LHwildcats76

I'll take that bet if this is the same sheriff that waited til two days ago to give the Ranger station note to the rescue crews.

I can't see leaving a clue of "Yes, I'm here" then leaving. I'd remove the clue and take it with me to deploy elsewhere, if possible.

Anyone comment on how fresh the tracks look? Could they have been left there today?

We know Kelly used blue pads. There's a pic of one on the top of his backback in one of the internet circulated photos, the one where he is hugging his wife or then girlfriend.

I'm not worried about the bag. If the three are together, they could be sharing a bag to stay warm. Maybe moved up with a break in the weather, or who knows, partially down the other side. Once you're that high, is the worst of the north side climb over? Going up from there might be easier than going back down north face.

What is the upside down V shape made of? Snow? Ropes? The only shape I've heard mentioned was the 'Y' made by gear, which someone said means 'Yes, I'm here.' Is a snow cave suppose to grow in height in relation to the surrounding snow as snow falls on top of it? I don't know why it would do that. When you build a cave, you dig into snow already there, unless it's some sort of igloo design. I thought DISH network only receives, doesn't transmit. And any confirmation as to where the three were would have saved a week's worth of searching.

Has anyone EVER gotten a live feed on KGW to work? Every time I click the play button, it attempts to connect for two seconds, ('Connecting to media...') then says 'Ready' again. I think it's a gag by the station to see how many times people will push the button. Hope they're getting a good laugh out of it.

I presume you are talking about the local Fox affiliate. Wish I could watch it live. It's sad that the major networks won't switch to it. They've got to honor those revenue generating advertising contracts and keep the cameras on Tiger Wood's next shot. Then they want me to watch taped video of Survivor. What a joke. Once again, money rules.

I think I know the answer, without SAR or Hood experience, cause I watched today's morning press conference. Chris with Airborne said the climbers found would be airlifted directly to the hospital.

That's my point...ham radios are not an 'issue involved.' I'd rather read about horseshoe or wishbone shaped ropes if climbing gear is part of this thread, cause it's potentially relevant. The closest thing to a 'declaration' is the thread's title, '3 Lost on Mount Hood.' To me, that easily leaves the door open for it being a 'support' thread. But I find the discussion of ham radios, of which there is no evidence anywhere that they have, and to the contrary, evidence exists that they DON'T have such devices (no mention of radios in the gear inventory they wrote down at the Ranger station) so speaking for myself, to sit here and read about ham radios at a time like this when I just want to hear that they were found alive as the rescuers are so close, is equivalent to the relevancy of reading about how to grow tomatos in my backyard. Don't really care right now.

Why is this thread being used to discuss radios they don't have with them? It's irrelevant at this point.

Post deleted by LHwildcats76

When I see a 'Y' I don't call it a 'U' or vice-versa.

I'd feel better if they'd come out of their caves and wave.

Carolyn, once he's found, may I suggest a celebratory hike for all interested parties up Mt. Hood IN JUNE? Count me in.

Great photo utah. 1) It was reported that Kelly told his family via cell that he was just below the summit. That would be JUST below the summit. We're looking at the very peak of Mt. Hood in that pic, right? 2) Which rock is Tie In Rock? Are the two people standing on it? I don't see a rock that stands out as prominent. 3) Is that point where the men are standing about as high as people go when they set out to reach the summit, or are there folks who actually try to go stand on top of the peak, risking losing their balance and falling down the apparent 80 degree drop to the right of the two men in the photo? 2pm seems like a little early to hold a press conference. The SAR folks haven't even had time to come down and brief. I'm trying to view the KGW stream, and it won't work. The other station requires yet another program to download to get it to work. I'd rather avoid that.

Where is there a web site to see a live video stream of these press conferences?

I read somewhere that two were found, but they didn't wave to the plane - people that either didn't know about the ban or ignored it. Don't know how anyone could be up there, not be a SAR participant, and not have heard the news of the missing three.

Isn't coming down from the summit on the N. side after climbing from the south just as difficult as going up the N. side? Or is the theory that dropping down even a a step vertical rock is a lot less work than climbing up? I know nothing about the ropes and equipment they use.

What keeps the ceiling of the cave from caving in once the cave is hollowed out? Especially after the weight of 2 ft of new snow fall on it. And which is better, fresh snow that's lightly packed, or the oldest, most packed and crusty spot you can find? I doubt I'll ever need to know this, and probably won't remember it when I do, but this event is making me want to 'hike,' (not climb), a mountain somewhere with snow, possibly in the winter.

As Dick Cheney would say, "Help is on the way."

Associated Press reports - "The note displayed by Bernard was faxed to the sheriff's department Sunday, the day the climbers were reported missing, said officials at the U.S. Forest Service ranger station in Hood River." So let me get this right....the #1 office responsible for coordinating the SAR didn't tell the individual SAR teams about the note, but a few reporters have known about it all week. o.............k.

