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It's not possible to climb certain routes on Mt. Hood UNLESS it is ice/snow covered.

Obviously it wasn't possible for them to climb the route they chose.

The men were training for Everest. Climbing Hood in the spring would not approximate conditions to be found on Everest. They wanted a REALLY tough climb in severe coditions to test their mettle.

Then they should have trained at Everest. They should have realized the climb was not just about them. Climbers should be aware taking such needless risks endangers not only their own lives but the lives of those who have to rescue them. It is very selfish and egotistical to think only of their mettle and not the lives of others.

Climbers should be aware taking such needless risks endangers not only their own lives but the lives of those who have to rescue them. It is very selfish and egotistical to think only of their mettle and not the lives of others.

One of my relatives flies Search & Rescue with the military. It was something he volunteered for and something he loves to do.

One weekend, he invited us to an exercise where his helicopter was practicing recoveries with several local Mountain Search and Rescue units.

Each one of those units was manned by unpaid volunteers who were there because that is exactly what they wanted to do.

For each individual, it would be much safer to always followed the safe path from the cradle to the grave.

For our nation, however, it is far more dangerous to have a society populated solely by such people.

"Only those who are fit to live do not fear to die. And none are fit to die who have shrunk from the joy of life and the duty of life. Both life and death are parts of the same great adventure." ............. Theodore Roosevelt