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

[philamena]

philamena, if Kelly James makes it, it will be an amazing miracle. He's injured, and it would be very difficult to survive this long, even without an injury draining your strength. Two people have a better chance of surviving by the simple fact of the two being together. Two body heats in a snow cave. Still, it has been five days since they left Kelly James, to try and get down the mountain--in bad weather, and that is dangerous, probably especially so to those not intimately familiar with the mountain, and more so during a crisis situation. I give them less than even odds of making it off the mountain alive, but then again I am not a mountain climber, so what do I know.

Buzz,
Thanks so much for your reply. We can have hope...hope that a miracle will occur and they will be found safe.

 

[Ca-Sun]

Certainly a real bonus to our quality thread, YaYa Actually I think this thread is a real keeper, full of interesting tidbits and aesthetic as heck! Too bad it is about such a sad situation with the weather up there. I think the two men will be found and survive. I'm hoping but not sure about Mr James. YaYai

Scandi

At this point, and given the events of last week, I just want ALL 3 to be found alive. Besides, like you said, it will be a real bonus to our quality thread. And you know how important that is!!

Interesting that you think 2 are ok and 1 is questionable - I've been thinking just the opposite.

 

[Buzz Mills]

12-06-2006 The climbers are Kelly James, 48, and Brian Hall, 37, both of Dallas, Texas; and Jerry "Nikko" Cooke, 36, of Brooklyn, N.Y. leave on their climb of Mt. Hood.

The North Face Gullies, with less snow than what's up there now, is where the 3 were climbing.

Posted on CascadeClimbers

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/...GullyDetail.jpg


12-08-2006 James, Hall, and Cooke were to meet other friends at the Timberline Lodge on Friday afternoon. They failed to show up.

12-09-2006 Friends reported the climbers missing. Hall, and Cooke, dug a snow cave for James, just below the summit, and left him to seek help.

12-10-2006 On Sunday, Hood River County officials found the hikers' vehicle parked at the Tilly Jane ski trailhead of the Cooper Spur ski area with a note.

Kelly James, injured, and in a snow cave almost 11,000 feet up on the North side of Mt. Hood, called his son Jason Sunday afternoon.

12-11-2006 911 call attempt from high on the North side of the mountain

12-13-2006 Search confined to below 7000' due to weather. 911 call attempt from near the top of the mountain at 7:20AM--no connection.

As of Weds. afternoon, no ping response from Kelly James cell phone.

12-14-2006 Bad Weather

12-15-2006 Bad Weather

 

[scandi]

I think that because when he called his son he told his mom dad didn't sound very good. And he's injured. He is the most acclaimed hiker though, knowsd all the tricks. It is just if he has the means to heat up liquids to keep his core warm, because I know he has masterful fortitude from what they have said about him.

I did read on your blog tonight about snow caves. Interesting. The guy said what these guys are doing now is laying on their backpacks to insulate themselvse from the coldness of the rock or ice they are laying on. And they are always adding snow to their water bottle to melt it.

Scandi

 

[Ca-Sun]

Detail of the North Face Gullies, with less snow than what's up there now.
This is where the 3 were climbing.

Posted on CascadeClimbers

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m140/ImSun/NFaceGullyDetail.jpg

 

[scandi]

Gee, I have the feeling the guys on that Climbing site take these photos.
They are really wonderful photos - not at all the average ones we see.

What an interesting study in a rock formation gradually breaking apart over the centuries. How in God's name would you even begin to know how to move your body up that keen slope.

You know Hood is a volcano, and here in Oregon we often speculate on when she'll blow. There are often articles about it in the paper and being in the Ring of Fire they say she will erupt. Could be a week from now or 200 years. She is very active earthquake wise, and every once in awhile her heart will beat extra hard and send everyone in Portland crazzzzy. LOL

Scandi

 

[czechmate7]

12-14-2006 There is a break in the weather and all 3 are rescued! :clap:

Have they found them????

 

[RoughlyCollie]

Have they found them????

NO! The poster was adding to the purported timeline of events with a prediction of the future -- this was last night.

 

[AlwaysShocked]

In my opinion, that post should be removed because it is misleading.

 

[Ca-Sun]

In my opinion, that post should be removed because it is misleading.

Sorry for the confusion. The post has been removed.
I thought it was obvious that I was trying to add some hope to the rescue efforts.

 

[Ca-Sun]

Here is a good link talking about the impossible conditions the rescuers are facing. http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1166068514150440.xml&coll=7&thispage=1

 

[JerzWhim]

With all this frustrating weather and the governor talking about daily costs, is there a point when the search will be called off? It seems to me that the search should continue until all three are brought off the mountain dead or alive (like they do in the military).

I am curious though if the same applies to ordinary people in cases like this. Have searches been called off before?

 

[Buzz Mills]

Mt. Hood climber's cell phone silent

COOPER SPUR, Ore. A Nevada air crew plans to make another run early today as the search continues for three climbers stranded in Oregon's Mount Hood.

Two of the men are from Texas and the other is from New York.

A cell phone that was the last link between rescuers and a lost climber -- was silent yesterday.

Kelly James of Dallas used the phone Sunday to tell family members his party of three was in trouble. He told them Brian Hall of Dallas and Jerry "Nikko" Cooke of Brooklyn had left for help.

Rescue workers and T-Mobile officials said the cell phone initiated a call Monday morning that didn't get through.

The phone stopped responding to the signals, or "pings," that technicians had been sending in hopes of raising a response and fixing the location.

