Mount Hood climbing accidents
Encyclopedia
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
-related incidents on Oregon's Mount Hood
Mount Hood
Mount Hood, called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe, is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon. It was formed by a subduction zone and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States...
. As of 2007, about 10,000 people attempt to climb Mount Hood each year. As of May 2002, more than 130 people have died climbing Mount Hood since records have been kept. One of the worst climbing accidents occurred in 1986, when seven teenagers and two school teachers froze to death while attempting to retreat from a storm.
Despite a quadrupling of forest visitors since 1990, the number of people requiring rescue remains steady at around 25 to 50 per year, largely because of the increased use of cell phones and GPS devices. 3.4 percent of 2006's search and rescue missions were for mountain climbers. In comparison, 20% were for vehicles (including ATV
All-terrain vehicle
An all-terrain vehicle , also known as a quad, quad bike, three wheeler, or four wheeler, is defined by the American National Standards Institute as a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the operator, along with handlebars for steering control...
s and snowmobiles), 3% were for mushroom collectors, the remaining 73.6 percent were for skiers, boaters, and participants in other mountain activities.
Hazards
Cascade RangeCascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
weather patterns can be deceiving, with sudden sustained winds of 60 miles per hour (96.6 km/h), and visibility quickly dropping from hundreds of miles to an arm's length; climbers can experience 60 F-change temperature drops in less than an hour after leaving an access point. This pattern is responsible for the most well known incidents of May 1986 and December 2006.
Avalanche
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
s are popularly regarded to be a major climbing hazard, but relatively few Mount Hood deaths are attributed to them. For the 11-year period ending April 2006, there was one death on Mount Hood caused by an avalanche,
while 445 avalanche-related deaths occurred throughout North America.
Compared to other western states
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
, Oregon has the fewest avalanche fatalities.
Worldwide, between 100 and 200 people die each year from avalanches.
The two major causes of climbing deaths on Mount Hood are falls and hypothermia
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
.
From 1890 through 1990
According to Mount Hood: A Complete History by Jack Grauer,the first recorded climbing fatality on Hood's slopes occurred on July 12, 1896, when Frederic Kirn eschewed his guide and attempted the trip to the summit alone. Kirn's body was found on the Newton Clark Glacier on the east side of the mountain, after an apparent 40-story fall in connection with an avalanche.
In an unusual accident reported in Grauer's book, on August 27, 1934, Victor Von Norman successfully climbed the peak via the southern route, along with a group of fellow University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
students. He then ventured too close to a fumarole
Fumarole
A fumarole is an opening in a planet's crust, often in the neighborhood of volcanoes, which emits steam and gases such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrochloric acid, and hydrogen sulfide. The steam is created when superheated water turns to steam as its pressure drops when it emerges from...
between Crater Rock and the "Hogsback" that connects Crater Rock with the summit ridge, was overcome by oxygen-barren gases emanating from the fumarole, and fell about 50 feet (15.2 m) to his death. A number of men who tried to retrieve the body were also nearly overcome by the fumes before finally succeeding in their efforts.
On March 1, 1969, James Eaton died when he fell head first into a concealed 60 foot crevasse near the edge of the upper portion of the White River Canyon. Eaton was ski instructor and a member of the Mt. Hood Ski Patrol.
Beginning on New Year's Eve in 1975, two 16-year-olds and an 18-year-old survived in a snow cave
Snow cave
A snow cave is a shelter constructed in snow by certain animals in the wild, human mountain climbers, winter recreational enthusiasts, and winter survivalists. It has thermal properties similar to an Igloo and is particularly effective at providing protection from wind as well as low temperatures...
13 days through a snow storm.
On May 19, 1980, Tom Hanstedt died while descending the mountain's southeast face, falling deep into a crevasse on the Newton-Clark Glacier. His body was never recovered.
On June 6, 1981 David H. Turple and Bill Pilkenton died in a fall from Cooper Spur
Cooper Spur
Cooper Spur ski area is a ski area located on northeast Mount Hood, Oregon, United States. The resort has one double chair ski lift serving ten runs, and a vertical drop of 110 meters . There are 6.5 kilometers of cross-country skiing trails. The uphill capacity of the lift is 1200 skiers per hour,...
on the northeast side of the mountain.
