3 Lost on Mount Hood

[ClimbingPanther]

Request thread name change:

 

Re: Hundreds lost on this thread

[sill]

Wow, this has been incredibly entertaining. I havn't laughed this hard in a while.

[marysue]

http://www.houmatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061216/HURBLOG/61217005

 

According to this article, the climber who died has been identified as Kelly James.

[ryland_moore]

Origami sounds like some rednecks I used to run across in the woods at Red River Gorge and New River Gorge! Ex - miltary gone crazy and not taking his meds thinks he knows what is going on. He probably watched too much of the live coverage of this rescue and when he saw the Blackhawks he began to have flashbacks from 'Nam.....so sad...

 

Matt, please lock this thread. We have posters who are asking the same questions over and over that have been answered many pages back repeatedly. The thread served its purpose and now it needs to end. I tried to be patient with my posts and answering newbies that posed legitimate questions about climbing, but Origami's and others posts have nothing to do wit hthe intent of the original thread discussion through the first 40 pages or so. You have asked nicely, and now it should come to an end. It still provides quality information. Please lock it.

 

Keep the faith and stay strong out there tomorrow. We already have one casualty and lets keep it that way. Thanks again to PMR, HRCR, and the miltary and sherriff's Depts.

 

LH - Cragging means the same as climbing. A crag generally refers to a cliff or rock face.

[ShiniGami]

The Mil Feeds said it was Kelly hours ago.

 

L8r noobs.

 

Oh, and it's been ShiniGami for the past 30 years.

 

LOL on the ex Vietnam comments.

 

Climb fast, and the SAR guys can try to find your bodies.

 

I'll be eating hick food while they ID your bodies.

Edited December 18, 2006 by ShiniGami

[Lambone]

L8r dru

[Zeta Male]

 

Please go away.

 

Right back at you, 'freak - really not learning anything worthwhile from you. Go start your own thread.

 

Otherwise I thought some of the humans might be interested in the following excerpt (the parts which which I found interesting & informative) from an article from the Dallas Morning News (the full text: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/121806dnmetclimbersfolo.346e39c.html ).

 

About 1 p.m., rescuers dug into an abandoned snow cave near the 11,239-foot summit of Mount Hood, where they had hoped to find Mr. James. A rope had been laid out in a Y shape – a signal climbers use to identify their locations – near a sleeping bag and ice axes.

 

Two sets of footprints tracked away from the icy dugout – one toward the mountain's peak and the other down the mountain, ending in a circular pattern, near where rescuers discovered a second snow cave and the body.

 

The search for the two remaining climbers is to continue today.

 

'We remain hopeful'

 

"We remain hopeful," said Mike Braibish, a spokesman for the Oregon National Guard. "We are going to still collect information and pursue the rescue of the two other climbers."

 

Rescuers would not explain why they suspended the all-night flying pattern of a military plane outfitted with heat-sensing equipment Sunday. Aerial information led searchers to Sunday's discoveries.

 

Blizzards and hurricane-force winds battered Mount Hood most of last week, and the storms knocked out power to approximately 300,000 Oregon homes. Skies above the most-climbed peak in North America cleared Saturday, allowing airborne and snow-shoed rescue crews to reach the summit.

 

The clear weather is expected to hold through Wednesday.

 

There has been no communication from the climbers since Dec. 10, when Mr. James used his cellphone to call his family. He told them he was sheltering in a snow cave while his companions started back down the mountain, apparently to get help for him.

 

Mr. James told his son he did not have his bivvy sack – a waterproof covering for a sleeping bag – and had only half an orange to eat.

 

"By the tone of his voice, I could tell something was really wrong," said 25-year-old son Jason James.

 

Sunday, the man who introduced Mr. James to climbing more than two decades ago while they were both students at Texas Tech University watched television reports, fearful that searchers had discovered his friend's body.

 

He suspects his friend abandoned the first snow cave and ran down the mountain until hypothermia-induced delusions clouded his judgment, which would explain the footprints in circles.

