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

[Buzz Mills]

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

Precip gage not heating 12-15-06

MM/DD Hour Temp RH Wind Wind Wind Wind Hour Total 24 Hr Total
PST F % Min Avg Max Dir Prec. Prec. Snow Snow
6000' 6000" 6000' 6000' 6000' 6000' 6000' 6000' 6000' 6000'
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
12 16 0 12 95 2 5 8 339 .01 .12 13 83
12 16 100 12 95 -0 3 5 3 0 .12 13 83
12 16 200 14 96 -0 3 9 52 .01 .13 13 83
12 16 300 14 95 1 6 11 75 0 .13 12 83
12 16 400 14 95 1 7 16 80 0 .13 13 83
12 16 500 15 93 2 9 15 81 0 .13 1 83
12 16 600 15 degrees 91 2 10mph avg. 18mph max 81 0 .13 1 83

http://www.nwac.us/mtnweather.htm

Today's Sunrise: 7:43 AM
Today's Sunset: 4:27 PM

At the top of the lift
http://www.skihood.com/cams/mhmtop.jpg

At about 7:40AM, there were 5 members of S&R in the picture--it appeared as if they had just gotten off of the lift.

 

[MrsMush99]

Praying real hard here that they will be found safe and sound.

 

[RoughlyCollie]

http://www.fsvisimages.com/cori1/cori1.html#

Real time image of visibility over Mt. Hood this morning. I got the link from a Cascade Climbers' post.

Mt. Hood is on the far left side in the center. If you click on "landmarks", it is labeled.

 

[LaMer]

Please hold to your courage, trust in your faith.........
We're making progress.....our mission your fate.
There is no wind, sleet, nor snow that could hinder us there.
Our climbers embraced by a nation of prayer.

We follow your message, we're zeroing in. We fought many a mountain, and this we can win.

Your families are strong, they know you'll return. Their eyes tell
a story that many should learn.

Hold your hands up to God, he will see you through......
The mountain won't win....we're coming for you.

The snow has been blinding, the wind and the sleet....
but our boots, and our back pack, stand ready at our feet.

The might of the climbers...like a troop going to war...will push
to go onward, that's a mountaineers call.

We will find you......Lord save you......NO MOUNTAINS TOO TALL.

Sunday

Sunday, your prayer was beautiful! Thank you :angel: They are men of faith, I pray they are brought home to their families. :angel: God Speed Their Recovery! :angel: May their families prayers be answered. :angel:

 

[cricket]

[font=arial,sans-serif]From Oregonlive.com: [/font]
[font=arial,sans-serif][/font]
[font=arial,sans-serif]they are making progress this morning: [/font]
[font=arial,sans-serif][/font]
[font=arial,sans-serif]Saturday, December 16, 2006[/font]

[font=arial,sans-serif][/font]
[font=arial,sans-serif]Search team reaches 9,600 elevation this morning
Six searchers have reached the 9,600 feet level on Mount Hood this morning, the highest searchers have climbed in days.

The team just arrived at that elevation and will continue toward the summit, said Sgt. Gerry Tiffany, of the Hood River County sheriff's office. He said they will attempt the summit from the south side of the mountain, where compared with the north face the peak is easier to access.

One of the first teams to head out about 4 a.m. is now scaling Eliot Glacier.
Another team that started about 5:30 a.m. is headed to Snow Dome. Other teams will trek toward Elk Cove and Gnarl Ridge.

-Noelle Crombie
[email protected]


[/font]

 

[LaMer]

Praying real hard here that they will be found safe and sound.

MrsMush, here too, and I think we need to be praying for all of the rescuers also, who are so brave and putting their lives in danger. Thank God, the weather is cooperating today! :angel:

 

[Buzz Mills]

One search team about to scale Mount Hood summit
A team of searchers is just 1,000 feet short of Mount Hood and is preparing to scale the summit and descend the north face where one stranded climber has been holed up in a snow cave for more than a week.

Hood River County sheriff’s Sgt. Gerry Tiffany said the search organizers have confirmed that one team is about to scale the summit. They will then descend the north side.

Tiffany did not know how many searchers are on that team. He said they are reporting difficult conditions near the peak. It is windy and cold, they said.

“They are proceeding but it’s slow going at the moment,” he said.

About a half-dozen teams are scaling the mountain today in search of the stranded climbers.

Tiffany said two Black Hawk helicopters are also in the air, moving slowly up and down the mountain as they trace the most common climbing routes. He said they are looking for the men and assessing avalanche dangers for the searchers.

A C-130 military plane equipped with heat-seeking cameras is circling the mountain at 12,000 feet, looking for signs of the lost men.

http://www.oregonlive.com/newslogs/...e_oregonian_news/archives/2006_12.html#216333

 

[RoughlyCollie]

Latest from the Oregonlive.com:
Saturday, December 16, 2006

Air search yields pair of climbers on north side; searchers doubt they are the lost climbers
Searchers on a Black Hawk helicopter spotted two unidentified climbers at 9,200 feet on Mount Hood this morning, a discovery that has sent search teams scrambling to figure out if the pair are the lost men they’ve been looking for or rogue climbers.

The men were spotted about 11 a.m. from the air near Tie In Rock. Searchers think the men, who do not appear to be in distress, are recreational climbers who are either unaware of a climbing ban on Mount Hood today or ignored the order. The men did not wave or signal to the helicopter. There was no indication the men could be rescuers.

According to radio chatter about the discovery, one searcher said: “What I see is two guys about 500 yards off of Tie In Rock, sort of in the middle of the slope. Looks like one guy is standing over the top of a guy who is prone on the snow.”