On June 21, 1981 five members of the Mazamas climbing group died during a fall from Cooper Spur
Cooper Spur
Cooper Spur ski area is a ski area located on northeast Mount Hood, Oregon, United States. The resort has one double chair ski lift serving ten runs, and a vertical drop of 110 meters . There are 6.5 kilometers of cross-country skiing trails. The uphill capacity of the lift is 1200 skiers per hour,...
while descending.
One of the worst U.S. climbing accidents occurred in May 1986 when seven students and two faculty of the Oregon Episcopal School
Oregon Episcopal School
The Oregon Episcopal School is a private, coeducational college preparatory school in the Raleigh Hills suburb of Portland, Oregon.-History:...
froze to death during an annual school climb. Of the four survivors, three had life-threatening hypothermia; one had legs amputated.
On July 11, 1987 Arthur Andersen Jr. was killed when he and two other men fell on the south side of the peak and slid into a crevasse.
In June 1990 William Ott died from hypothermia on the mountain. Ott's widow was not surprised to learn of her husband's fate. She said she had not expected her husband, who had terminal cancer, to return from the trip he had chosen to make by himself.
Since 1990
On September 25, 1995 Kenneth Budlong, 45, of Portland attempted to climb the peak via the Cathedral Ridge route. Budlong was very experienced, having summited the peak 22 times before. However, the weather turned very quickly, and Budlong vanished. Despite an extensive search over the following days, his whereabouts were never determined, and his body never found.On May 19, 1997, a solo climber summited successfully with his dog, Buckwheat. While descending Coe Glacier he slipped and fell 700 feet (213.4 m), fracturing his neck. After being reported overdue by family, rescuers found him with facial lacerations, slight hypothermia, and cervical trauma. He was treated and helicoptered to Portland, but Buckwheat was not at the scene. A month later, the dog appeared at Cooper Spur Inn, some 9.4 kilometres (5.8 mi) ENE across the rugged Mount Hood Wilderness
Mount Hood Wilderness
The Mount Hood Wilderness is a protected wilderness area inside the Mount Hood National Forest which is located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The area, covering , includes the peak of Mount Hood and its upper slopes, and ranges from temperate rain forests at the lower elevations, to glaciers and...
, evidently having survived on snow melt and berries.
On September 6, 1997, an experienced telemark skier
Telemark skiing
Telemark skiing is a form of skiing using the Telemark turn. Unlike alpine skiing equipment, the skis used for telemarking either have a binding that only connects the boot to the ski at the toes, just as in cross-country skiing, or may be released to only connect there.Telemark turns are led with...
, Mark Fraas of Hood River, ascended wearing crampons and carrying skis to the 10000 feet (3,048 m) level of Cooper Spur, not intending to summit. He slipped and fell more than 1500 feet (457.2 m) down the Chisholm Trail and Eliot Glacier. Twenty-five rescuers responded to his partner's cell phone call and found him dead. Retrieval required technical mountaineering skills and equipment. Fraas was not known to have any climbing experience. This was at least the 13th fatality from Cooper Spur. All involve loss of footing, inability to self-arrest
Self-arrest
Self-arrest is a mountaineering related maneuver in which a climber who has fallen and is sliding down a snow or ice slope arrests the slide by himself or herself without recourse to a rope or other belay system....
, and a long fall over rock cliffs above the Eliot Glacier.
On May 31, 1998 during a graduation climb for The Mazamas
The Mazamas
The Mazamas is a mountaineering club based in Portland, Oregon, United States, founded in 1894.-Name:The name Mazamas means mountain goat, from Nahuatl mazatl, deer. for etymology...
mountaineering club, several were caught by an avalanche. One died, one had serious injuries.
The climbers were at the 10700 feet (3,261.4 m) level on the West Crater Rim route; the forecast was for "significant avalanche danger" and was posted "high avalanche hazard" at Timberline's climbing registration.
