http://www.kptv.com/news/10892717/detail.html?taf=ptl1

The word from my friend who's husband is in SAR out there was that they didn't have an MLU but luckily had a cell phone.

Here's a video segment on it linked off the first link:
http://www.kptv.com/video/10899222/index.html

From what she tells me, this happens ALOT out there. People really underestimate Mt. Hood and they often pay a terrible price.

GPS signals degrade, MLU batteries run out, cell phones die... the last place you want this to happen is in the middle of the 'bad season' on one of the countries most deadly mountains. At this time of year wind speeds frequently hit 100mph, snow can come out of nowwhere.

Apparently climbers can have a wide variety of experience.. sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's as hard as everest. The factor apparently is the variability of the weather. In that respect, I can't believe people are foolish enough to do this IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER. To me it seems like nature at it's finest, culling the weaker mental genes but still you have to wonder who sits around thinking this kind of thing is a good idea.

"Oh I'm going to ascend an 11,000+ ft peak that's had numerous deaths per year in the middle of the worst season possible with me and a few of my buddies. We've done the appalachians so this should be a breeze."

WTF!

/rant

Oh I forgot to rant that they don't shell out the 5 dollars for an MLU (which they're actually trying to get state legislation to REQUIRE it to reduce deaths and the rescue costs) because what? Their 3000 dollar hiking trip was enough and those extra 5 dollars might break the bank? Meh.
It's stories like this that make me mourn for our race as a whole.