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3 Lost on Mount Hood


cluck

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Not exactly great entertainment either. The national media seems to think I need to know the heights of Denali & Whitney and the wind speed in CO. How about the specifics of the so called note (aka climbers' registration?)? Anyone....?

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Sometime early Thursday morning, the men, who have not been identified by authorities, slipped a handwritten note in the mail slot of the office for the Hood River National Forest, said Doug Jones, permit specialist with the Mount Hood National Forest.

 

“We don’t see these very often,” Jones said.

 

All entry points into the wilderness have self-issue permit boxes where climbers and hikers are supposed to leave their permits to enter the forest, “but they are not really kept up during the winter,” Jones said.

 

He said there is no climbing register where the men started their climb. He said there is a permit box, but since they are not from the area it is likely they did not spot it, Jones said. The climbers instead jotted a note and left it at the forest office on Oregon 35, south of Hood River.

 

He said in the brief note they said they planned to take the route through the coulirs, or canyons, on the north face, “which tells me that they are probably going up to the right side of Elliot Glacier,” Jones said. “The Cooper Spur route goes left. There are no coulirs up there.”

 

Uggghh.

 

I must say I'm very impressed with the lengths the missing guys took to let folks know what their plans were.

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From KATU.com:

 

"December 17, 2006

- Portland, Oregon

 

Major developments expected Sunday in search for climbers, officials say

 

HOOD RIVER, Ore. (AP) - Search teams headed for the summit of Mount Hood on Sunday, hoping to find the snow cave where one of three missing climbers made a distress call a week ago as well as any other signs of the stranded mountaineers.

 

Rescue official also said Sunday that air search teams had spotted some "positive" signs that are helping them narrow their search to specific areas on the mountain.

 

Capt. Christopher Bernard, of the Air Force Reserve's 304th Rescue Squadron, wouldn't say exactly what was spotted, other than it is "climbing specific."

 

Search teams are headed to those areas where indicators where found.

 

More at katu.com

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Wishbone shape: When you dig a snowcave, you have to put the snow somewhere that you take out of the cave. You normally start piling it on each side of the opening and, because of the effort to heft heavy shovels of snow too high, keep piling it down the hill from the entrance.

 

From the air this would sometimes look like a wishbone.

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...The searchers do what they do knowing all the risks and if they should die it would be doing what they love to do. Who could ask for more?

 

Pray hard for all.

 

...and what's that supposed to mean? What are You waiting for then? I will pray hard for you!!!

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That article says the "horseshoe shaped" object looked like it could be rope. If something like rope is visible from the air now, wouldn't it have to be placed there recently -- after it had stopped snowing within the past day or two? In fact, wouldn't anything on top of the snow that could be seen have to have been placed there recently because if it were placed there days ago, wouldn't it be covered by snow?

 

We have reports of a "wishbone shaped" object and a "horseshoe shaped" object. My guess is that they're one in the same with just different words being used to describe the same object.

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Sorry didn't mean to offend you.

I just meant that I know that if something happened to my brother on that mountain I could take solice in knowing he was doing a job he feels is important. HE loves that mountain and loves to climb it

 

That is how I thought before I found my friend dead in the mountains. I do not want to die in the mountains any more no matter what! However, I am still aware of it and accept it any time I go there.

 

So do not confuse this with the "Vertical Limit" movie.

 

The real mountains are not a Hollywood studio. Why would you even ask to sacrifice a new life for someone who chose to die?

 

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BREAKING NEWS: Searchers find signs of one of the climbers

 

 

A helicopter surveying the Mount Hood summit this morning has captured images of what appears to be a snow cave, scattered equipment and what looks like frozen tracks in the snow.

 

Search organizers plan to airlift pararescuers to the summit by helicopter so they can make their way to the area by foot.

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Stranger good point - "The real mountains are not a Hollywood studio. Why would you even ask to sacrifice a new life for someone who chose to die? "

 

When my team prepares to leave for a potential/hopeful rescue, I ask them to make sure that each move they/we make includes the potential impact it will have on those waiting for us and those who might need to help us. Same thing is done in the wildland firefighting world.

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BREAKING NEWS: Searchers find signs of one of the climbers

 

 

A helicopter surveying the Mount Hood summit this morning has captured images of what appears to be a snow cave, scattered equipment and what looks like frozen tracks in the snow.

 

Search organizers plan to airlift pararescuers to the summit by helicopter so they can make their way to the area by foot.

 

oregonlive.com

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jfmctlaw

 

I do the same. I turn off the GPS when in town just because big brother is watching, not that I worried it just wierd to know someone can track you everywhere. My frequented climbing places have no cell service so I carry an EPIRB and a HAM radio for my self rescue/communication solution. Good point.

 

Where is Lleth getting his info? I'm skeptical because the News doesn't have anything yet.

 

Another excellent, informative post - potentially a life-saver (as was the one about the importance of having a cell-phone with analog capability).

 

I wasn't aware there were such things as portable HAM radios. The only people I know who are into HAM radios have a 20' mast on the side of their houses.

 

Does an EPIRB have any advantages over an MLU? Maybe the MLU's just work at Mt. Hood, whereas the EPIRB's work worldwide?

 

For those of you who want to reach out and touch someone just about anywhere on earth (whether you need to or not): http://www.cnet.com/4144-5_1-0.html?target=http://cnet.search.com/search?chkpt=astg.cnet.fd.search.cnet&query=satellite%20telephone&q=satellite%20telephone&tag=srch (the "Sponsored Links" section may be the best place to start).

 

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