A large slab avalanche fracture occurred at the 10800 feet (3,291.8 m) level, 200 feet (61 m) vertical below the westernmost summit ridge.
A roped team of three were swept down the steep slope through the Hot Rocks area.
One was killed by injuries during the fall and found under four feet of snow about an hour later.
The other two climbers had a fractured pelvis, and fractured ankle, respectively.
The leader, who was only briefly caught by the avalanche, had injuries to an ankle and shoulder.
On May 23, 1999, an experienced pair of climbers summited successfully. Shortly after commencing their descent, one stumbled and both fell more than 2000 feet (609.6 m) to their deaths.
On June 22, 1999, a 24-year-old medical student from Michigan apparently set out from a remote trailhead where his rental car was found. Temperatures dropped 15 degrees and more than an inch of rain fell beginning the next day. Ten days after his presumed disappearance, searching began with up to 70 rescuers combing the area. Additional searches included cadaver dog
Cadaver dog
Cadaver dog refers to a dog trained to detect dead humans.*Police dogs*Search and rescue dogs...
s and psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
s. No sign of him was found.
On September 8, 2001, rescuers abandoned a search for a 24-year-old Hungarian exchange student who had been missing for six days. He had been hiking with friends when he left the group with light clothing and no provisions. Two days after his disappearance, the weather turned cold and snowy.
On May 24, 2002, a 30-year-old Argentine national attempted to snowboard off Mount Hood's summit along Cooper Spur
Cooper Spur
Cooper Spur ski area is a ski area located on northeast Mount Hood, Oregon, United States. The resort has one double chair ski lift serving ten runs, and a vertical drop of 110 meters . There are 6.5 kilometers of cross-country skiing trails. The uphill capacity of the lift is 1200 skiers per hour,...
ridge. He lost control after a few turns and tumbled over 2000 feet (609.6 m) to his death.
Crevasse
A crevasse is a deep crack in an ice sheet rhys glacier . Crevasses form as a result of the movement and resulting stress associated with the sheer stress generated when two semi-rigid pieces above a plastic substrate have different rates of movement...
(The Bergschrund
Bergschrund
A bergschrund is a crevasse that forms where the moving glacier ice separates from the stagnant ice above. It is often a serious obstacle for mountaineers, who sometimes abbreviate "bergschrund" to "schrund"....
) in the "hogsback". Most unusual was the televised crash-and-roll of a USAF Pavehawk rescue helicopter from the 304th RQS which suddenly lost lift.
On March 7, 2003, the search for a man snowshoeing from Timberline Lodge was abandoned after more than four days in heavy winter weather. More than six feet of snow fell during the search. An extensive search five months later for the man's body failed, but unexpectedly discovered the body of another man who was not identified.
On Thursday, December 7, 2006, three experienced climbers—Kelly James
Kelly James
Jeffrey Kelly James was one of three experienced mountain climbers who died on Mount Hood in the U.S. state of Oregon in December 2006 in an incident which received worldwide attention....
, Brian Hall, and Jerry "Nikko" Cooke—began what they expected to be a two-day expedition on the more-treacherous north slope of the mountain. On Saturday, December 9, 2006, the climbers failed to meet a friend who was scheduled to pick them up at Timberline Lodge. On Sunday, December 10, 2006 James made a cell phone call to his wife, and two older sons telling them that he was trapped in a snow cave and Brian and Nikko had gone for help. Rescue attempts were forestalled by freezing rain, heavy snowfall, low visibility and winds of 100 mi/h, caused by a widespread winter storm. Clear weather on the weekend of December 16 allowed almost 100 search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
personnel to scour the mountain. On Sunday, December 17, searchers found what they first believed to be a snow cave
Snow cave
A snow cave is a shelter constructed in snow by certain animals in the wild, human mountain climbers, winter recreational enthusiasts, and winter survivalists. It has thermal properties similar to an Igloo and is particularly effective at providing protection from wind as well as low temperatures...
and climbing equipment, approximately 300 feet (91.4 m) from the summit. At that location, the rescuers found a rope, two ice axes and an insulating sleeping pad. At approximately 3:29 PM PST
Pacific Time
Pacific Time may refer to:* Pacific Time Zone , a time zone on the west coast of the United States, Canada and Mexico* Pacific Time , a radio program produced by KQED and carried on several other NPR stations...
