Climbers lost on mt. hood

imported
#1

we continue to grieve with the families who lost their loved ones on mt. hood over christmas…our prayer is that they will receive much comfort and kindness as they face an even tougher “climb” in the coming days…

nature can be gut-wrenchingly beautiful, as well as fiercely adverse and terrifying…but i believe the day is coming when “nature will be set free from corruption” (romans 8:21)and we will enjoy creation in peace (micah 4:1-5)…until then, we never know what we may face…i’m thankful for two AT hikes that brought me safely back home…

maw-ee

#2

A little more preparation and a little less arrogance and they’d probably still be alive. While I’m saddened by the events on Mt. Hood, it comes down to being prepared and knowing when to turn back to live to climb another day.

B.

#3

Mt Hood is the peak I cut my teeth on learning to climb many years ago. I still climb and have enjoyed high cold mountains for decades.
The Cooper Spur route is almost a ridge. Most falls on that route occur when the descending party steers a little to far to the left on Descent. You simply drop over the ice fall that makes up the upper reaches of Elliot Glacier. I first guess is that is where the two members are. Why they dug in in two caves and left one man behind we can only speculate. If you are out of the weather and have gear to stay warm there is no reason you cannot remain alive for a week on the summit. If only they had turned around when the weather looked iffy…

Acorn

#4

I’ve been caught in a freak late spring storm on Mt Baker and ended up in a snow cave for 5 days. We had our sleeping bags, foam pads and a little food. I agree, if you’re prepared you can survive a week or more.
But climbing alpine style (little gear) in the winter is a real crapshoot.

pr

#5

I’ve been caught in a freak late spring storm on Mt Baker and ended up in a snow cave for 5 days. We had our sleeping bags, foam pads and a little food. I agree, if you’re prepared you can survive a week or more.
But climbing alpine style (little gear) in the winter is a real crapshoot.

pr

#6

As easy as it seems to judge this situation I don’t think you can. You know you can always say, what if we did this. Don’t forget you weren’t there. It isn’t fair to say they should have been more prepared. You can always look back and say we should have done something different after the fact.

luke kaim