If the men turn out to be unrelated to the search effort, their discovery has been distracting to the dozens of searchers scaling the mountain today in what is a major push to find three climbers who have been lost for more than a week.

Another helicopter is preparing to check out the men and a search team is being dispatched from Stone Shelter, which is about a three-hour hike to the location where the unidentified men were spotted.

Meanwhile, the first of six rescue climber groups ascending the south face cleared 10,000-foot elevation by 11:15 a.m. only to encounter white-out conditions and high winds. They immediately dug snow caves for cover.

 

[RoughlyCollie]

Okay, this is a weird coincidence. Nikko's mother is a Korean woman whose last name is Kim.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Latest from the Oregonlive.com:
Saturday, December 16, 2006

Air search yields pair of climbers on north side; searchers doubt they are the lost climbers
Searchers on a Black Hawk helicopter spotted two unidentified climbers at 9,200 feet on Mount Hood this morning, a discovery that has sent search teams scrambling to figure out if the pair are the lost men they’ve been looking for or rogue climbers.

The men were spotted about 11 a.m. from the air near Tie In Rock. Searchers think the men, who do not appear to be in distress, are recreational climbers who are either unaware of a climbing ban on Mount Hood today or ignored the order. The men did not wave or signal to the helicopter. There was no indication the men could be rescuers.

According to radio chatter about the discovery, one searcher said: “What I see is two guys about 500 yards off of Tie In Rock, sort of in the middle of the slope. Looks like one guy is standing over the top of a guy who is prone on the snow.”

If the men turn out to be unrelated to the search effort, their discovery has been distracting to the dozens of searchers scaling the mountain today in what is a major push to find three climbers who have been lost for more than a week.

Another helicopter is preparing to check out the men and a search team is being dispatched from Stone Shelter, which is about a three-hour hike to the location where the unidentified men were spotted.

Meanwhile, the first of six rescue climber groups ascending the south face cleared 10,000-foot elevation by 11:15 a.m. only to encounter white-out conditions and high winds. They immediately dug snow caves for cover.

The white-out conditions on the South side is not good news--let's hope the North side conditions are somewhat better.

 

[RoughlyCollie]

Buzz, do you think the men can hear the planes and know that S & R is on the way?

The white-out conditions on the South side is not good news--let's hope the North side conditions are somewhat better.

 

[Ca-Sun]

Buzz, do you think the men can hear the planes and know that S & R is on the way?

From what I've been reading, RC, it seems they should be able to hear the planes and they know to climb out so they can be seen. Also, one of the planes just dropped one of 5 rescuers onto the summit according to Fox.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Buzz, do you think the men can hear the planes and know that S & R is on the way?

If they are in white-out conditions, with high winds, and in their snow caves, they are probably/possibly not hearing the plane, or the helicopters. It's good that a team has now been dropped at the summit, perhaps they will be able to descend on the North side

 

[scandi]

Good morning,

I woke up really early and fell back asleep - can't believe I did that! Day of all Days. LOL

Sundayrain I really loved your poem it was so perfect. I hope one of their family members read here so theiy could read it too. Or maybe Ca-Sun could post it there at Cascade Climbers so the family could find it as they do read over there. That would be so nice.

What do you guys think about the 2 men they spotted from the air? Pretty odd coincidence they would be right there, and why would one man be prone on the ground if it was a rogue climber? Well I'll be on pins and needles untll I hear. What a true assult this was on the mountain

They just announced there will be no presser at 2 today. Probably too busy running the search which makes sense. I just hope anything new comes on as breaking news on the tube, which I am sure it will.

Scandi

 

[Ca-Sun]

Good Afternoon, Scandi. You sure must have been tired to sleep so long.

I'll be happy to post Sunday's beautiful poem, once she gives us permission. I keep checking all 5 places to hear about those 2 climbers spotted on the mountain - we'll hear something soon.

 

[RoughlyCollie]

I tried to send you a PM just now, but your box is full. Time for some housekeeping -- after you wake up, that is. :clap:

 

[RoughlyCollie]

I wondered about the prone man, too. I hope it's two of the climbers. OTOH, why wouldn't they wave at the copters?

The searchers sent to check these guys out will have to hike three hours to get to them.

I guess it will be a news break on your local station, so keep the t.v. turned on, please!!!

Good morning,

I woke up really early and fell back asleep - can't believe I did that! Day of all Days. LOL

Sundayrain I really loved your poem it was so perfect. I hope one of their family members read here so theiy could read it too. Or maybe Ca-Sun could post it there at Cascade Climbers so the family could find it as they do read over there. That would be so nice.

What do you guys think about the 2 men they spotted from the air? Pretty odd coincidence they would be right there, and why would one man be prone on the ground if it was a rogue climber? Well I'll be on pins and needles untll I hear. What a true assult this was on the mountain

They just announced there will be no presser at 2 today. Probably too busy running the search which makes sense. I just hope anything new comes on as breaking news on the tube, which I am sure it will.

Scandi

 

[Buzz Mills]

I wondered about the prone man, too. I hope it's two of the climbers. OTOH, why wouldn't they wave at the copters?

The searchers sent to check these guys out will have to hike three hours to get to them.

I guess it will be a news break on your local station, so keep the t.v. turned on, please!!!

I wonder what kind of excuse these other two climbers will have, for being on the mountain. Are they locals??

 

[Buzz Mills]

Sunset is at 4:27PM; I wonder if any of the climbing teams have plans for staying up on the mountain tonight, to continue their search tomorrow, as moderate weather is again expected. Seems it takes so much effort, and time, to get up to that altitude, that they would be better off staying up there.

 

[Ca-Sun]

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

Here's a pretty good live feed picture of Mt Hood from Timberline lodge showing weather and visability conditions.