, the body of Kelly James was found in another snow cave near the first one. On Wednesday, December 20, 2006, as good weather ended, the Hood River County
Hood River County, Oregon
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 20,411 people, 7,248 households, and 5,175 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile . There were 7,818 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
sheriff announced that the mission was now being treated as a recovery rather than a rescue. Brian Hall and Jerry Cooke remain missing and have been declared dead.
On the morning of Saturday, February 17, 2007, eight experienced climbers from the Portland area ascended in sunny, mild weather. Observing worse weather mid-afternoon, they camped at the 9300 feet (2,834.6 m) level of Illumination Saddle overnight. Sunday morning, they abandoned a summit attempt and descended in freezing rain and snow, visibility less than 30 feet (9 m), and winds at 40 to 70 mph (64 to 120 km/h). At about noon, disoriented, three of the climbers and a black lab
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. A breed characteristic is webbed paws for swimming, useful for the breed's original purpose of retrieving fishing nets. The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Canada, the United...
stepped off a cliff (at the 8300 ft (2,529.8 m) level at the east edge of Palmer Glacier
Palmer Glacier
The Palmer Glacier is a glacier located on the upper slopes of Mount Hood in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is on the south side of the mountain ranging in elevation from about 6,200 to 9,300 ft , and was named for Joel Palmer, an Oregon pioneer...
) while tethered together and tumbled down several hundred feet of steep slope into White River Canyon. One of the remaining five climbers was lowered by rope to search for the fallen group, but returned without seeing them. They called for help by cell phone, and were advised of even worse weather advancing, so dug in expecting another night. However, rescuers arrived and evacuated them Sunday evening. The three fallen climbers were unable to dig into solid ice to build a snow cave
Snow cave
A snow cave is a shelter constructed in snow by certain animals in the wild, human mountain climbers, winter recreational enthusiasts, and winter survivalists. It has thermal properties similar to an Igloo and is particularly effective at providing protection from wind as well as low temperatures...
, so they improvised a shelter and were in hourly cell phone contact with rescuers. They had a Mountain Locator Unit
Mountain Locator Unit
A Mountain Locator Unit or MLU is a radio transmitter designed to be used by mountain climbers as an emergency locator beacon when the wearer needs rescue....
, sleeping bags, GPS, and a tarp. The dog, Velvet
Velvet (dog)
Velvet is a black lab/shepherd cattle mixed-breed dog, owned by Matty Bryant of Milwaukie, Oregon, who helped save three climbers, including Bryant, when they became stranded on Mount Hood, Oregon on February 18, 2007....
, helped keep them warm. Rescuers arrived Monday about 10:45 am. One was hospitalized for a head injury, the others were treated for minor injuries and released. The dog had broken nails and a cut on one of her back legs from cold exposure.
On May 12, 2007, five climbers were stranded at the 9400 ft (2,865.1 m) level by whiteout conditions
Whiteout (weather)
Whiteout is a weather condition in which visibility and contrast are severely reduced by snow or sand. The horizon disappears completely and there are no reference points at all, leaving the individual with a distorted orientation...
. The climbers contacted rescuers by cell phone and obtained assistance to navigate to Illumination Saddle, on the south side of the mountain. Using their GPS navigation unit, the climbers traversed to the saddle and descended the mountain without further incident. The climbers carried a Mountain Locator Unit
Mountain Locator Unit
A Mountain Locator Unit or MLU is a radio transmitter designed to be used by mountain climbers as an emergency locator beacon when the wearer needs rescue....
with them, which would have allowed rescuers to pinpoint their location, had they not been able to descend from the mountain on their own.