 

'His last chance'

 

"He probably figured it was his last chance," said Keith Airington, a veteran climber from San Antonio. "He knows they were looking for him. At some point you know you have to do something ... or you're not going to make it."

 

I think the plane's checked out because it wasn't useful - there was a story yesterday that it couldn't find some rescuers who buried themselves in a snow cave at night. I don't think this means in and of itself that the remaining two climbers can't be found. But it does look like Monday's the last day for organized searching, I'm sorry to say.

[LHwildcats76]

If admins here take the time to read every post as they say, it wouldn't take that much longer to delete as they go along.

[ShiniGami]

Body found and Identified.

[LHwildcats76]

Post deleted by LHwildcats76

[Jumpoff_joe]

This is very unfortunate that this forum has come to the (so called experts) even taking the time to respond to posts that are off the subject or offensive. I asumed when I entered this site early yesterday that it was comprised of professional climbers and knowledgable members on Cascade climbing. Yes many are professional and conducted themselves as such. But there seems to be a few regulars that might as well call each other up on the phone to be heard. Taking aim at posts and insinuating that intruders came into there own private little chat room and cluttered it up are actually as bad as some of the ridiculous posts I have read! Give me a break! Is this site actually made up of "wanna bees". I know it is not but some of you appear that way. My hat is off to those of you stayed polite and tried to stay on the critical subject matter of this discussion. What a way to end a discussion on a tragic event. Comments like STFU ??? Well I for one am not new to climbing but new to your site and after what I read most recently, "I" will do you a favor and move on to a more professional contact area where we can learn from and focus on the tragic situtation that is unfolding on Mt. Hood. Now I am going to "STFU" L8r, (not).

Edited December 18, 2006 by Jumpoff_joe

[Just_Visiting]

I've never climbed a mountain. I've climbed rocks in Wisconsin and Minnesota. I don't really know anything about mountain climbing.

 

I have, however, done a wee bit of canoeing/camping/trekkng in the BWCA (Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Northern MN) and know that you can't take everything with you for every possible scenario. You take what you know you'll need and nothing more. The guy who takes all that stuff with him would be carrying all his crap plus a food pack in any of the groups I've trekked with and not allowed on some.

 

On one trip, we got lost on a day trip. Fortunately, we found peeps who pointed us in the right direction, but I wouldn't change what I took with me on that day trip. I'd take a better navigator (I was the navigator). Of course, few peeps as there are in the BWCA, there are fewer on that mtn, but I do understand not wanting to be weighted down with a bunch of might needs.

 

And, yes, I'll go away once this is over. In the meantime, I'm mostly gonna lurk here and read and learn and think about all the climbers I've known in my life, esp those who took my rock climbing in WI when I was in high school.

 

I totally admire these three guys! As for their families...no matter which one was found, it sounds like he's family to all 3 families. The one dad said as much on Fox when he said the other 2 are his adopted kids. I've got lots of siblings of that type and I'd mourn for any one of them.

 

I suspect there are many like me who have come to care about these climbers and their families throughout the past days. I grieve for the deceased climber, but am glad to know that he's in the presence of his Heavenly Father and that the Holy Spirit who is the great comforter is with his family.

 

Many of the comments on here remind me of a book I think folks reading this might well enjoy ... "No Clock in the Forest" It's out of print, but last I knew could be found at amazon via the used book sellers. I think climbers and non-climbers will find it amusing, if not enchanting

 

Just sign me ... She who tends to overpack

[ShiniGami]

Just Reverse Trace my IP Fucktard.

 

Boy are you some Nancy boys.

 

You call me out on spending some time in the above treeline, and then can't do a basic traceroute?

 

Man are you some pussies.

[LHwildcats76]

Post deleted by LHwildcats76

[ClimbingPanther]

You can't possibly be for real.

 

correct, so stop the madness and ignore him.

[Lambone]

This is very unfortunate that this forum has come to the (so called experts) even taking the time to respond to posts that are off the subject or offensive. I asumed when I entered this site early yesterday that it was comprised of professional climbers and knowledgable members on Cascade climbing. Yes many are professional and conducted themselves as such. But there seems to be a few regulars that might as well call each other up on the phone to be heard.