Stormy weather yesterday kept searchers from getting higher than about seven-thousand feet on the mountain. Winds prevented rescuers from launching drones but there are plans to try again today.

http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5812834&nav=1TjD

 

[Buzz Mills]

12-06-2006 The three experienced back-country enthusiasts, 48-year-old Kelly James, of Dallas, Tex., Brian Hall, 37, also of Dallas, and Jerry "Nikko" Cooke, 36, of New York City, set out last Wednesday to climb the treacherous North Face of Mt. Hood, using a technique known as a "rapid ascent". They were carrying a minimum amount of gear and planned to climb to the 11,239-foot summit and descend to their base camp in just a couple of days. The Tilly Jane Trailhead is at 3900'.

12-07-2006 The three spent the night in the Tilly Jane warming shelter, located at 7000'. The cabin is left open for skiers and climbers to use. It is maintained and stocked with firewood by volunteers. A note was found in the log book that was left by the three men. The note read “12/7/06, Thanks for your hard work on this great Shelter. We did not plan on staying, but the warmth of the fire changed our minds. We climb as a group of 3 and we left a $20 bill. We will leave tomorrow for the north face! Wish us luck! Nikko, B Hall, Krazy Kelly”

12-08-2006 James, Hall, and Cooke were to meet other friends at the Timberline Lodge on Friday afternoon. They failed to show up.

12-09-2006 Friends reported the climbers missing. Hall, and Cooke, dug a snow cave for the injured climber Kellt James, just below the summit, and left him to go and seek help. The climbers had a minimal amount of food but could subsist for some time on the water in snow, and they were at least dressed adequately for the subzero temperatures that can rake the summit.

12-10-2006 On Sunday, Hood River County officials found the hikers' vehicle parked at the Tilly Jane ski trailhead, located at 3900', of the Cooper Spur ski area, with a note.

Kelly James, injured, and in a snow cave almost 11,000 feet up on the North side of Mt. Hood, called his son Jason Sunday afternoon. Kelly sounded disoriented and said he had run into trouble, but did not specify a physical injury.

12-11-2006 Monday, 7:20AM 911 call attempt from high on the North side of the mountain. Call did not get through.

12-12-2006 Tuesday, the cell phone stopped responding to the signals, or “pings,”

12-13-2006 Wednesday, Search confined to below 7000' due to weather.

12-14-2006 Thursday, Plans call for two staging camps on the north and south sides of the mountain so teams could head to the summit quickly if the weather breaks. Winds near the summit are likely to surpass 100 mph Thursday before easing.

 

[scandi]

They say the rain will be especially bad today in the Portland area - it woke me up this morning, and the high winds will hit here about 1pm. 80mph in Port, 100 at the Coast and up on Hood. A narly day to say the least.

Hope the guys are still OK. One thing I heard last night on the news is that when you are in a waiting situation like this in an ice or snow cave, you only think about the immediate and surviving, and not about the future. That keeps them focused hopefully.

Scandi

 

[Ca-Sun]

This morning's news conference scheduled for 9:00 am has been delayed about 15 minutes because they are waiting for Kelly James's wife who will be speaking. You can watch it live at www.katu.com

 

[Ca-Sun]

They say the rain will be especially bad today in the Portland area - it woke me up this morning, and the high winds will hit here about 1pm. 80mph in Port, 100 at the Coast and up on Hood. A narly day to say the least.

Hope the guys are still OK. One thing I heard last night on the news is that when you are in a waiting situation like this in an ice or snow cave, you only think about the immediate and surviving, and not about the future. That keeps them focused hopefully.

Scandi

Good Morning, Scandi. Yikes, the weather looks terrible up there today. Hope your power stays on.

 

[Buzz Mills]

They say the rain will be especially bad today in the Portland area - it woke me up this morning, and the high winds will hit here about 1pm. 80mph in Port, 100 at the Coast and up on Hood. A narly day to say the least.

Hope the guys are still OK. One thing I heard last night on the news is that when you are in a waiting situation like this in an ice or snow cave, you only think about the immediate and surviving, and not about the future. That keeps them focused hopefully.

Scandi

Thanks Scandi, keep us informed--and stay warm and safe.

 

[czechmate7]

Sorry for the confusion. The post has been removed.
I thought it was obvious that I was trying to add some hope to the rescue efforts.

Sorry, I was just skimming through the post and it caught my eye...

 

[Buzz Mills]

Morrison nonprofit sends drones to seek climbers

A Morrison-based company sent several small, heat-seeking unmanned airplanes to help in the search for missing mountaineers on Oregon's Mount Hood.
The nonprofit ARACAR company provided Nighthawk drones equipped with streaming video and a thermal imaging system that might be able to spot body heat, said Chris Nagelvoort, the company's director of operations.

Blinding snow and powerful winds hampered the rescue effort Wednesday. But Nagelvoort said the hand-launched unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, will join the search as soon as weather allows it.

"We have it all set up and ready to go. We're just waiting for the wind to subside," Nagelvoort said Wednesday night from a base camp on Mount Hood.

The company had three Nighthawks on-site Wednesday, and two more UAVs were expected today.

Nighthawks were developed for the Defense Department and have been used in Afghanistan and Iraq, said Michael Pierce, the company's assistant director of support.

The propeller-driven planes have a wingspan of roughly 2 feet and can fly 90 minutes before requiring a battery change.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5213052,00.html