On September 7, 2007, two Portland-area climbers were ascending a technical approach to the Pearly Gates at early afternoon when one slid to the edge of the Bergshrund and sustained injuries sufficient for him to call for rescue assistance. His partner decided it was too dangerous to descend the frozen gravel and loose rock face and remained in place. Rescuers arrived about five hours later, assessed the fallen climber, treated minor injuries and belayed him walking down. The other climber required technical climbing equipment and was assisted down the Bergshrund. He walked down and joined his partner about dawn at a Timberline snowcat
Snowcat
A snowcat is an enclosed-cab, truck sized, fully tracked vehicle designed to move on snow. Snowcats are often referred to as 'trail groomers' because of their use for grooming ski trails or snowmobile trails...
at the top of the ski area.
On January 14, 2008, two young experienced climbers intended to ascend the Leuthold Couloir route (above Illumination Rock) and began in good weather. When their return was overdue that afternoon, a search and rescue team activated for the following morning, but was turned back by bad weather. At 9 am, cell phone contact was established and rescuers learned they spent the night below the tree line. Rescuers escorted them out two hours later.
The climbers were unprepared for bad weather which arrived as they reached the 10000 ft (3,048 m) level. Thinking they had a clear weather window, they had no GPS, nor Mountain Locator Unit
Mountain Locator Unit
A Mountain Locator Unit or MLU is a radio transmitter designed to be used by mountain climbers as an emergency locator beacon when the wearer needs rescue....
, and did not believe their cell phone was usable. Descending with a map and compass, they navigated southward hoping to encounter Timberline Lodge, Government Camp
Government Camp, Oregon
Government Camp is an unincorporated community located in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, south of Mount Hood and north of Tom, Dick and Harry Mountain. It is a gateway to several ski resorts, the most popular being Timberline Lodge and Mount Hood Skibowl. Also, Government Camp has its...
, or the Mount Hood Highway
Mount Hood Highway
The Mount Hood Highway No. 26 is the Oregon Department of Transportation's designation for a 93.84-mile highway from Portland east around the south side of Mount Hood and north via Bennett Pass to Hood River. It is marked as U.S...
. Not finding any of these, they reached the 5000 ft (1,524 m) level and built a snow cave
Snow cave
A snow cave is a shelter constructed in snow by certain animals in the wild, human mountain climbers, winter recreational enthusiasts, and winter survivalists. It has thermal properties similar to an Igloo and is particularly effective at providing protection from wind as well as low temperatures...
to spend the night. In the morning, they inadvertently discovered a geocache labeled with coordinates just as a rescue sheriff called their cell phone.
On October 19, 2008, an inexperienced solo climber fell as he began his descent after summitting. His crampons slipped leading to an uncontrolled slide of about 300 feet (91.4 m) vertical near Crater Rock. He was unable to arrest his fall using an ice ax, and blacked out after his head struck the surface. Another climber witnessed his fall and rushed to assist, observed head trauma and confusion, and called for help using a cell phone, then descended to meet rescuers. A third climber remained with him until help arrived since the victim was unable to descend on foot. Rescuers arrived a few hours later, applied first aid to stabilize, and called for air evacuation to a Portland hospital. He was treated for cuts and scrapes, and released.
On January 17, 2009, a search and rescuer on a training exercise was injured when the ice he was climbing collapsed causing him to fall some 200 feet (61 m) resulting in severe ankle injuries. Another team member was injured, but was able to walk down. Another rescue team was practicing in the area at the time and assisted the first team.
On January 21, 2009, a climber died after a temperature inversion likely loosened ice from cliffs above the Hogsback. She tumbled 400 feet (121.9 m) before stopping in a natural depression.
On February 1, 2009, two men were ascending the Hogsback. Fatigue and poor weather caused them to abort a summit attempt and descend. One lost his balance and fell some 20 feet (6.1 m) before self-arresting, during which he dislocated a shoulder. The other climber called 911 and initiated assistance. Another group of climbers stopped and helped walk the injured climber to the Timberline Ski Area where a snow cat with rescuers awaited.
