk everything????

 

[scandi]

They didn't say, but it was on CNN that I saw the reporter. He was at the mountain. I have been flipping channels and have seen nothing else about this.

When I first heard the words 'discoloration in the snow' I looked up at the TV, and then he explained that they were getting this avalance crew to go up on the mountain right away because they thought they would have a couple of hours at least before the storm hits today. And then he repeated the part about the discoloration in the snow in one specific spot and they were hoping it was the 2 climbers.

Nothing at CC yet. The head Mod or owner closed that thread as it was so narly, and boy it sure was, and I looked through all of the threads dealing w/ Mt Hood and saw nothing about this there. There is a SAR thread and a speculation thread. I'm surprised it isn't on there yet.

This avalanche crew, can't remember where they are based out of. Have you heard Buzz? They are specially trained and this is their field of expertise. They have a number of guys attached by a rope and do like a grid search as you would do in any recovery, poking these special poles into the ice down 4-6' from what Wampler explained yesterday on TV.

I have to run and do an errand. Be back in about an hour. Darn!

PS: Several helicopters just went over my place - big ones making lots of noise. There is an frozen rain storm headed up from the south and about an hour ago it was in Salem which is south of us here. I think that is where the avalanche crew is stationed but am not sure about that. I just thought it odd to hear these huge heli's go overhead. I am right under the spot in Portland where every airplane going north into Portland to head to the Portland International Airport flies over before they turn east. The only heli's I ever hear are the traffic ones. This was unusual!

 

[reb]

<So, the bodies will just remain on the mountain for all eternity? I am having images of decaying bodies in crevasses all over the mountain>

is this *really* that shocking?? i mean, there's bodies everywhere.... in the ground decaying... all the battlefields all over the world.... people getting lost or whatever.. not everyone gets a "proper" burial. it's nothing new, nothing unusual. just part of the cycle of life, remember?
if people choose to go up onto ice-covered mountains, to places where you are obviously risking your life, then no one should be surprised if they die up there and are never found.

 

[Buzz Mills]

They didn't say, but it was on CNN that I saw the reporter. He was at the mountain. I have been flipping channels and have seen nothing else about this.

When I first heard the words 'discoloration in the snow' I looked up at the TV, and then he explained that they were getting this avalance crew to go up on the mjountain right away because they thought they would have a couple of hours at least before the storm hits today. And then he repeated the part about the discoloration in the snow in one specific spot and they were hoping it was the 2 climbers.

Nothing at CC yet. The head Mod or owner closed that thread as it was so narly, and boy it sure was, and I looked through all of the threads dealing w/ Mt Hood and saw nothing about this there. There is a SAR thread and a speculation thread. I'm surprised it isn't on there yet.

This avalanche crew, can't remember where they are based out of. Have you heard Buzz? They are specially trained and this is their field of expertise. They have a number of guys attached by a rope and do like a grid search as you would do in any recovery, poking these special poles into the ice down 4-6' from what Wampler explained yesterday on TV.

I have to run and do an errand. Be back in about an hour. Darn!

At least one of the helicopters was based in Salem, a 30 minute flight back up to Hood River--it was supposed to be on-call as needed. if they don't get up there soon, it will be days before they can try it again, as the bad weather is only a couple of hours away.

 

[scandi]

That's why I have to run an errand now Buzz. That ice storm could hit here anytime and living on a hill I might be socked in for awhile. Oh, batteries, I better get some of those too! LOL

 

[IdahoMom]

<So, the bodies will just remain on the mountain for all eternity? I am having images of decaying bodies in crevasses all over the mountain>

is this *really* that shocking?? i mean, there's bodies everywhere.... in the ground decaying... all the battlefields all over the world.... people getting lost or whatever.. not everyone gets a "proper" burial. it's nothing new, nothing unusual. just part of the cycle of life, remember?
if people choose to go up onto ice-covered mountains, to places where you are obviously risking your life, then no one should be surprised if they die up there and are never found.

It's just my opinion.

I understand the cycle of life. Thanks.

*I* view the body as the temple of the soul. I *personally* would prefer that if I had a loved one that has deceased, that they be laid to rest somewhere outside of the elements that took them. There is nothing *I* would want more than to get them off the mountain that took them.

*I* think it's disgusting to step over dead bodies while trekking up a mountain.

 

[JDB]

At least one of the helicopters was based in Salem, a 30 minute flight back up to Hood River--it was supposed to be on-call as needed. if they don't get up there soon, it will be days before they can try it again, as the bad weather is only a couple of hours away.

Hey Buzz now is the time we cross our fingers and hope. They get up there before the storm and find these two so the families can have closure.