The note in the warming hut where they spent the night and left the $20 would be a 3rd note. CBS news showed a diagram of how a snow cave should have a laying area that is elevated above the entrance. Then they proceeded to have an 'expert' dig one out of the snow, but he didn't bother elevating anything. I've always wondered how you assure yourself of the snow not caving in on you, especially when a storm lays an extra foot or more of weight on top. As for the vent, I guess that's a precaution in case the entrance gets clogged(?) Seems like an escape route for the heat you're trying to retain. I'd rather just keep my entrance clear.

You've summarized the oregonian video, made several days ago. I noticed the same thing and interpreted them to say the food etc was stashed in the truck. I don't know why the climbers would mention that, unless to say that if a storm hits, and they're stranded in the truck after making it down the mountain, they'll be OK in the truck. After reading your post and revisiting the video, now I think they meant they'll bring food down with them to the truck. What good would food stashed in the truck do them in the mountain? Don't know how high up the truck is on the mountain ('Tilly Jane Trail Head near the Cooper Spur ski area'). Can you get snowed-in in a truck at that location, with roads unpassable below? They say another note was left at the 'U.S. Forest Service Office on Oregan 35, south of Hood River' and the reporter describes the mere leaving of said note as an 'unusual step' to take, and that the note describes the route they will take. I don't know the area, but how many U.S. Forest Service offices are there on Oregan 35 south of Hood River? Chris, the Airborne leader, showed the note written on red paper found yesterday at the 'Hood River Ranger Station.' He held it up in a plastic bag, with a yellow post-it note attached saying 'Hood River Ranger Station.' Forest Service aka Ranger station? A reporter's follow up question specifically confirms when and where the note was found. Chris may be mistaken, or the person who handed it to him may be. Journalists are always trying to 'scoop' the competition. Again, the Oregonian was the ONLY media source I see that has reported the note before today, several days ago in fact. Chris said more climbers should leave such notes, while the paper described it as an 'unusual step.' So in this case, the unusual thing is apparently a good thing. zl27, I've had concerns that the 'fast and light' technique did indeed make them look bad as if they were trying to beat the weather and bet their lives that nothing goes wrong. I assumed that surely they would check the weather forecasts - then did they fail to allow a cushion for mishaps that might slow them down? Well if they had everything they said they did in the note, then they DID plan for any mishaps. Without the delay, the weather would not have phased them. They'd be at Timberline before it hit. In his cell phone call, Kelly didn't say 'I'm in trouble' or 'call for help' or 'if I don't talk to you again, I love you' etc etc. At first I thought that he wouldn't say such things so as not to worry his family, even if he believed them. Now, after learning of the 2nd note, I really don't think he thought it was any big deal, that he'd just ride it out. His family said he simply expressed concern about the impending weather. I just wish he had told Karen, 'if I ever get stranded, don't be alarmed if I don't call until the weather is good enough to insure reception. In the meantime, I'll be conserving my battery' etc. Who knows, he may have an extra battery. I always took two on vacation for my video camera, charging both each night. It just pains me to see her so stressed and worried. I just read a good Oregonian article from today, where the then 18-yr old in the 1976 ordeal gave a rare interview for the 'family and friends' of the three up there now. Yes, it served it's purpose of being encouraging. Wish I could thank him for it. I know I never want to be that cold and that wet at the same time. I've gotten caught on my motorcycle, cold and wet, and that was miserable enough, thank you. No wonder the confusion. The Coopers and Tilly Jane must have been popular, with the powers at be wanting to name multiple things after them. I'd be confused on my first visit as well. I guess the local TV reporters haven't been around the mountain much.

Yes Elleth, that was the very clip I was referring to. At first glance, not a bad piece of journalism, except for their unqualified statement of fact that Kelly is injured. If that is the conclusion they've drawn, so be it, but it's not a known fact. It's a known fact that Kelly called his family on his cell phone, not just a 'believed' fact. Their reporters also have mental telepathy, claiming that the other two do not have cell phones. In a video interview today, one of their wives said he did have a cell phone. Not sure I can trust anything they are reporting. The lines they've drawn on the mountain look pretty iffy to me as well. Can snow cats really get that high? Can a red line depicting the 8,500 ft point on an 11,000+ ft mountain really be that close to the top? Does it matter? No, but typing this gives me something to do while in 'hurry up and wait' mode. The press conference today with Airborne said the Ranger station note was found yesterday, but they did not know why it wasn't found earlier. This video clip is the only thing I've seen that reported it before today. Sounds like a conflict of information. If the rescuers have known these facts all along, I don't know why secrets are being kept, nor can I understand an earlier post as to why they would keep secret the exact coordinates of the ping. Why would the head of the Airborne search team not be told of the note, in preference to the media being told? Doesn't make sense to me.