Molly1

Ok I read on another thread that they didn't summit until Friday. If that is true, then they spent Friday night together in that cave, and woke to bad weather coming in on Saturday. Still doesn't explain why they split up, though.

oh well, the whole thing is just very sad. My heart goes out to the families. Also, condolences to the climbing community, as well.

http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2006/12/news12-20-06-04.shtml According to Dr. Larry Lewman, the cause of death was hypothermia from exposure to the cold environment. Dehydration may have been a contributing factor and chemical tests are pending. Further, there were no disabling injuries documented by either the autopsy or x-rays,

Have you looked at any of these other sites the 'mod' suggested?

Yes. It's in the news. Died of hypothermia, possible dehydration. No injuries.

Well, I'm pretty sure there was only one axe in the cave with Kelly, and two at the location of the makeshift cave. So that would mean 3 are missing? And, what does that tell us?

The autopsy just came out. Says there was no injury at all.

Why do you say 6 axes? Would they normally climb that rockface with one in each hand?

well, it does sort of make more sense that the accident happened to the other two on the descent. But then I wonder why the third one couldn't make it off by himself. Is it impossible to make it off that mountain alone from the NF?

The cut rope came from the sheriff in one of the press conferences. Then he said 'cut with a knife,' as if that were somehow significant. And, my impression was that the rope was at the site of the makeshift ice cave over the gullies.

I was wondering the same thing about the cut rope. Or, if they cut themselves free? I'd like to see a climber answer under what conditions they would separate from a buddy. 'Going for help' in the middle of a cat 2 hurricane doesn't really make a lot of sense to me. Wouldn't it be better to stay inside and ride it out?

The sheriff indicated they were planning a quick trip up and back. Now I don't know if that's prudent (it probably isn't in mountain situations), but they did have a 3 day window before the storm. How quickly could you reasonably make a round trip climb on that mountain, any idea? Was a one day trip feasible?

Yes, lol. I'm thinking. If they summited on Thursday, as I think the sheriff indicated, and for some reason spent the night in the big cave, my understanding was that the bad weather didn't blow in until Saturday. So, again, I'm wondering why they split up if one wasn't injured.

well one thing they seem to agree on, although it might not be right, either, is that they all spent at least one night together in the bigger cave on the north face. I can't help but think they should have stayed together. And, given that they didn't, and now we know there was no injury, why not? What would make climbers separate like that? Wouldn't it be better if they all stayed together where they could look out for each other? Would it be normal for them to just have a difference of opinion and separate on top of a mountain?

You think they all fell from the location of the small cave and he made it back to the second cave somehow? I had sort of thought something like that, given the strange words in the telephone message. But, there's nothing to indicate he was ever there, that we know about. The sheriff said something about a cut rope, as if that was supposed to give us some kind of hidden information.

No one who knows anything about climbing will come into this 'spray' thread and teach you anything about the subject. So don't hold your breath. A few might have, a little bit, in the original Mt. Hood thread under the Route category, but they won't here. In all actuality, I'm not interested in speculation. I'm interested in fact. But since the facts are so vague for us, the only thing left is speculation. I agree with you. I'm interested in fact, too. One thing I'm wondering about is that second small cave atop the gullies. I've read that they think they built this cave to protect themseves from the wind while doing something else, and anchored themselves on there. Were they planning to descend the way they came up? Wouldn't that be difficult in that type of weather? And, if they were somehow swept off the cliff there, as has been postulated, why would a glove and a sleeping foam be left behind? Those are relatively small and light items that also should have been swept off by a wind or an avalanche. But, then, I must assume that they wouldn't leave their two axes behind and start a descent there without them on purpose. Ok, I know nothing, but that just stands to reason. And, why would one stay behind without an injury? A difference of opinion about whether they should leave or stay, perhaps?

You are so late to the party you qualify for the "Instant Idiot Award." I am late but obviously not that late since there is new information still coming out.

Hi two cents. I'm not a climber, either, but I am haunted by this tragedy and would just like to be able to talk about it with someone. So I'll speculate with you, and maybe someone who knows something about climbing will show up and give us some facts about what might have happened to these guys. This new information about no injury to Kelly has me really confused. At least it was all making some sense before.