 

[Love_Mama]

Prayers, Prayers everyone.

I'm praying for a miracle.

xxxxxxxxxxooooooooo
mama
:blowkiss: :blowkiss:

 

[Buzz Mills]

We should be hearing the results of Kelly James's autopsy today:

Autopsy for Kelly James scheduled for today; search scaled back dramatically
An autopsy will be performed today on Kelly James, the climber whose body was removed from Mount Hood earlier this week.

Dr. Larry Lewman, deputy state medical examiner, said he will conduct the autopsy today in Clackamas to determine how James, 48, died.

The body arrived Tuesday at the Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office.

James dislocated his left shoulder, so Hall and Cooke put him in a snow cave and went for help.
http://www.oregonlive.com/newslogs/...e_oregonian_news/archives/2006_12.html#217624

 

[Love_Mama]

Just announced on CNN that last ditch effort to find the climbers is in effect. no more information.Wed 12:00. noon CA, Oregon time

xxxxxxxooo
mama

 

[Lurker Steve]

*I* think it's disgusting to step over dead bodies while trekking up a mountain.

They can't do anything with the bodies. As the expedition leader mentioned, the Koreans once sent a whole team with the intent of recovering a body and were able to move it a few hundred yards before having to give up. Anyone up that high is literally using all their energy (and limited oxygen) just to move their own body.

Personally, I think the bodies should be left there, in plain sight, as a reminder. I know that if I saw that, it would temper my hubris.

 

[cynpat2000]

Prayers, Prayers everyone.

I'm praying for a miracle.

xxxxxxxxxxooooooooo
mama
:blowkiss: :blowkiss:

Im also hoping for a miracle but it just seems at this stage its going to take one.

 

[JDB]

Im also hoping for a miracle but it just seems at this stage its going to take one.

A Miracle right now . WOuld be finding them and getting them off the MT before this next storm arrives. Dead or alive.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Just announced on CNN that last ditch effort to find the climbers is in effect. no more information.Wed 12:00. noon CA, Oregon time

xxxxxxxooo
mama

Thanks for that bit of info, L_M; hoping that they will bring Hall and Cooke home to their waiting families.

 

[IdahoMom]

Personally, I think the bodies should be left there, in plain sight, as a reminder. I know that if I saw that, it would temper my hubris.

I agree that it would be a very sobering reminder of what could happen. You go up, but you may never come back down.

Thanks for that bit of info, L_M; hoping that they will bring Hall and Cooke home to their waiting families.

Yes! Prayers that they can be brought home.

 

[cynpat2000]

A Miracle right now . WOuld be finding them and getting them off the MT before this next storm arrives. Dead or alive.

Absolutely. I am hoping for a miracle that they are indeed alive. although its highly unlikely.

 

[Taximom]

<I can think of so many other ways to help the world than this form of self ego needing to be recognized>

i think that says it all. if i had a wonderful spouse, a happy marriage, a loving family, a huge incredible comfortable home, a nice successful life.. i mean... why on earth would you do this to yourself....?? i just don't get it. is the 'thrill' (or, addiction to danger and flirting with death) that strong.. to risk your life, risk your loved one's grief.. risk everything????

I'm not sure if I would mind the risk so much if the activity, say mountain-climbing, were done in better weather conditions AND the person wore or carried some type of device specifically made to help others searching for you. Not a cell-phone, etc.

Someone mentioned "Into Thin Air" and I was amazed at the strength that comes over a person when in dire circumstances. I could hardly breathe while watching that movie. I didn't know there was a series about mountain-climbing on tv though. Thanks for that interesting tidbit.

 

[Buzz Mills]

I agree that it would be a very sobering reminder of what could happen. You go up, but you may never come back down.

I remember the one guide? saying that the downed climber, underneath the rock, was there in the morning when they were heading up to the Summit; the climber that was trying to help him was on his way down from the Summit, and just hadn't seen the downed climber when he went past him in the morning. I think each team has to take some responsibility for each climber in its group. So, if his own team left him there to die, some time earlier, they should be the ones with primary responsibility for his death. I think they should have determined exactly when it was when he was left there to die. If he had any chance of surviving, that chance of survival was the greatest when he was first left, not hours later.

 

[opme]

They didn't say, but it was on CNN that I saw the reporter. He was at the mountain. I have been flipping channels and have seen nothing else about this.

When I first heard the words 'discoloration in the snow' I looked up at the TV, and then he explained that they were getting this avalance crew to go up on the mountain right away because they thought they would have a couple of hours at least before the storm hits today. And then he repeated the part about the discoloration in the snow in one specific spot and they were hoping it was the 2 climbers.

I am not seeing anything yet on the main news sites or on WRAL..