 

Jumpoff Joe,

the fact is that all the information has been posted allready. this thread is 45 pages long. anything else is just speculation at this point.

 

when this happens forum threads degenerate into "sprayfests."

 

and yes it is sad that there are people out there like ShiniGami who are treating this important discussion like a game. him and the others spraying in this thread are not regulars here.

 

don't form your opinion about this site or it's "regulars" by a couple of lame people. most of us are stand-up people, and several of us (cc.comers) have been on Mt Hood this week looking. And many more of us would be up there now if the Sherrif hadn't said no.

[Just_Visiting]

Jeepers....methinks 2 of the posters since my other post are forgetting that family and friends of the climbers are following this thread. Do you really think they need that crap right now?

 

Wow...what commitment by the rescuers who've only been stopped by the sheriff. I'll add you guys to my list of most admired climbers

 

 

Edited December 18, 2006 by Just_Visiting

[JosephH]

Is there a moderator in the house that could simply spare the families and SAR personnel these rants? It's hard to imagine what values cc.com is attempting to preserve here letting this continue (feel free to clean my posts along with the rants...).

[Jumpoff_joe]

Thanks for the response! The post right after you makes a very good point and that is what I wish I had added. I know most of you have conducted the forum in a professional manner. However, the few that are "regulars" need to be mature enough to handle posts like "Shini" in a manner most suited. Ignore ignorance. I will now move on. Thanks

[Lambone]

Wow...what commitment by the rescuers who've only been stopped by the sheriff. I'll add you guys to my list of most admired climbers

If you read through the first pages of this thread you will find many who said they were packed and ready to go help look. and that was when the storm was raging. (I was not one of them, never been on hood, wouldn't be much help)

 

If they hadn't "closed" the mountain to the public there may have been hundreds of "Cascade Climbers" up there looking this weekend, since the weather broke. Of course that would have really complicated the search for the professionals. They have the training and equipment that your average climber doesn't.

 

Considering that the two missing still could be anywhere at this point, perhaps they will rethink allowing volounteer help.

[Lambone]

Is there a moderator in the house that could simply spare the families and SAR personnel these rants? It's hard to imagine what values cc.com is attempting to preserve here letting this continue (feel free to clean my posts along with the rants...).

 

Joseph, mattp will go through and use his discression tommorow. right now he's probly in bed.

[GrantsPassed]

If we can return to the matter at hand, if just for a moment: It appears that CNN was afraid to say what some of are thinking: A false sense of security apparently embraced these poor 3, based on previously successful climbs. The weather they encountered was accurately forecast and they dawdled at the warming hut too long to allow themselves any margin for error. Hope, fitness, strength, experience, etc. can be overcome by poor judgement and the adrenalin rush of tempting fate. May others learn from their misfortune.

 

[Lambone]

It has been proven that many of the people getting into trouble on Cascade Volcanoes are traveling in from out of state. They likely have been planning for months, have unrefundable plane tickets and dreams of success...and are therefore willing to take more risk with the weather.

 

Local climbers are usually more flexible with their schedules and more likely to postpone a trip and wait for a better weather window.

 

This type of event is not all that uncommon in the PNW, just more highly publisized for some reason. Year after year people from out of state are lost on Rainier, Baker, Shasta and other peaks. Threads like this are even common on this web site, there are usually one or two rescue threads a year. The diffrence being this time cascadeclimbers.com was quoted by major media sources.

 

This is somewhat of an assumption on my part, but I think it is fairly accurate.

Edited December 18, 2006 by Lambone

[ClimbingPanther]

For those of you who are new to the forum, please observe that ShiniGami stopped posting and left, but by some strange coincidence, a new person ( GrantsPassed ) just registered a few minutes ago and began right where ShiniGami left off. They are the same person. Please don't just ignore a certain name, but all the "different" people who are acting like this. The world will be a better place.

[Lyn]

Your post, Lambone, was the first insulting post. You were baiting, when you said:

 

"so as soon as this is over are all you people going to go away?" Lambone