scot'teryx Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 KING 5 Story (same as below) 05/30/2002 Teresa Bell, KGW.com PORTLAND - Rescuers are scrambling to reach seven climbers stuck in a crevasse near the summit of Mt. Hood. A paramedic climbing with the group managed to call for help on a cell phone. He told authorities seven climbers fell into the gaping hole and it looks as though at least one person is dead, according to Angie Blanchard, spokeswoman for the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. "He is constantly giving us information," Blanchard said of the paramedic on the cell phone. "He told us the location and conditions of the people… several have injuries." The paramedic was the only person in the climbing group who did not fall into the crevasse. The crevasse is located about 800 feet down from the summit of Mt. Hood above Burgstrom and the saddle point. The climbers were slowly making their way down the mountain when the accident happened just after nine this morning. The Clackamas County Search and Rescue Unit set up a command post at Timberline Lodge where they are planning the rescue effort. "They're very high up so it's going to be very difficult to reach them," Blanchard said. "The plan may include the assistance of a helicopter as well as a team from Portland Mountain Rescue who will go in on foot." She said Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue may help as well. Blanchard said conditions on the mountain looked fairly good for a rescue effort. But it may still take a while to get to the climbers because of their risky location. Conditions on the mountain are sunny and clear, according to KGW Meteorologist Dave Salesky. "At the 7,000 foot elevation, the temperature is 42 degrees. The wind is blowing out of the northwest at 15 miles per hour." But Blanchard said it may still take a while to get to the climbers because of their precarious location. Authorities are not releasing names or hometowns of the climbers, pending notification of relatives. ******************************* "Burgstrom and the saddle point." Where is that? The Bergshrund and the Hogsback? Maybe I should stay away from Adams this weekend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 "Burgstrom" ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scot'teryx Posted May 30, 2002 Author Share Posted May 30, 2002 Now that I have watched the news updates, they are in the Bergshrund on the Hogsback. On death has been confirmed, and the weather is sunny and clear. I guess a snowcat is being sent up there right now as close as possible. The only person that did not fall in is a paramedic with a cell phone. How did 7/8 fall in? They must not have been roped in since one did not go in? 2 Rope teams that swept each other in the bergshrund? I can't think of how this happened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 Bergstrom = mountain storm? Sturzstrom = 'stone storm', major rockfall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 quote: Originally posted by scot'teryx: Now that I have watched the news updates, they are in the Bergshrund on the Hogsback. On death has been confirmed, and the weather is sunny and clear. I guess a snowcat is being sent up there right now as close as possible. The only person that did not fall in is a paramedic with a cell phone. How did 7/8 fall in? They must not have been roped in since one did not go in? 2 Rope teams that swept each other in the bergshrund? I can't think of how this happened? Well no shit Scotty. Maybe you should smoke some ALPINE INSPIRATION to help you think about that. Like maybe one dude self arrested and held the others or something? If they weren't roped up why did 7 of 8 fall in, maybe they all stopped to dig out their modems and laptops and make a summitpost at the same time and just happened to be over a hidden crevasse???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scot'teryx Posted May 30, 2002 Author Share Posted May 30, 2002 Well no shit Scotty. Maybe you should smoke some ALPINE INSPIRATION to help you think about that. Like maybe one dude self arrested and held the others or something? If they weren't roped up why did 7 of 8 fall in, maybe they all stopped to dig out their modems and laptops and make a summitpost at the same time and just happened to be over a hidden crevasse???? Dru, chill out dude Maybe you should start shooting heroin, it gets you much higher than the poser weed DRU: Posts: 4561 It seems like you got nothing else better to do in between flipping hamburgers at your minimum wage job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b-rock Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 It's getting worse. The rescue helicopter crashed. This really sucks. http://www.kgw.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 quote: Originally posted by scot'teryx: Sure is nice that you can take such a tragedy and then in the same thread you can start shit with fellow posters, even if they are gapers such as myself. You need to grow up, you all around kick ass kind of guy. I wish I could be your friendNOT DEFENDING DRUL HERE, BUT..... READING YOUR POSTS, SEEMS LIKE YOU ARE AS GUILTY FOR PERPETUATIONG THE B.S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayjay Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 story is here: mt hood helicopter crash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleblebleb Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 Here are two links to Seattle PI stories - http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/134464429_webhood30.html http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/72597_hood30ww.