On May 17, 2009, a climber received severe injuries to his face, arm and leg in a 500 feet (152.4 m) fall at the 10,600 level of the Hogsback. At least 40 climbers were attempting to summit at the time. The previous day a climber in a group of ten was struck by falling ice. Both climbers were hospitalized.
On December 13, 2009, rescuers recovered the body of 26-year-old Luke T. Gullberg, of Des Moines, Washington
Des Moines, Washington
Des Moines is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 29,673 at the 2010 census. Property within the city has been the subject of land buyouts because of noise from aircraft landing or taking off from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport two miles to the north of...
, at about the 9,000-foot level, two days after the trio began climbing an especially treacherous face of the mountain. On August 26, 2010, after several days of a renewed search effort, Portland Mountain Rescue
Portland Mountain Rescue
Portland Mountain Rescue is a search and rescue organization based in Portland, Oregon, United States. It specializes in high angle mountain rescue in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington, as well as providing educational materials and information for the local mountaineering community...
recovered the bodies of Anthony Vietti and Katie Nolan, still tied together.
On June 16, 2010, five climbers with ski gear hiked up Snow Dome, a popular wilderness back country area on the north side, intending to ski down. Bad weather rolled in causing poor visibility and strong winds. One climber, Robert Dale Wiebe from Canada, was separated and accidentally traversed Coe Glacier where he apparently fell 700 feet (213.4 m) to his death.
On July 7, 2010, a 25 year old male climber had successfully summited. During the initial descent, he lost footing near Hot Rocks and was unable to stop, injuring his knee and elbow. Nearby climbers provided first aid until rescuers and paramedics arrived and stabilized him. He was loaded into a sled and lowered down with an improvised arrangement of rope and pulley systems.
On July 24, 2010, a 54 year old male from Arizona fell from the Hogsback and fractured or dislocated an ankle and received abrasions from sliding down granular ice. The victim was airlifted to a Portland hospital.
On January 22, 2011, three friends summited successfully in the afternoon, but one broke his crampon during descent. At 5 p.m., his partners continued down without him separating from him at Crater Rock. They notified authorities when he did not return, reporting he lacked a light and overnight gear though he had "a beacon" from REI, but did not know what it was, but said he would "pull the knob" if something happened. The sheriff called for search assistance, and since Portland Mountain Rescue
Portland Mountain Rescue
Portland Mountain Rescue is a search and rescue organization based in Portland, Oregon, United States. It specializes in high angle mountain rescue in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington, as well as providing educational materials and information for the local mountaineering community...
was already in the area for a winter bivouac exercise, they conducted an MLU
Mountain Locator Unit
A Mountain Locator Unit or MLU is a radio transmitter designed to be used by mountain climbers as an emergency locator beacon when the wearer needs rescue....
search at 8 p.m. and quickly identified a signal from White River Canyon. It was a clear night near freezing with winds at 20 miles per hour (32.2 km/h). Night ski lighting from Skibowl and Timberline was clearly visible when they located the victim east of Palmer Glacier at 7700 feet (2,347 m) around midnight in light garments. They treated with warm clothing, liquids, and heat packs and took him back to Timberline.
Late on February 20, 2011, a snowboarder was reported lost on Mount Hood. Initial information and cell phone tracking indicated he was northwest of Zig Zag Canyon. Five searchers were unable to find him that night though visibility improved during the evening. The next morning had better conditions and involved many more searchers. He was found by a National Guard helicopter which airlifted him to Timberline Lodge, cold but in good spirits. As rescuers were debriefing with a sheriff, a call for assistance arrived from a 13 year old male snowboarder who was out-of-bounds below the Timberline Ski area. He was found within 20 minutes of the call, given hot drink and food, and escorted to Timberline's first aid room.
External links
- Climbing Mt. Hood, including climbing conditions, from the Mount Hood National ForestMount Hood National ForestThe Mount Hood National Forest is located east of the city of Portland, Oregon, and the northern Willamette River valley. The Forest extends south from the Columbia River Gorge across more than of forested mountains, lakes and streams to the Olallie Scenic Area, a high lake basin under the slopes...
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