God help them through the night. The weather's gonna break tomorrow..............warm thoughts and prayers from Colorado

As long as they didn't ask for advice at REI....

Please say they didn't ask for beta.

My thoughts and prayers are with the climbers and families tonight... wherever they are.

Cluck, thanks for the first hand report, as well as the work you're doing.

Lets try and remember that loved ones may happen across this thread when looking for information. Keep the spray out of it.

My thoughts go out to those guys.

Man, I hope that I never have to be rescued after a trip to REI. After flying into SeaTac we stop by REI on every trip up Rainier to buy fuel, food, and even one time a head lamp cause I forgot mine. I think a few times we asked for directions on how to get to the hill.

Mean while it sounds like it is power shower on Hood. A cave is a good place to be. Hope it turns out well.

I know the guys up there can't read this right now, but I bet if you could you'd feel stronger knowing how many people out there are thinking of you and praying for your safe return. Here's to the folks from PMR, Crag Rats, and whoever else is going up there. Good luck, be safe, and know that there are a lot of people out there that appreciate what you do.

good post sweatinoutliquor. Hope they survive and have a tale to tell.

it is really quite difficult to understand just how freakin bad the weather can get in the cascades. i know i didnt get it until i had experienced it first hand.

hunker down boys!!! We're pulling for you..

* MT HOOD AREA-
Moderate to heavy rain or snow decreasing and becoming
more showery later Monday afternoon and evening. Moderate
to occasionally heavy rain or snow showers increasing
late Monday night and early Tuesday, decreasing and
becoming mostly moderate snow showers Tuesday morning.
Light to moderate snow showers decreasing mid-day and
Tuesday afternoon with some partial clearing. Light to
moderate rain or snow redeveloping Tuesday night,
increasing and becoming moderate to heavy late Tuesday
night and early Wednesday.

From the NW Avy Center forecast.........could be the window needed for teams to summit or get a chopper up there........

I feel for those guys tonight. I'm mostly concerned for the guy alone at the summit. They likely packed him in good with all their warm stuff and fuel.

any word on what his injuries are?

best wishes

I don't think that the spokesman for the family is a climber after seeing him on the news tonight nor do I think he is implying that because they have good equipment, they are good climbers.

The wind is howling in North Portland right now as I watch a huge doug fir in my backyard. I can only imagine what the winds are like up high. I pray that the snow cave holds up in this storm and that they are snug and safe, they keep the airway open, and they return to solid ground tomorrow.

It is easy to armchair quarterback situations like these, but I myself was talking to friends about heading up Saturday morning for a ski descent down the Wy'East route and we bailed due to weather. Could have easily been anyone of us up there, especially with how good conditions were late last week and before the weekend. The Cascades do and always will humble me.

Cluck, Iain and others of PMR and HRCR, plus all the guys at the sherriff's offices, thanks for all of your hard work and putting your lives at risk to save others. Godspeed.

Just heard about this on the radio today. Lots of information doesn't seem to be adding up. Are the experienced or not, if so, why do they have to buy gear and why did they split up.

Anyhow, I hope they get off okay but if their chances are going to be much worse if they are up there for too many more days.

Hey Tex! How's the desert? Tex, I don't think the media is covering this in an informed manner (read climber's knowledge) and they probably do not have all the details down, like we all know usually happens from previous experience. I think what the spokesman was trying to get across from the interview, was that they were well prepared and had probably stocked up on some last minute items like you or I would before a weekend in the Cascades. Maybe that the spokesman relates going to REi as buying equipment, when we as climbers all know that that is probably not the case, unless someone forgot to pack something or lost something in transit.

It sounds like they have suffiencient experience to climb the NF routes on Hood from their climbing resumes under normal late fall conditions. But I am just speculating from the climbs and routes they have been reported as climbing (Liberty Ridge was the only specific route given ) all the rest were large mountains but there is a huge difference between summitting Denali via the West Butt vs. the Cassin. That information was not given. Plus, we all know how spinddrift and high winds can turn a fun alpine route into a miserable trap fast.

I don't think we will know the full story until they are down and able to recount what happened. I pray that we will be afforded this opportunity.

Sending warm thoughts on this miserable night...

Why is it that in 2006 the north and east sides of Mt Hood do not have better cell phone coverage?

Please people, just because someone stops into REI, IME or any other gear store at the start of a climbing trip doesn't make them bad climbers. In fact, we always seem to stop at gear stores and we've often changed our minds on what long route to do and end up perhaps buying or renting lightweight crampons or axes or any clothing and gear we may not have elected to bring along due to luggage restrictions and initial objectives. Regardless of the info we had before leaving home, we also try to get beta from locals who may have been on our chosen route recently. It's the smart thing to do. Best to all involved. We here in the east have our fingers crossed.

I think it's a digital thing Gaper. I had pretty good service on the North Side of Hood with my old analog ATT cell. Switched to a fancy digital phone with verizon and now I don't get jack up on the mountain.

Here's wishin the best of luck to all of those involved.

My thoughts and prayers are with those guys.

heard on the radio that s and r is going to give it another go.

You're right. It's gotta be a digital thing. Our TV live trucks have both digital and analog phones. When we're at Cooper Spur or T-Line the digital phones don't work at all, but the analog works like a charm. Of course I've never had a problem making a digi call from the summit.

There's a WX window today. Lower winds and a little less precip. PMR, AMR and Crag Rats... you guys rock. Best of luck today. It's tough sleeping down here when you know what's going on up there...

Sending good vibes to the folks on the mountain, be they stuck or rescue folks. Be safe and come home!

Just adding my thoughts and prayers.

Everyone who's been on the hill is pulling for ya.

Hang in there fellas.

CNN story

Good luck you guys. Sending positive energy your way. Hang in there.

To the searchers: work hard and stay safe. you guys rock

Update:

http://www.salem-news.com/articles/december122006/mthoodsearch_121206.php

The press is watching us.

I'm sending out strong thoughts to everyone up on the mountain.