Mount Hood: Recovery Mission

[kjlfaiejlifli]

CNN is reporting that this has officially been classified as a recovery mission.

[Twain]

The search to find two missing climbers alive on Mount Hood is over and it has now become a "recovery effort," Sheriff Joe Wampler said Wednesday.

 

"We've done everything we can at this point," Wampler said.

 

He made the remarks after personally piloting a Piper Cub over the 11,239-foot mountain for new clues. He found none.

 

His decision ends a dramatic nine-day search for three climbers who went missing on Mount Hood on Dec. 11.

 

One of three — Kelly James — was pulled out of a snow cave on Monday. For three days, the volunteers and helicopters scoured the mountain in hopes of locating signs of James' mountaineering partners — Brian Hall and Jerry "Nikko" Cooke.

 

But Wampler said searchers have given up hope of finding them alive.

 

 

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...

 

 

[Skydiver32]

Wow, how saddened I am to hear this. I have been reading along with your forums here for past couple of days. As a skydiver I know the feeling when one of my fellow skydivers leaves this world. I am so sorry for all of you.

 

One question and I hope not to get "sprayed" as I think you all call it. How many are out there still really looking for them?

 

I am not insinuating that many many people were not doing this already, just cant imagine the helplessness you all feel.

 

Again, sorry if this post is insulting, I just know for me if my son or anyone else I knew were missing I would prob be looking for the next year

 

Is it futile to send more out there to look??

[Gary_Yngve]

There's been so much new snow that they may be buried until the snow melts in spring/summer. As a searcher, you want to find the person, hopefully alive, but even if dead, to bring closure to the family. At the same time, all the rescue volunteers have jobs and family of their own that they have been neglecting.

[KitCatherine]

I am watching the conference now, and they said they will keep searching as weather permits with the planes (if I understood correctly), but if they are buried in the snow as feared, it won't be until spring until they can get them down. The Deputy Sheriff said they just can't get men into that avalanche area where they fear the men are.

 

Let me tell you, both Sheriff Wampler and the Deputy Sheriff Chris were choking back tears and some still coming, in doing this. They said this was a very risky thing for them to even say, and how incredibly difficult it was to say.

It was heartbreaking. They said their #1 goal is to still get these men down off the mountain, and to provide that for the families.

 

That was really hard to even watch.

[Skydiver32]

Is it at all possible that these two lost souls are still alive?

 

 

[KitCatherine]

The sheriff said he would love to see these two guys just come walking down the mountain or put up some sign when they check again on Friday. He had an extreme amount of difficulty saying that probably, all three were dead. He said he felt confident in this decision that was made, but it was a very difficult decision to make, and he was there with the families, in wanting to keep searching, checking, and hoping, but it was not looking likely. I loved the comment where he said "there has been plenty of stuff and searching going on the media is not aware of" and i felt that was a power statement in that although we don't hear everything, and therefore, people make assumptions, but things were happening!

 

It was so, so, so difficult to watch.

Edited December 20, 2006 by KitCatherine

[Skydiver32]

Thank you, so sorry for you all, I will keep praying for them!

 

Wish I could do more, as do you all.

 

Try to have a Happy Holiday Season

 

 

[Off_White]

This is not news. It's time to stop. Move along please, refer to the post at the end of the second mt hood thread if you have any questions or need some guidance as to what's appropriate with regards to posting on this bulletin board at this time.