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordop Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 What is that like four people in a week fall victim to Volcano Syndrome? Jesus people, slots are those blue lines that run across the slopes. This is why you should be skiing the damn things! [ 05-30-2002, 02:21 PM: Message edited by: jordop ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panther Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 My ex-girlfriends dad was the former fire marshall for Tualitan and probably knows some of those folks. It's hitting closer to home... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 All the articles claim nine climbers are involved in the accident, but all the quotes refer to the paramedic who called about seven. Has anyone figured out who the other two climbers are? Am I missing something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 Fathers Day around 20 years ago (give or take a few years) was the biggest mountain massacre I know of in the NW: 5 dead on the Cooper Spur (one team fell and took out the other, over the convex edge of the spur and down the North Face) and something like 18 dead on the Ingrahm from a serac collapse (while eating lunch). We wound up climbing up the Mt Hood fall line about two weeks after the fact, area was littered with five single mittens, a helicopter pilot's helmet, thermos, water bottles, and most creepy: pieces of an MSR helmet. That was as spooky a time as I've ever had on a bright sunny day. Seems like something about this time of year and the changing conditions just makes for accident potential. It doesn't seem to me that doing the DR on Hood is about glorification of the sport, and the current blush of thin-airish pop mountaineering awareness is not blind to the issue of risk. I sure feel for the folks (and their friends & relatives) involved: whether they are old hands or newly smitten with the sport (as we all once were) the trauma and tragedy feels the same. People try and do the best they can in a fucked up situation, I wish 'em the best... *sigh* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btowle Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 See www.kgw.com for current info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordonb Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 check out www.kgw.com for video of the 'copter crash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter_Burt Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 CNN is reporting an ANG Black Hawk participating in the rescue just crashed. It's been a crappy few days on the volcanos. The climbers were in two rope teams - wouldn't surprise me if the snowbridge collapsed given how warm it likely is in the bowl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Figger_Eight Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 From the pics of the accident it looks like they weren't able to arrest and they slid in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 check out I like To Gape At People Dying on the Mountain for more footage of suffering to watch from the privacy of your computer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdietsch Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 pretty sad ..... 9 climbers total reported as falling into a crevase this morning about 9:30... 3 climbers confirmed dead, 4 critically injured, watching it live as I type on channel 8 out of PDX. The choppers are lifting people off the upper section of the "Hogsback" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westernbackcountryskier Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 Shit is hitting the fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 This has been a tragic week http://www.msnbc.com/news/759138.asp My thoughts go out to the rescue crew and the victims. With the coming weekend of warm, sunny weather, lets hope that those people planning trips to the peaks remain smart and alert. I know I always hate pointing out when people are being fools, but I would suggest that if you are heading out, don't be embarrassed to call people on idiotic behavior in the mountains. We don't need any more of these accidents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdietsch Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 Cleve Joiner - memeber of one of the rope teams climbing with his 14 year old son. Cleve was on a fourth rope team that DID NOT go into the "shrund" however his son was in the 3rd team rope team of 2 "having difficulty", rope team of 3 another rope team of 3 above the shrund ..... team of 2 "lost their footing" and took out the next two teams .. eight climbers total went in his son is okay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slothrop Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 Was this a guided group? It sounds like a lot of people traveling close together. What a shitty week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Necronomicon Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 After looking at the helo crash pics, I'm wondering about the efficacy of utilizing helos at all. What if the crash had occured amidst the cluster of rescuers that are clearly visible at the lip of the crevasse? Fucking carnage, as if it isn't bad enough anayway. Additionally, does the Air National Guard even train for this type of terrain on a regular basis (steep snowslopes that offer unique thermal and highly variable wind characteristics)? I know that the Whidbey Island Navy Rescue helo trains regularly with B'Ham Mtn Rescue. Of course, if I were mangled high on a peak, I'd be the first to take a ride, but those things are fucking DANGEROUS. That thing shattered like a grenade... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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