Posted on 12/18/2006 8:47:53 AM PST by george76
A missing climber found dead in a snow cave on Mount Hood was identified as a Dallas man who had placed a distress call to relatives a little more than a week ago, a person close to the family said Monday.
Searchers found the cave Sunday near the spot located by cell phone signals traced from Kelly James, who made a four-minute call to his family Dec. 10 just below the summit, said Jessica Nunez, a spokeswoman for the climber's family.
On Monday, a recovery team was expected to retrieve the body, which remained on the mountain over night because darkness made it too dangerous to retrieve. The search for two other climbers also was to resume on the treacherous north side of Oregon's highest mountain.
His body was found in a second snow cave near the first, about 300 feet below the summit. Rescuers found two ice axes, a sleeping bag or pad and rope in the first. It was not known if any gear was in the second cave.
Monday's search would center on possible descent routes on Eliot Glacier and Cooper Spur, relatively lower levels of the mountain, in case the other two got down that far...
"Eliot Glacier is real dangerous so we will do that by air only," Hughes said Monday. "It's a bad avalanche area with crevasses. There are still people in crevasses that have never been recovered."
Searchers dug through the first cave to ensure no one was there and took the equipment, which will be examined for clues. The second cave with the climber's body was found a short time later.
It was not immediately clear which cave was occupied first, or why or when the climber, or climbers, decided to move from it.
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
I respect the fact that people can choose what type of recreation they want. Even if it is very dangerous. I do think that many are lured to this type of activity for the "danger" rush. On another thread they were talking about the costs of the rescue. I realize that rescue organizations are voluntary in many areas. I know the air support is not free though. I think there should be a waiver signed to share some costs. If an ambulance comes to pick me up there is a cost. In this case too it is only reasonable. It is sad for the families. However, it you are going to that type of climbing you have to know you could die. I mean, that's where they get there buzz from right?
Hi sissyjane,
I am not qualified to make the call here.
If what I am calling the belay station is left (east) of the snowcave, then it would seem they were traversing to Cooper Spur for a quicker and easier exit... which would also be in line with Nikko's inquiries at cascadeclimbers.com, (It was one of the routes he proposed as an exit), and suggests that they were reasonably on their mark when they commenced descent.
But another thing comes into play too, if they were under pressure:
I can guarantee that some of the known routes are bolted, IOW, have permanent bolts to clip to in opportune places...
They may have been trying for a bolted route for descent, as they could descend quickly, perhaps having to sacrifice a beener (carabiner) on every pitch, but that would be cheap for a quick descent...
They might also have been ascending to the summit, as that would get them quickly to the east/southeast side, lee of the storm, which would be coming in from West/Northwest (center/right).
Sorry, I could be all wet. One would best get an opinion from the local boys.
-Bruce
I wouldn't ask a question on that site to save my life. ;>) I haven't even registered....just lurked!
LOL! yah, probably quite wise on your part. Climbers are a cliquish bunch, and don't suffer fools well.
In their defense, they are normally pretty good people (the serious ones anyway), and are admirable for the assistance they are always willing to offer. They tend to abundantly observe the need for hospitality in the backwoods. They "get" it.
Unfortunately, you are meeting them under the worst circumstance- They are in deep pain right now. This kind of thing is a shock-wave to their entire community, and they dare not turn away from it either.
They must critique it and dissect it as impersonally as possible for the lessons to be learned. This could have happened to any of them (including me).
-Bruce
I read your scenario, sj, and had previously read roamer's. Correct me, either of you, but don't we all agree that the 3 were likely ok when they built the real snow cave and sheltered there?
They had been to the summit we know that.
So all that was left was for them to get down, and they obviously had to have concerns about the weather. Question was, how best and quickest to get down, and what actions would they take to get in position to go their chosen route, and what part would the degree of terrible weather play in their ability to do this.
SJ you had them attempting to decend and an accident occurring with only James left alive or at least functioning and at that location. Roamer has them either ascending or traversing and an accident occurring. This I'm sure would have been for the purpose of getting to where they COULD descend the mountain by whatever route they chose.
I don't see very much difference between you. Hope I'm not missing something.
Finally, some have speculated that they meant to descend by one route but MISSED that one and, overtaken by the severe weather, were trying an alternate one that was available, whether it was best or not. Anything at that point to get down.
I also think it matters IF the axes left behind in the "not a real cave" location belong to Kelly James (if they do) and that that would fit roamer's scenario.
Last nite on MSNBC they had an hour special on this. One guest, a rescuer said the 2 axes found in the "not real cave location" were that of Kelly James. He said that in the "real cave" where his body was found he had no equipment with him. If this is the case then this means all 3 were healthy when they left the "real cave", some sort of accident happened with all 3, Kelly being the only one left, hurt and probably in some sort of shock after witnessing the probable loss of his friends somehow made it back to the "real cave" from the "not so real cave" leaving his axes behind.
And I would guess Kelly did not live past the following Tuesday or thereabouts. Remember it was said, and I think confirmed, that his cell phone was turned on Tues. although no call was forthcoming and it went off again. People wanted to believe that he was using it as a signal so his location could be reiterated after his original call, or they wanted to believe that he would have made a call but the battery must have died. I'm thinking he was in his last moments of conciousness before losing it forever. That it was his only way of reaching out for those he loved in those final moments.
They said the phone was found "waterlogged". I wonder if the phone shorted out on Tuesday because of the water.
Is there a transcript of his call posted anywhere? I haven't been able to find one. If it's in this thread then I keep missing it.
