Some might be interested in a release by Portland Mountain Rescue, a SAR organization who actually responds to incidents on Mt Hood, and elsewhere in Clackamas County. It contains a statement on the advisability of carrying mountain locator units, and why the public should NOT be charged for rescue services. Argue against their stated postitions if you want, but there is generally more good sense in their press release than I am hearing in this thread right now.

http://www.pmru.org/pressroom/headlines/20091213PMRStatementRegardingMissions.html

I have known 3 climbers who died doing what they loved, before the interwebs and web forums, and I think of them every time one of these threads gets started, and people start speculating and pontificating, and how they would laugh at what people do with their time and thoughts. Willi, Erich, Steve - here they go again...

We can discuss and pontificate, its what we do in this forum - its just that in this thread about the Mt Hood climbers, it seems to me to be in very bad taste to do it about their experiences, which we really don't know very much about.

My sympathies are for the climbers, their families and friends, now at a very tough time. And I am grateful to SAR and mountain rescue, who had to make a terrible decision not to search this week. Everyone did their best, but they were up against it. Sometimes the mountain wins.