I am following very close the saga of the three stranded men on Mt. Hood in Oregon. I have in my earlier years attempted to climbed Mt. Hood three times, from the “easy” south side. I made it only once. Trust me, nothing is easy when the weather turns on you. I have climbed St. Helens and also the Sisters. I am now much older and would never atempt such a feat. I don’t even know if I want to attempt a 20 foot ladder on the side of one of my barns. To hire a young person seems logical to me. I use to have all the gear for climbing (aka circa 1972). Not much has changed only the request by the Forest Service to carry a cell phone, and if I would attemp again today an EPIRB. It would make sense to me for a climber to be required to RENT an EPIRB (emergancy radio beacon) at a resonable cost (deposti of course) and WOLOA…HERE I AM!!. No brainer. But we are now investing thousands to fine these poor souls. I pray they will be found safe and in good shape. Jonezee
The wind is blowing 60 miles an hour at 10,000 ft. on Mt. Hood. The news said those lost climbers might be up there until early next week.
I hope they are hunkered down in a snow cave.
They are experienced and I hope and pray they will be found alive.
Doug
Sunday, December 17th. Weather is clear and cold on Mt. Hood. Prospects are good that climbers will be found, I hope alive. 100 searchers looking for them.
Doug
I just read a news report that they have found one body in a snow cave, thought to be one of the missing hikers.
I believe the body of the hiker was found by a helicopter, which directed the rescuers to the site.
It’s upsetting that the days are so short. The weather was perfect today, except cold.
Doug
They found Kelly James dead with a broken arm. This doesn’t look good for Brian Hall and Jerry Cooke. I hope and pray they will be found alive but I’ve got a bad feeling about their welfare.
EPIRB beacons have dropped in price to only $600-$800. And there’s no monthly fee! Not a bad idea for risky sports like mountaineering, or even backpacking/fly fishing if you are getting on in years. Last time I got a VFD call from an EPIRB, the whole dispatch only took about 15 minutes – US Navy to local E911 dispatch to us. They sent us the guy’s GPS coordinates, which was nice. It was real, too – chest pains. They flew him out. DANBOB
When this story started, I was upset that whoever was responsible, would allow this to happen. I have only ever thought of Mt. Hood as someplace that people climbed or hiked on in the summer.
It was explained to me that ONLY in the winter, that some trails can be hiked or climbed.
One thing I know is that Mt. Hood has not had consisitent weather the past two weeks. It wasn’t freezing all the time and it could be one reason the climber who died was wet, as his phone call to his wife revealed. I’m not a hypothermia expert, but if he got wet in the previous warmer weather, then it went down to zero, not even a snow cave could save him.
I hope and pray the searchers can find the other two climbers, for their families sake.
Doug
The effort required for building snow caves generates fatigue and sweat. While a person’s internal body temperature heats up from the exertion, external skin gets cold and damp from the wetness of sweat and melting snow that soaks gloves and coats. People digging out a snow cave quickly become uncomfortable and tired, and perhaps a bit grouchy as they fluctuate back and forth from being hot from digging to standing around and freezing while taking a breather This can happen even if the tempature is below freezing and most certainly if near or above freezing. It is said his cell phone was also soaked in water. If the snow cave was completely shut tight from the outside, his body tempature and breathing will also add to moisture forming inside the cave.
Epirbs: There are two basic types. Those that work on 121mhz and 406mhz. The 121mhz types are being phased out and not recommened by the Coast Guard (who monitors all EIRPB beacons). You can purchase a good 406mhz EIRPB for around $500.00 today and is about the size of a small cell phone and comes with a belt clip sheath. A 406mhz EPIRB is monitored by satalites like a GPS. You must regisiter your EIRPB.
The registration sheet you fill out and send in is entered into the U.S. 406 Beacon Registration Database maintained by NOAA/NESDIS. If your EPIRB is activated, your registration information will be sent automatically to the appropriate USCG SAR Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) for response. One of the first things the RCC watchstanders do is attempt to contact the owner/operator at the phone number listed in the database to determine if the vessel is underway (thus ruling out the possibility of a false alarm due to accidental activation or EPIRB malfunction), the intended route of the vessel if underway, the number of people on board,or in the case of a climber or flyfisher, a single person registration etc., from a family member. If there is no answer at this number, or no information, the other numbers listed in the database will be called to attempt to get the information described above needed to assist the RCC in responding appropriately to the EPIRB alert. In other words, you better darn well be in danger becuase once the wheels start turning a lot of money and man power will be used in locating you. In the case of the three climbers a no brainer. I too hope and pray for the safe recovery of the other two men.
PS: Do not consider buying a used EIRPB, too much is at stake for the sake of a few dollars.
Portland Oregonian News Papers 12-20-2006
PORTLAND, Ore. - 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 thing that came to my attention in the middle of the night…Mt. Hood is the 2nd most climb mountain in the world. Mt. Fuji in Japan is first, Mt. Blanc in France is 3rd. However, in almost all cases to accomplish this rating…very few cimb these mountains in the winter.
?? Grand Monadnock in New Hampshire
“Besides being the most popular mountain in America, Grand Monadnock is known as the most climbed mountain in the world. Monadnock has long been described as the second-most-climbed mountain in the world (after Mt. Fuji in Japan). Since 1990, it has been suggested that so many of Fuji’s climbers have shifted to newly available public transportation for that ascent, that Monadnock’s annual total of foot traffic now exceeds Fuji’s. Now in southwestern New Hampshire, 125,000 people every year hike to the top of Monadnock”
Thanks for the update dudley. Like I said earlier, my experience is from quite a few years ago. Somethings change. Funny, I have never heard of Mt. Monahock…but then there are lots of things I have never of also. Mt. Hood is 11,250 feet high. How high is your New Hampshire mountain?