Some very interesting ideas, everyone!
So those 2 axes belonged to James? My big question is, how could he traverse over from the small cave to the larger one without an axe? It seems improbable that he could just walk upright with no support, and with a dislocated shoulder.
This also negates one of the theories at the climbers' forum, where they suggest perhaps he dislocated his shoulder in a self-arrest, which would mean he had an axe in his hand of the arm that got injured. Right? Or is this still a possibility?
How does the possibly cut rope fit into all this?
So, maybe someone could offer up a slightly revised theory based on the new information about the axes? I'm feeling a little confused as my brain is full of things I need to do for Christmas.
Unfortunately, I don't think they'll find the two climbers until spring.
Another tidbit, someone on the climbers' forum who was part of the summit rescue team said that in the large cave where James was found, there was not enough equipment, or the right kind of equipment, to survive for any amount of time up there in the cold and at altitude. I guess the fact that they packed only for a fast and light climb ended up leaving them in a very precarious situation.
To clarify my position:
Yes, I believe they were trying to descend, to get down.
I do not believe they were "on descent" (actually going down). My reason is that one would not normally find two or more people attached to the rope in a standard rappel. By it's nature (at least, normally), only one person is involved with the rope on rappel- That being the guy that is on the rope. The other players would be individually secured and out of the way of the action.
In ascent and traverse moves (as well as down-climbing, as opposed to rappel), it is more likely to have two, or even three people involved with the rope, thereby a more likely scenario for taking two men off the slope, and leaving the third injured.
I would also attempt to refine the route scenarios:
According to CC (cascadeclimbers.com), Their actual intent was to ascend the north face and exit on the south slope, with an emergency exit of Cooper Spur.
I might add that "emergency exit" can be read as "alternate", or "secondary" exit. If, for whatever reason, their primary exit route is compromised, one would expect to find them on the second.
I believe the evidence shows they had decided not to use their primary exit. That means they were probably trying to get to Cooper Spur.
I also believe that they were in less than good conditions. It seems easier, from a technical point of view, to ascend to the summit and then descend Cooper Spur, but they stayed off the summit and traversed the face instead- That would imply alot of wind on the summit, or some lack of visibility at the least.
As a final possibility, they may have opted to go back down the way they came up- They would still be on their route (where they said they'd be) and might be more comfortable with terrain they intimately knew.
Other route scenarios would imply a high degree of desperation, as they would really try to be where they had said they were going to be (that's just how it is done).
-Bruce
Collecting and reposting these snippets from roamer_1 for clarity:
What seems most likely is that the first "cave" they found was a protected belay position or anchor-end for a traverse, and that James was there awaiting his turn (perhaps on belay). Perhaps a piece of the cornice broke away, perhaps there was a slip, or an avalanche...
While James survived, he was horribly injured and left his station without collecting his various gear, and made his way to the only shelter available- The snow cave from the previous night.
If those picks are James' (which is likely), the fact they were both out indicates he was healthy at the time, and using two arms. I believe he was on belay, and something happened to sweep the line down the hill with enough force to hurt him if his hand/arm was caught in a coil.
If they were on a long line, belay can last quite a while, so it is not uncommon to shelter the position and pull out your ground pad to sit upon while one belay...
The ice axes are what bother me. nobody would leave them behind on purpose. They come in pairs and are used in each hand. One sinks each axe into the snow/ice, then kicks in each foot. It is awfully hard going without one's axes, especially if breaking new route. The only time they would be laid aside is by the belayor, as he is anchored off, and they are not necessary then. If they are James' axes, he was probably on belay.
Actually--It wasn't my scenario, I copied and pasted from cascadeclimbers.com.
It's from a Dallas newspaper, and I don't have the link. Maybe you could do a Google search?
Some tidbits from an article at Oregon Live:
Rescuers from the U.S. Air Force Reserve's 304th Rescue Squadron who found James in his snow cave said he had a thin lightweight waterproof sack, but no sleeping bag and no warm insulated jacket. ...
Pictures taken with a disposable camera found with James show two sets of tracks in the snow side by side, indicating one of the climbers may have been assisting one of his partners, presumably James, up the slope, Wampler said. ...
From the summit, they would have been able to walk down as far as they safely could as darkness came on Friday night, Dec. 8, and build a snow cave where they spent the night without sleeping bags.
Henderson thinks the men set up a base camp above the Tilly Jane trail head and below the point they started the most technical part of the climb. Any such camp would be buried under two feet of new and drifted snow by now.
On Saturday morning, Dec. 9, Cooke and Hall likely traversed across the mountain, Henderson said, and then chopped an indentation into the snow where they could affix anchors for a descent down the Cooper Spur route.
The matched pair of ice axes discovered Sunday by rescuers indicates strong winds, estimated at up to 100 mph, could have "blown away" the climber above, Henderson said.
"To leave the ice axes was not intentional," he said. "They are essential tools for climbing, one for each hand. On a hard face like that, you don't leave your tools."
Phone call:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/121606dnmetclimbers.11dd082b.html
>>The matched pair of ice axes discovered Sunday by rescuers indicates strong winds, estimated at up to 100 mph, could have "blown away" the climber above, Henderson said.
"To leave the ice axes was not intentional," he said. "They are essential tools for climbing, one for each hand. On a hard face like that, you don't leave your tools." <<
I'm reading this to mean, that the ice axes did not belong to Kelly James then. He says that Hall and Cooke were traversing.
I'm sorry, but I can't find the article at that link?
Never mind, it worked the second time.
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