http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1166329517283160.xml&coll=7&thispage=1
another update and summary of yesterday...they did find a clue at the end of the day...a piece of climbing equipment 300 feet from the top! That is a good sign!
Presser any minute now.
Interesting article I found on another blog...
http://robotgossip.blogspot.com/2006/12/robots-join-rescue-effort.html
They expect major developments within the next few hours...search area has been narrowed because of anamolies in the snow and/or equipment spotted.
Hopefully they are all together and still alive.
Did these climber pack:
1) a flare gun?
2) any 2-way communications radios that are COMMONLY available and aside from that consumer item known as a 'cell phone' (that requires suporting infrastructure even at 10K feet) and that could communicate directly with SAR aircraft (somthing like a 121.5 MHz capable aircraft hand-held radios)?
3) a sat phone - capable of working ANYWHERE?
4) a simple mirror?
Some background on MLUs in situ can be had here: /www.939arw.afrc.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123019595
Excerpt:
Luckily, the missing climbers were wearing a mountain locator unit (a personal locator devise attached to a belt.) The MLU was developed after the 1986 Oregon Episcopal School tragedy. During that incident, nine students and faculty members died of exposure when they were overcome by bad weather during an annual wilderness hike to the Mount Hood Summit.Now rescuers can use a Yaggi directional antenna, to track a signal being transmitted from the missing climber's MLU.
www.traditionalmountaineering.org/Trip_VHF.htm
On June 20, 2000 two OMA members were caught in rockfall on the Sandy Glacier Headwall on Mt Hood. They had a VHF with various frequencies programmed into it, including the state SAR frequency. ...The licensee of the state SAR frequency is the Oregon Department of Emergency Management and they have clarified that such emergency use is entirely appropriate. Carrying a VHF radio would also appear to be fully in accordance with HB 3434. This was enacted ... in 1996 or 1997 and attempts to mandate that climbers carry "mountain locator units, cellular phones or other technological devices". A VHF radio has many compelling advantages over both a cell phone and a locator unit. So on one hand we have legislators attempting to mandate the use of communications technology for safety purposes and on the other hand we have the US Forest Service and the Clackamas County Sheriff criticizing a party which does so.
To carry a VHF radio, and to listen to one, is entirely legal. This is the frequency band that common scanners cover. To transmit on a frequency requires that you license that frequency or have the permission of the licensee. We have confirmed with the licensee that permission in an accident such as that of June 2000 is implicit. The Oregon Department of Emergency Management licenses the SAR frequency for emergency use. It turns out that they were also confused by the criticism in the press, and they have stated that the use of the frequency by the climbers involved was entirely appropriate.
When the SAR operation began the climbers were contacted by the sheriffs deputy on the VHF radio. And by the ground crew on standby. And the 939th rescue crew as they approached. Conversations were initiated by these organization and the climbers replied. At no point were they instructed that they should not transmit anything due to a lack of permission from the licensee. The sheriffs deputy did not hesitate to transmit questions requiring a reply.
A rescue where the stranded party has a radio should be much better for the rescue groups responding. They can get direct information on the location, condition, and other factors. In most rescues they are left guessing until they arrive on the scene.
While climbing parties with such a radio are not common they sometimes exist. These climbers owned one and therefore carried it for emergency use. The University of Oregon equipment "library" includes radios as well as cell phones and avalanche beacons. Members of rescue units have been known to carry such a radio when climbing recreationally.
Why do people put themselves in this kind of danger?
I hope that none of the rescuers is hurt!