missing climbers

[stratostar 5]

Just wondering, anyone else think it was pretty stupid of these guys to attempt a climb on Mt. Hood this time of the year?

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[piisfish 135]

there's no season to climb the hood

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[labrys 0]

wtf?

does anyone else think that this is a pointless, heartless question?

Owned by Remi #?

[lisamariewillbe 1]

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does anyone else think that this is a pointless, heartless question?

Yes I do

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[masterrig 1]

I've been wondering that, myself. Not that I think it is stupid but, it seems like the risks would be greater. I heard on the news earlier, temperatures were 24-deg. and winds get-up to 140-mph. I don't know much about mountain climbing but, that right there would fend me off. Also, the chances of avalanches. I'm sure, we'll get some climbers to inform us. Just heard, 1-climber has been found dead in a second ice cave. So sad.

Chuck

[labrys 0]

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I don't know much about mountain climbing but

That's what prompted my response. This is a skydiving forum. I imagine that contructive discussion of climbing is more suited to our sister site. Asking the question here feels mean to me.

Owned by Remi #?

[AggieDave 6]

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Just wondering, anyone else think it was pretty stupid of these guys to attempt a climb on Mt. Hood this time of the year?

I look at it like whuffos look at skydiving and skydiving accidents. They're doing what they love and I'm sure they are skilled in their sport. I hope they're found ok, though.

Making knee jerk reactions about the decisions of the activity about something that most of us on this site only have a passing knowledge about is typical. Typical of most activities that are extreme in nature when looking at it from the outside.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[labrys 0]

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Making knee jerk reactions about the decisions of the activity about something that most of us on this site only have a passing knowledge about is typical. Typical of most activities that are extreme in nature when looking at it from the outside.

That's what I wish I could have articulated. Thanks, Dave

Owned by Remi #?

[Lindercles 0]

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This is a skydiving forum. I imagine that contructive discussion of climbing is more suited to our sister site. Asking the question here feels mean to me.

Our sister sight is a forum for rock climbing, not mountaineering. They won't necessarily know anything more about it than we do.

[labrys 0]

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Our sister sight is a forum for rock climbing, not mountaineering. They won't necessarily know anything more about it than we do.

What was I thinking.....of course skydivers have the same understanding of mountain climbing as rock climbers do...

Owned by Remi #?

[ImGunnaJump 0]

I don't know anything about climbing, but when I saw a report on CNN that listed their previous climbing experiences (I believe they mentioned Denali, Kilimanjaro and a couple other places that would be recognized by climbers) gave me comfort that this wasn't total newbies doing this.

They also left a note stating who they were, what route they are taking, what equipment/provisions they had with them,etc. That also impressed me that they weren't going into this thoughtlessly.

So I'm assuming that these are people with some knowledge that have run into to some real bad luck...but again, I don't climb, so those with actual climbing experience would know if this time of year, on that particular mountain would make a difference.

At any rate, I hope there is a good outcome...I feel a kindred spirit with risk takers.

"...I've learned that while the "needs" in life are important (food, water, shelter), it's the "wants" in life (ice cream, chocolate, sex) that make it worth the effort." Kbordson

[stratostar 5]

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wtf?

does anyone else think that this is a pointless, heartless question?

Heartless, ok maybe I should have stated "lack of better judgement"

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This is a skydiving forum

Yes it is, and this post is in the place where we are allowed to discuss many things besides jumping like the many post about tits and farting.
You may not like the fact I find it "showing a huge lack of better judgement" to attempt that climb this time of the year, sorry if your offended.

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Asking the question here feels mean to me

I ask here for a reason, I wanted to know what my peer group thinks, I don't climb anymore and have never climbed in that type of enviroment, we are risk takers and have a pretty good idea of what risk is.
I think if I went to a climbing site and asked it could be viewed as poor taste, if you think it's rude or in poor taste,your welcome to your opinion, thanks for your input.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[stratostar 5]

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I don't know anything about climbing, but when I saw a report on CNN that listed their previous climbing experiences (I believe they mentioned Denali, Kilimanjaro and a couple other places that would be recognized by climbers) gave me comfort that this wasn't total newbies doing this.

They also left a note stating who they were, what route they are taking, what equipment/provisions they had with them,etc. That also impressed me that they weren't going into this thoughtlessly.

This is one reason I have to wonder, if this was such a good idea and these guys I would think thought this through, it also comes to mind right now as I watch a show in discovery CH. on everest.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[SkydiveJack 1]

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Just wondering, anyone else think it was pretty stupid of these guys to attempt a climb on Mt. Hood this time of the year?

No, not really. Do you think it's pretty stupid for people to jump out of an airplane at any time of the year? At 120 mph the ground is just as hard in the summer as it is in the winter. Climbing is what these three guys were into. They made their decision, they followed their dreams. In that respect they are no different than you or I.

[TrophyHusband 0]

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Just wondering, anyone else think it was pretty stupid of these guys to attempt a climb on Mt. Hood this time of the year?

no. they were very experienced and chose to do what they did because they wanted the challenge. no different than an experienced skydiver doing a more challenging skydive like a high performance landing or large formation or water jump.


unfortunatly they have found one of the climbers dead in a snow cave.

"Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama
www.kjandmegan.com

[MikeForsythe 0]

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there's no season to climb the hood

Mt. Hood is best climbed between May and July to avoid avalanche danger in early season and rock fall and the Bergschrund in later summer and fall.

Time and pressure will always show you who a person really is!

[1969912 0]

No, not if they were experienced, planned correctly, and were adequately equipped. It sounds like they were all of the above. There are several routes on the mountain that are best done in Nov-Dec. I don't know how many winter ascents are attempted, but its not uncommon. You only hear about it when something bad happens.

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[stratostar 5]

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There are several routes on the mountain that are best done in Nov-Dec. I don't know how many winter ascents are attempted, but its not uncommon. You only hear about it when something bad happens.

I see, this the type of info I was wondering about. As a non climber, my first thoughts would be weather and slides.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[CSpenceFLY 1]

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wtf?

does anyone else think that this is a pointless, heartless question?

If you think this is bad you should go hang out in the Speakers Corner.If it were a great idea people would not be looking for them.The same goes for skydiving.If it were the best idea no one would die from it.I defend the right for stratostar to ponder this question.Maybe you should go find a better touchie feelie forum.

[mailin 0]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/17/AR2006121700608.html

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Rescuers looking for three missing climbers on Mount Hood found a body Sunday in the area where one of the climbers made a distress call a week ago, authorities said.

The dead climber had not yet been identified, said Pete Hughes, a spokesman for the Hood River County Sheriff's Office. The victim was believed to be one of the three missing climbers, authorities said.

Arianna Frances

[MikeForsythe 0]

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Just wondering, anyone else think it was pretty stupid of these guys to attempt a climb on Mt. Hood this time of the year?

I don't know that I would say it was stupid. I would say that it was a higher risk time of year to go and that they were not as prepared as they could have been and as a result one person has been found dead and it has put tremendous risk to the search and rescue teams looking for them. But this is pretty typical of people that only think of themselves and not how it can affect others. I see this a lot in our sport too.

Personally I never climb without a rescue strobe, dual band amateur radio and most importantly a TerraFix GPS personal locator beacon. If they had this equipment the outcome would have been very different. Having a PLB takes the search out of search and rescue.

Time and pressure will always show you who a person really is!

[ImGunnaJump 0]

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Personally I never climb without a rescue strobe, dual band amateur radio and most importantly a TerraFix GPS personal locator beacon. If they had this equipment the outcome would have been very different. Having a PLB takes the search out of search and rescue.

As a non-climber I have to ask, are these items sort of prohibitively expensive to buy?? I would think that if you enough $ to get adequate climbing gear, you could buy these things too.

Or is it more that having these devices is not considered "cool" (some people in our sport don't want A.A.D.'s)? Or it's simply not the norm, yet, to carry them? Do they add to much weight to carry?

I'm trying to wrap my mind around why a climber wouldn't have them if they are easily available...your thoughts????

"...I've learned that while the "needs" in life are important (food, water, shelter), it's the "wants" in life (ice cream, chocolate, sex) that make it worth the effort." Kbordson

[stratostar 5]

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I would say that it was a higher risk time of year to go and that they were not as prepared as they could have been and as a result one person has been found dead and it has put tremendous risk to the search and rescue teams looking for them. But this is pretty typical of people that only think of themselves and not how it can affect others.

This is also some of the thinking as to why in my first post I said "stupid", however a better wording would have been "lack of better judgement". I also wouldn't think there are any good routes up this time of the year.

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Personally I never climb without a rescue strobe, dual band amateur radio and most importantly a TerraFix GPS personal locator beacon. If they had this equipment the outcome would have been very different. Having a PLB takes the search out of search and rescue.

I would think this kind of gear would be SOP for the dangerous conditions one would find this time of the year.

For those who want to slam me for asking this here, sorry, but I have a DVD on everest gone wrong a few year back and was watching a show tonight on discovery about everest as well as the news, it is pretty wild what altitude sickness dose to the mind and leads to poor decisions and bodys left on the mountian.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[billvon 2,435]

> Just wondering, anyone else think it was pretty stupid of these guys
>to attempt a climb on Mt. Hood this time of the year?

Probably not as stupid as taking 400 jumpers to 26,000 feet without bailout oxygen to try to get a world record. Definitely not as stupid as how we got the 357-way record.

("OK, here's what we're gonna do. There's a storm coming, so we're going to load you you up, fly 200 miles to where it's still sorta clear, drop you there, get the record, have you land at this other military base - here's an aerial picture by the way - and then load back up and come back here to where the storm should be over.")

[billvon 2,435]

>Or is it more that having these devices is not considered "cool"
>(some people in our sport don't want A.A.D.'s)?

To put the question in skydiving terms -

Do you carry supplemental O2 in case you get some extra altitude and have to hold? Do you carry a tersh? Why or why not? Is it that O2 or the third parachute just isn't "cool?"

Mountain climbers cut the ends off toothbrushes to reduce the weight they have to carry. Adding a pound of additional gear would take a very compelling reason, and "you might need it once in your lifetime" isn't that compelling.