sweatinoutliquor Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 LINK Search for Missing Mt. Shasta Climbers March 29, 2010 KDRV (Mt. Shasta, Calif--) Rescuers say weather is challenging their efforts to find two climbers on Mt. Shasta. Mark Thomas from Berkley, California called 911 on Sunday at about 9AM. He said his climbing partner Thomas Bennett was experiencing altitude sickness. Thomas said the wind was so strong that it was too dangerous for them to descend and they had spent the night on the mountain and had taken shelter by some rocks. He said they had about a liter of water, some candy bars and some granola with them. In a news release, Sheriffs say Mark Thomas provided their two cell phone numbers; the call was brief in order to conserve the cell phone batteries. The Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Team was alerted as well as the U. S. Forest Service in Mount Shasta. Due to the weather conditions it was not safe for any ground crews to start climbing the mountain and the weather and high winds reported at 55 mph by the National Weather Service prevented any type of helicopter search for the two men. The Forest Service said that the men did not fill out a wilderness permit. Return calls to the cell phone numbers left by Mark Thomas were not answered. At about 3:50 p.m. Mark Thomas once again called Sheriff's Office Dispatch and said that their Subaru was parked at the Whitney Glacier Trailhead and that his partner was seriously ill. Sheriff's Deputies and Forest Service personnel searched the roads and trailheads on the north side of the mountain and about 6:40 p.m., the Forest Service found the climbers vehicle, a Subaru registered to Thomas Edward Bennett of Vancouver, British Columbia about 4.5 miles in from Highway 97 on Military Pass Road. The weather still prevented any type of rescue efforts late on Sunday, 3/28. There has been no cell phone contact with Mark Thomas since Sunday afternoon. Sheriffs say this morning two very experienced Forest Service Mountain Rangers on snowmobiles are in the area in an attempt to determine if a rescue is possible with the current snow and weather conditions. No further information about the two men, including their ages or mountain climbing experience, is available at this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeoman Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 (edited) SHIT I know Mark, we met a few weekends ago and went cragging for a morning here in Berkeley. He's been up to Shasta a number of times this winter with varying levels of success. He's got a good head on his shoulders and appeared to be good shape. He's a good kid, lets send out some hope, thoughts and prayers for the both of them. And please post any updates. Supertopo thread... http://supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1130949/Think-good-thoughts-for-some-friends-on-Shasa Edited March 29, 2010 by yeoman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeoman Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 (edited) http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1176897376/Search-is-on-for-two-climbers-stranded-on-Mt-Shasta the article was just updated.... Today around 2 p.m.Thomas called the Sheriff's Department on his cell phone and is currently coming down the mountain at an elevation of about 7,000 feet. He has a map and a compass with him, Gravenkamp said. Thomas reported that his climbing partner was not doing well and he made the decision it would be best to try to make his way down the mountain today. The two Forest Service Mountain Rangers are on snowmobiles and will continue searching at the 7,000-foot elevation for Thomas. A friend of Thomas has been in contact with the Sheriff’s Office and reports that he is an experienced climber who has climbed Mount Shasta a number of times, however, the was the first time he climbed the more technical north side Hotlum/Bolam Route, Gravenkamp said. A base station has been established along Military Pass Road off of Highway 97. The Forest Service said that the men did not fill out a wilderness permit. Edited March 29, 2010 by yeoman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweatinoutliquor Posted March 29, 2010 Author Share Posted March 29, 2010 Good to hear they are still moving. Hopefully the weather is a little better down there than it is here today. Let's keep these guys in our thoughts while they walk out this afternoon with plenty of time for a beer and a burger in town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeoman Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 (edited) Update... One climber is down... http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1447161302/One-Mt-Shasta-climber-located-search-for-second-man-continues from summitpost thread.... http://www.summitpost.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=52497&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15&sid=058625fd3f8d465c59f6a2c7682828a0 Edited March 30, 2010 by yeoman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweatinoutliquor Posted March 30, 2010 Author Share Posted March 30, 2010 Sad ending from the sound of it. Glad Mark is out safe, sounds like he did everything he could for his partner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScaredSilly Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Another posting: http://www.ktvl.com/news/shasta-1194521-down-climber.html?hpt=T2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe_Poulton Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Damn...that sucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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