I live at the base of Mount Hood. I have worked, played, and hunted on both Mt Hood and Mt Adams as well as many other Cascade mountains for over thirty six years. The forecast for Mt Hood last night was for sustained winds of between 55 and 85 miles an hour with higher gusts. Temperatures were expected in the mid twenties. Wind chill would cause instant frostbite. They were also forecasting one to two feet of more snow. Winds where I am are very strong and we have had rain all night and mostly all day.

Mt Hood is one of those Cascade Mountains that many climbers both experienced and green horns have successfully climbed all year long. However, when conditions are bad, blizzard conditions can last a week or more. The main problem with these mountains is that the weather is controlled by the Pacific Ocean. You always have to be prepared to be wet and it can go from blizzard to flood instantly. They just opened Highway 35 last week from massive flooding caused by glacier melting on Mt Hood. That flood changed the coarse of the White River and covered the bridge over the White River with ten feet of boulders the size of automobiles

These guys need a lot of luck, skill, and equipment to survive.

"...someone will always come to rescue us..."

Yup.

While I hope that these guys are found alive and well, the fact that most climbers do this mountain in the summer (or so I have read), and they chose to do it in Dec, lightly equipped to boot, thereby putting dozens of rescuers at risk, borders on the criminal. At least in my opinion...

'...thereby putting dozens of rescuers at risk, borders on the criminal.'

Hmmm, yes, that's what I was thinking also. They have/had 45 search parties out, all experts in snow/ice, and one helicopter. They are putting these people in jeopardy by their foolish actions.

The last I heard, the one who called home from a snow cave is not responding. The others have not been found where they were supposed to be, so they are either lost or buried out of sight.

These guys are supposed to be very experience, know survival techniques, but are traveling lightly equipped in winter. I guess you can be experienced, but not very smart.

Sue

It is a real mountain. You can't take it for granted. Many years ago one of my friends was one of only a handful that survived a school climb when near a score perished
on Mt Hood.
Even the rescuers going in and knowing the conditions of the storm (-50F
windchill) couldn't wear enough clothes and had to hole up.

To be critical
of the climbers at this stage seems to me talking in ignorance.

Fast and
light is often safer in mountaineering. If the climbers managed a good
snow cave they could be safe for days, though the north side is technical
ice and rescuers will have a tough time getting close without good weather.

I really can't judge these climbers, but considering they ARE experienced, climbing Mt. HOOD, climbing IN DECEMBER, climbing in the YEAR 2006, I think I would have invested less than $500 in a PLB before I went on that "trapse."

In those kind of weather conditions or when there is potential for them, it should now be the norm to have a PLB. Cost, though, one might say. Well, when it's that dangerous and you can put so many more people at risk like is happening in this situation now, it should be said "If you can't afford the PLB, you can't afford the climb" when the weather is bad or can get bad.

Sometimes fast and light means increased risks. Sometimes, if not always...

People sometimes go "uh?" when they see me add my two-sided (one reflective) heavy-duty 6"x10" tarp in my daypack when i'm getting ready to go hiking or snowshoeing. But I am convinced that carrying that "heavy" item (by some people's standard) might come in very handy one day, or even save my life. This weekend, I was on a snowshoeing trip and the winds were so strong above the treeline, I can easily see how a leg injury could turn into a nightmare for unequipped people.

Bring all the gear you feel necessary to keep yourself safe, and don't bother saving a few pounds... unless you have a very weak back or chronic leg problems !

My personal experience has been that if I pack for all reasonable scenarios ('cause Mr. (Colonel) Murphy is never far away), I have rarely had cause to use the equipment. Which breeds complacency and has me doubting the wisdom of lugging around all of this weight. Then I remember, if I don't have it, I'LL NEED IT!
Proper Planning Prevents [censored] Poor Performance - the 6 P's have never failed me.

December is one of the safer months to attempt Hood from the north. Better
ice, less rock fall.
And you are required by law on that climb to have either a cell phone
or a PLB.

Maybe they had both.

You couldn't carry enough gear to insure your safety when doing that type of climb. Having a PLB may do no good if rescuers can't
survive trying getting to you or if you are buried in an avalanche and
can't set it off.

And having a PLB may be calling some rescuer to their death. Some climbers want to get themselves out of trouble and want nothing to do
with rescue parties.

You may argue that mountaineering itself is foolish. I would hope you
wouldn't say it should be illegal.

The climbers should know the risks and make their own decisions (as should the searchers, they are not conscripts either, most are volunteers who also do similar climbs, if not, they shouldn't be there trying to help).

The bottom line is the weather there can be bad enough that one can't
survive in the open no matter your gear. There are objective hazards
and subjective hazards in mountaineering. You can't control the
objective ones.

Gee, don't tempt me. No, I don't condemn mountaineering. Some areas at some times of the year should be even more restricted though. The point is, there is a blizzard right now regardless of whether December is one of the safer months or not to "attempt Hood from the north." I guess I really look at these three poor guys as victims more than anything else. Victims of the government not passing laws enforcing stricter guidelines due to past lessons that cannot seem to be learned. Regardless of the rescuers knowing the risks they take they should not have to volunteer to be put in harm's way. The risk should not have existed in the first place for them, period.

Can you spell "Climber's License?" (guess you can now since I typed it) Enough tax dollars seen being spent on these type searches and some U.S. Congressman might just get a wild hair. It could happen in this day and age, believe me. Some broad new test and license with a big fee could be imposed in addition to anything that already exists.

I just pray that God will bring them down safely.

Can you spell "Personal Responsibility?"

Those climbers new the risks when they went up there. They were/are doing what they loved to do. They chose whatever preparations they made and what equipment they took, balanced against the risks involved. If, heaven forbid, they don't make it, it was THEIR fault.

It is not the government's job to assume responsibility for everyone's actions, who are they to decide what is appropriate for us as individuals.

We are all here because we have chosen to take responsibility for ourselves and our families well-being. The last thing we need is for the government to butt their noses in.

Greg