Well ... it's sad news that at least one of these climbers has died.

I spent many years climbing mountains when I was younger. At that time I belonged to the "old school". I never expected S&R to come and get me. So for that reason I would try to be meticulous in my planning - so that my team could always extricate ourselves if something went wrong. Still, I must admit that there is always a fair amount of "luck" that is involved in mountaineering. Anyone can have a bad day.

I think what goes wrong (commonly) these days is that climbers try to do these peaks "alpine style". It has become in vogue to attempt summits by moving fast and light. The technique works out fine providing the climbers have excellent fitness, great skills, use good judgment about weather, and don't encounter bad mishaps. But it gets people in serious trouble if things go badly wrong. They are generally not carrying a lot of gear for an extended stay on the mountain.

I agree with people on this forum about the locator beacons. A PLB, or a SPOT tracker system, would have helped S&R locate these people a lot faster. It seems like a small price to pay for a human life ... and frankly these units just aren't that expensive (or that heavy to carry in a backpack).

the other Pete