Ore. searchers thwarted again by weather ( Day 11 : Mt Hood )

, Associated Press ^ | Dec 17 | JOSEPH B. FRAZIER

[george76]

Fervent hopes and a brief break in the weather brought no satisfaction to relatives and friends of three climbers missing on the dangerous north side of Mount Hood.

The clear, cold morning turned foul by midday Saturday, before searchers on two sides of the mountain and helicopter crews retired for the night because of weather and darkness, finding no trace of the three men.

The Hood River County sheriff's office, a lead agency in the search, said efforts would continue Sunday.

On Saturday, a C-130 with infrared heat-seeking capability from the Nevada Air National Guard took to the skies over Mount Hood for a second day and was to continue around the clock with alternating crews.

After that, "we'll have to see," said Sheriff Joe Wampler.

Cold also hobbled rescue efforts, as some searchers on the north side had to come down because of facial frostbite.

The temporary weather break paved the way for the biggest push yet since the three men, two Texans and a New Yorker, were reported missing a week ago Sunday on what was to have been a quick climb of the 11,239-foot peak.

Ground searchers reported visibility as low as 20 feet as 50 mph winds kicked soft snow into a near-whiteout mist.

"It wasn't quite the dream picture we had hoped for today. But there is the chance tomorrow...

Before dawn, 25 rescue mountaineers began making their way up the south side and another 30 started from the north side, Wampler said. Both teams started at about 6,000 feet.

"I know my son's coming down today," said Lou Ann Cameron of Bryant, Ark., mother of Kelly James...

"It's my birthday. He wouldn't miss my birthday," ...

"The mountain has no right to keep our sons."

[surfer]

Here is the video link to the presser...

http://www.kgw.com/sharedcontent/VideoPlayer/videoPlayer.php?vidId=57406&live=yes

This link will probably only be good during the presser which should start shortly.

[surfer]

BREAKING NEWS: Chinook helicopter staffed with rescuers, medics en route to snow cave

A Chinook helicopter is en route to an area where rescuers have spotted a snow cave, scattered equipment and what look like footprints in the snow.

Six rescue personnel are aboard the helicopter. They will be lowered to the area.

Medic enroute hope that is positive...FOG OF NEWS time now...

[surfer]

http://www.katu.com/news/live/3882262.html

on now...

[BIGLOOK]

Under 10,000 loaded. That last 3,000 ft is a huge problem. When the climbers are found, they'll have pack it out to a serviceable altitude for Med Evac.

[Abigail Adams]

katu requires a plug-in, not sure I want to do that. Can you summarize what they are saying? Thanks!

[roses of sharon]

Just tuning in!

Do they believe that all 3 climbers are in the cave?

Thanks!

[NittanyLion]

Wow...let's hope for the best.

[California74]

Thanks. They mentioned the Y shape of the snowcave which, to experienced climbers, might indicate "yes, we are here."

[RFEngineer]

" I would really like to hear from any other celular systems designer's to hear their 'take' on engineering for 'coverage' of any given "mountain top" here in the US; specifically, did they run any propagation plots and choose sites and suitable antennas having some 'uptilt' to achieve reliable mountaintop coverage. "

Definitely possible, and even likely that they would have some coverage. Biggest issue would be interference, but intermittent capability to make a call would be quite likely.

Cell systems are designed with the typical ground "clutter" - which impedes signals at a far greater rate than the "free space" that would control coverage from a mountain top.

Modern cell systems don't do frequency planning like cell systems of old....most modern technologies use the same chunks of spectrum at the same time and use special processing to separate the individual calls.

[Abigail Adams]

Can you tell us what they are saying in the news conference? Thanks!

[sissyjane]

They have found an ice spike, and a coil of rope. They have spotted what they will confirm is a snow cave. There is a "Y", which in climber speak, means yes we are here!! Footprints spotted going from snow cave towards the summit, but blown away near the top by wind. Chinook being sent up with searchers, plus searchers near summit.

[Abigail Adams]

Thanks! So they have seen a snow cave from the air? I was wondering why they would announce they've found a cave if they were close enough on the ground to go into it and see if someone's in it, LOL!

[surfer]

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_121506_news_missing_climbers_friday.10a00d9b.html

[abner]

The best information I have seen on this is on this thread and it includes the info from the latest press conference: http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/616247/page/1/fpart/24?PHPSESSID=eec27c2ac0eb895265107d2b059526fc

Pages 20-24 cover today.

[sissyjane]

Actually both FOX and CNN have live pictures of rescuers.

[Issaquahking]

George,


It's been to the top!

European helicopter lands on the summit of Mount Everest!

NEWS RELEASE
Helicopter lands on the top of Mount Everest

On May 14th, 2005 at 7h08 (local time), a serial Ecureuil/AStar AS 350 B3 piloted by the EUROCOPTER X-test pilot Didier Delsalle, landed at 8,850 meters (29,035ft) on the top of the Mount Everest (Kingdom of Nepal).

This tremendous achievement breaks the World Record for the highest altitude landing and take-off ever, which sets an ultimate milestone in the History of Aviation.

Fabrice Brégier, President and CEO of the EUROCOPTER Group, world leading helicopter manufacturer, immediately congratulated the pilot and his team for this
extraordinary feat.

After taking off from its base camp Lukla on May 14th, 2005 at 2,866 meters (9,403ft) Didier Delsalle onboard his Ecureuil AS350B3 reached the top of Mount Everest.

As required by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI - International Aeronautical Federation), the aircraft remained landed on ground more than 2 minutes on the top of the world before flying back to Lukla.

This feat was renewed the day after.

Stepping out of his helicopter, Didier Delsalle commented: "To reach this mythical summit definitively seemed to be a dream; despite the obvious difficulties of the target to be reached, the aircraft demonstrated its capability to cope with the situation . . ., sublimated by the magic of the place”.

Achieved with a serial helicopter, this absolute World Record once more contributes to underline the unique qualities of the Ecureuil/AStar AS350 B3 as a multipurpose, reliable, quick and comfortable helicopter which emerges as the most performing aircraft in the world in the most extreme conditions.

During the trial period, Didier Delsalle and his Ecureuil/AStar AS350 B3 flew some rescue missions on behalf of the Nepalese authorities demonstrating the operational capabilities of the aircraft used to set the altitude landing and take-off World Record.

This feat has been achieved further to various flight tests begun one year ago with the Ecureuil/AStar AS350 B3, among which:

> Experimental flight up to 8,992 meters (29,500 ft) in April 2004 in Istres (France),
> “Time to climb” records to the heights of 3,000, 6,000 and 9,000 meters performed on April 14th, 2005 in respectively 2 minutes 21 seconds, 5 minutes 6 seconds
        and 9 minutes 26 seconds. These records smash the previous ones held by an Ecureuil/AStar AS350 B1 with respectively 2 minutes 59 seconds,
        6 minutes 55 seconds and 13 minutes 52 seconds,
> Experimental flight up to 10.211 meters (33.500 ft) on April 14, 2005,



I believe this is a pic of the bird.

[NittanyLion]

Gerat shots on Fox right now.

[Palladin]

Does all the reverberation from the noise of the helicopters, etc., increase the chance of avalanches?

[surfer]

That is amazing...I never knew that...thanks for the info.

[Abigail Adams]

Too bad I don't have cable!