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Wasn't talking heavier as in heavier gear necessarily, just in more of it. Although some of it is heavier like a thicker puff jacket. For the same grade fill thicker is going to be heavier.

On a day climb with a 3 person team you could take one light bag, especially if one person is stronger than the others, but it might be considered optional.

Go-lite makes a pack in the 75 liter range that weighs less than 2 pounds but you have to get used to the light suspension. On a day climb like this you shouldn't need a pack that big though.

Most of the light alpine axes don't work that well on a big hard ice face. You need weight to get easier sticks. Sharp as in recently sharpened. Function as in does it work on waterfall ice. Aluminum axes pons are def out in winter on something this size/magnitude, and probably questionable even in summer.

Yeah, I hear you, I have just noticed a lot of people with heavy gear and looking tired. And, yes bringing along the extra gear is, of course, heavier than not.

On the packs: I have a fairly light GoLite, but I'm getting rid of it. I'm into the Cilo Gear stuff now as it is much more comfortable for me. I think GoLite is not making that really light pack anymore.

Anyway, I appreciate your comments!

I agree with Buckaroo on many equipment points, and will leave the accident conjecture to you all, ...I will however weight in on the conditions, particularly the upper reaches of Mt. Hood in winter. The mountain is a giant choss pile that is held together by rhyme ice, this is particularly the case in winter, and as such the absolute best climbing conditions will be found in the winter/early spring, when the rhyme is feet thick and the consistency of stryo-foam. Rock fall is a distant hazard, that can make many routes out of shape in the summer, and fall.

On the Reid Glacier Headwall there are several runnels that can be climbed on the lower pitches above the bergschrund, and in winter they are predominately steep snow, with short pitches of ice, and rock through tight constrictions that must be negotiated. On the upper pitches, there are some larger ice bulges, but they tend to be on less steep terrain, and are more easily tackled. That side {W} of the mountain will offer some warning to impending weather, and it is not impossible to down climb, though many of the sections require a face in descent, due to the steepness of the slope, with a two handed plunge of the axe, and a descend kick-kick- repeat technique. Some teams will opt to boot axe belay some pitches during retreat, I have had to do this on that route a few times, for various reasons.

I do not think that winter attempts on Mt. Hood are unreasonable, or fool hardy, teams have to be prepared to self rescue and carry survival gear sufficient to spend several days in a snow cave. Climbers also have to be adept at manipulating gear and systems in nasty conditions. So to the equipment list I would add lots of wands to mark the approach to the Illumination saddle, and then down onto the Rieid Glacier. I would also add transceivers, with each climber knowing how to use them. It can snow wicked amounts on Mt. Hood, and spenddrift avalanches will begin with only about 8" of accumulation. The avy conditions will stabilize fairly quickly after a storm, so if you get pinned down, give the mountain 12-24 hours to stabilize before trying to retreat or continue on the route. Pickets, long and short screws and flukes, and plenty of runners, for sumul-climbing/ belay/retreat anchors, and a comprehensive first aid kit are necessary also.

Do not climb into the teeth of a forecasted storm as Mt. Hood will get hit by any weather that is in the region, but with that said, if unexpected weather pins you down, dig a cave, conserve energy and food, and wait it out, it will improve in a few days at most. I do not think a "light and fast" equipment rack is sufficient for Cascade Volcano winter attempts. If the shit hits the fan, you will be hard pressed to survive even with a full on winter mountaineering kit.

Winter attempts on Mt. Hood are great experience for climbers who aspire to higher goals, [like Denali] and can be very rich and rewarding. The onus is on the team to make smart decisions, and work together. Do not count on rescue, even if you have a mountain location beacon, [aka cadaver location devices], as it is your responsibility to get your own damn team off the mountain. Know this as a team before making your attempt. Tell others about your plan and stick to it...don`t sign out for the Reid Glacier, and then morph the climb into the West Ridge, if you get disoriented in a white out, hunker down, and wait for the fog to lift, if the chosen route is out of the question, retreat and live to climb it another day.

Live Smart, Climb Safe

The Chief wrote:SLR

Thanks and concur 100%!


PS: I know you most likely understand where I am coming from my background as a retired ABHC(NAC/NPJ).

Yes, I understand where you're coming from. I personally instigated numerous aircraft accident investigations because of my student pilots (hit the wing on deck during landing, crashed into another jet on deck during taxi, ground off 1 foot of the tail dragging it down the runway, ripped off a refueling basket in flight, etc......)

Any new news that hasn't been reported here?

Last article I saw an update on was 12/22 with no new news unfortunately.

And in conclusion.............know all that you can about the route, know all that you can about conditions, be fully prepared for changes and surprises, and have a Plan B.

ScottyP wrote:Wrong, the man in the cave was Terry James. His wife wrote a book about the experience and has made the circuit of all the talk shows as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Holding-Fast-Unto ... 1595551751

BTW, I guess that makes two of us. Since you were so rude, WRONG, his name was Kelly Jeffery James, but then you read the book didn't you?

Thanks for the tip on the book, it was a good read.

Wow! I went back to make sure I did not put "wrong" in all caps, I did not. I apologize, was not trying to be rude. Typo on the Terry vs Kelly Kames.

A bit on local news...

http://www.kgw.com/news/Sheriff-reveals ... 43152.html

An excerpt from the report;

""If your mother has Alzheimer's disease and she wanders away from home, or your brother gets lost while he's out hunting, or your child is missing, you will want me to deploy every resource available to find them — and I will. It doesn't matter whether or not anybody ever sees it on television or reads about it in the newspapers, we do it because we care.""

Craig Roberts
Clackamas County Sheriff

My hat is off to Sheriff Roberts, and all of the SAR members who participate.

T Sharp wrote:An excerpt from the report;

""If your mother has Alzheimer's disease and she wanders away from home, or your brother gets lost while he's out hunting, or your child is missing, you will want me to deploy every resource available to find them — and I will. It doesn't matter whether or not anybody ever sees it on television or reads about it in the newspapers, we do it because we care.""

Craig Roberts
Clackamas County Sheriff

My hat is off to Sheriff Roberts, and all of the SAR members who participate.

+1 Mine as well.

Hey, thanks for the follow up post from the Newspaper. It does make you wonder what happened. Nice to read there are humanitarian people out there helping because they want to like the Sheriff and volunteers.

I haven't see anything in the news since January about the 2 missing climbers. Now that winter is over, does anyone know if they are planning to search for the bodies of Katie Nolan and Anthony Vietti...?

Winter may be over where you are, but..............................as of two wks ago snow depth at Timberline (6000 ft) is 104% of normal at 13.25 feet and we've got a storm coming this weekend where snow levels are going down again to 3100 feet. I have not heard anything lately about any continued search efforts but my guess would be nothing much would happen for a while. I think the west side will be open into June this year but I haven't been over there lately to check out the schrund and any snow bridges.

I'm not sure how efforts to search on the west side go. I don't think too many people go over there from about June until winter snows come due to ice and rock fall as well as the open schrund on the Reid which is when they might be exposed (nobody knows though, they might be in a snow cave still or somewhere else down the mountain). I would guess eventually, climbers on the Reid Headwall or Leuthold might find them depending on where they ended up but that's just a guess.