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Posted

I've been asked by close friends of the missing climbers to post this info to any and all who can help. Competent folks are needed to search.

 

I only know of some details I've been told by friends: Spokane climber Otto Vaclavek and his son Max have been overdue since Monday, 9-17-07. They were in the Enchantments, and were planning ascents of Sherpa and Argonaut. If my memory is correct, Otto's son is 12-13 years old.

 

SAR Incident Command, managed by the Chelan County Sheriff's Office, is at the fish hatchery on Icicle Road, near the Helipad. If you don't know where the fish hatchery is, from Leavenworth you can follow the signs for the Salmon Festival. You can camp at the fish hatchery.

 

Crews are already looking, but more help is definitely needed. Time is an issue, of course. You MUST check in with the Sherrif's Dept--there will be a briefing Saturday 6:30am with crews being sent out after that.

 

Otto's and Max's family and friends are very appreciative and grateful to those who already searching, and those of you planning to.

 

Thank you,

Steve Reynolds

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Posted

Hey Steve,

We got pinged last night for a rescue of a 53 yoa male and a teen, but the page said Mt. Stuart. Same folks, I reckon?

 

I can't go, as my wife is in Oly for the w/e (taking a state licensing test) and I have the Tribal Members for the whole w/e.

 

Good luck, my friend. Hope they are found safe and sound soon.

Posted

Thanks Sobo. Yup, they are the same. I got home from out-of-town work late last night and discovered Spokane SAR had been paged for the same also. I've not been able to leave until now. Thanks, we'll need the luck.

Posted

I just spoke with our (CWMR) man-on-the-scene who was up there yesterday with the IC. He said three Bell Jet Rangers were prowling the skies over Stuart, Sherpa, and Argonaut yesterday for about 30 total hours of airtime. Didn't find any sign of them. Still haven't found their campsite, either. Search continues.

Posted

Damn. :tdown:

 

What a tragedy. I can't even imagine the grief of losing a spouse, but losing a spouse and a child all at once has got to be unbearable.

 

My thoughts are with, and my sincere condolences extended to the rest of the family.

 

 

Posted

Wonder what route they took on Dragontail?

 

Their bodies were found on/in/near the bottom of the Colchuck Glacier (which is bulletproof ice right now), so they may not have been on Dragontail proper at the time of the accident/accidents.

 

There's an engineering-oriented guy from Chelan Mountain Rescue who normally writes up detailed reports/analyses, and I expect in due time, he'll provide something for the public.

 

 

Posted

 

Bodies of 2 missing hikers found in WA

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

 

LEAVENWORTH, Wash. -- The Chelan County sheriff's office reports that the bodies of two hikers - a father and 12-year-old son from Spokane - have been found in the Wenatchee National Forest.

 

The bodies were discovered after two backpacks belonging to 53-year-old Otto Vaclavek and his son, Max, were found on Dragontail Peak, which rises 8,800 feet. The Vaclaveks were expected back earlier this week.

 

More than 60 searchers and three helicopters combed a rugged wilderness area of Chelan County Saturday. The searchers include the father's co-workers from Spokane Valley-based outdoor outfitter Mountain Gear.

 

The search began Thursday.

 

Vaclavek's wife reported her husband and son missing on Wednesday. They left Spokane last Saturday with a three-day supply of food.

 

:cry: indeed

 

Normal reporting errors. Otto and Max were certainly climbers, not hikers. They were found at the base of Colchuck Glacier around 2 pm yesterday afternoon, just a few hundred feet above their packs which were cached just below the glacier. Not a big issue, but while Otto and Max were due back Monday or Tuesday, the first calls to report them missing actually went out Tuesday evening.

 

From what I understand from how they were found from the radio comm's, and as fellow searcher Gary Yngve pointed out to me, Otto and Max likely died instantly from a fall. I don't know all details, so don't want to speculate. We'll know more when the incident report is made.

 

Thanks to all the searchers and the great show of support. Climbers and trained SAR came from all over the state, and north Idaho. Thanks to the Chelan County Sheriff's office, to the bloodhound team who tracked Otto's and Max's scent from the Colchuck Lake trailhead until the dog could go no further through the big blocks and talus above the head of Colchuck Lake, and thanks to Freeman and other SAR folks who continued the search to find Max and Otto and bring their bodies back. Special thanks go out to Mountain Gear owners Paul and Karn for all they did to help mobilize, organize, and support the search effort and the Vaclavek family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted (edited)
Their bodies were found on/in/near the bottom of the Colchuck Glacier (which is bulletproof ice right now), so they may not have been on Dragontail proper at the time of the accident/accidents.

 

There's an engineering-oriented guy from Chelan Mountain Rescue who normally writes up detailed reports/analyses, and I expect in due time, he'll provide something for the public.

 

 

I think I am that engineering sort of guy and will release a report to the Sheriff. Out of respect to the family I don't want to comment right now.

Edited by Freeman

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