Jonezee,
For information on Monadnock google;
“worlds most climbed mountain”
…as I did.
I’ve never quite understood the whole Mountain climbing thing but if that’s what floats your boat then more power to you. I LOVE hiking but have no desire to spend days ascending a high peak in the dead of winter.
I am however a bit frustrated at all the lives that are then at risk when someone?s climb goes bad. Not to mention all the tax dollars spent searching for these folks. So for those of you that do enjoy this, please explain something to me. Why could we not institute a system by which a climber pays a fee (maybe $50 lets say) and this goes into a fund to help cover S&R operations but also gives you a functioning EPIRB so that IF something goes wrong, you can be located almost instantly, saving time and $, your life and possibly the life of the rescuers. If you choose not to pay the fee then you sign a form saying you understand you are 100% on your own. If something then happens, the family or individual can foot the bill for the rescue or recovery operation. Seems fair to me. When we take LONG trips offshore fishing (one was 162 miles offshore this year), we take the necessary precautions (radio, Sat phone, EPIRB) so that if something happens we can be located quickly.
I’m really not trying to sound callous but I really have a hard time watching other risk their lives and burn tax dollars for someone who intentionally put themselves in harms way. I have no doubt that winter climbing is a rush, but I thing those that do it really should take a bit more responsibility for themselves.
Am I wrong or out of line with this thinking?
Dr. Fish. I understand your frustration concerning our tax dollars being spent for search and rescue. I do know however, in the case of the missing Oregon climbers some things may be different than what might appear. The Oregon Air National Guard spent 17 hours flying the twin rotor helicoptor, and some 50 hours in the Blackhawks. It cost about $6,000 dollars an hour to fly the big coptor, that includes fuel, maintenance and crew hours. The Blackhawks cost about $2,400 an hour to fly. The guardsmenand women have to put in so many hours a month flying and training. It was estimated the search efforts were withing the monthly funding for flights they would have taken anyway. Also they get real life training VS mock rescue or search attemps. In Oregon the country Sheriff is in charge of all search and rescues. It was noted the funding for the search for the Oregon climbers fell into their estimated allotment for that peroid of time. The majority of all searchs are done by volunteers. The Boy Scouts, the Craig Rats in Oregon, Climbing clubs, Jeep clubs (of wihich I was one in other search’s and did so several times at no cost to the lost party, we were just glad to help) and ordinary people who want to help because if it was they on the mountain lost, they would want someone to look for them too. I believe the search was well coordinated and led. No one was hurt or lost in the search efforts. In Oregon almost 50 or so people or lost each year. Most are found withing hours and unharmed. Mountaineers are a special breed of people, not everyone is cut out to be one. Even the experienced can loose their lives. Rather it be NASCAR, Bullfighting, Sky Diving,Skiing (look at all the skiers who get lost or have lost their lives) or even Hiking. We are all taking some kind of risk and should be prepared to expect the conquence’s that go with it. We have all read the threads this year about the fishermen who have drowned. It’s just a fact of life. I do agree with you about the EPIRB’s. They should have had them and used them. There is a movement going on right now to restrict winter climbing in Oregon. What will be restricted next? Winter fly fishing?
As an ex-climber (way too old and too heavy now) I have never understood why we don’t have someething along the lines of the German(Austrian, Swiss, French and Italian) Alpine Unions. Mountaineers (including hikers) join for a small annual fee and get a ton of benefits from membership. Reduced rates on overnights in mountain huts (not huts, more like full service 3 story hotels), reduced prices on meals in the huts, many stores offer sales to Union members only, and they are provided with Rescue Insurance. The number of members is huge, and the insurance more than covers the cost of rescue in the Alps. One other great thing, is that if you join one country’s Alpine Union you are also a member of the others so crossing a border to clmb is not a problem. Might work well between the US and Canada.
Non union members are responsible for the financial burden of their rescue.
REE
I don’t know about other states but I think Colorado has this covered. After some rather long, difficult, expensive, and frustrating rescues the legislation documented here was passed.
http://www.larimercountysar.org/COSARFundCRS.htm
I do most of my hiking, climbing and flyfishing alone. It’s not the best but my friend either are physically unable or the the schedules simply don’t match. For this reason whenever, I hike in the backcountry or climb (I’m not a technical climber) in Colorado I buy the $3 card. My annual fishing license includes $0.25 that goes into the rescue fund as well. The rescue team has the option of charging the rescued for the rescue if the rescued does not have the card or fishing license. I figure this is cheap insurance and part of the cost of enjoying the backcountry. I can’t imagine that other states haven’t followed this example.
BW
Here’s a better explanation of the Colorado Program.
http://www.dola.state.co.us/dlg/fa/sar/ … ations.pdf
BW
I think this is an interesting question about safety and I have some questions.
First is why do people feel it necessary to risk life and limb to get one’s thrills. I understand commercial fishermen or miners risking their lives to feed their family. They often don’t have much choice but with climbers or skiiers etc. there is a choice.
Second, why don’t people take a good and extensive safety kits. GPS, Cell or Sat Phone, EPIRB, Life Vest or extra climbing rope whatever is appropriate.
I accept and understand that people do get caught unaware or accidents can happen but one should consider this as much as possible. As I say this I think back to the time I was back country skiing, 10 below zero, night quickly approaching and four of us were lost in the woods, heading into an overgrown woodlot or the time I was out in a boat as the fog came in and I realized the capt. of the boat forgot a compass or gps. We went out again and got stuck in the fog, again. He was sure he could go parallelling the shore line. This time after a few minutes of nothing I showed him his circle on the GPS I brought along. At least I learned my lesson with him the first time.
jed