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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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Mar 29, 2010 - 11:39pm PT
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I've done the route they did. at 14K on that route there isn't a lot of mountain left. But if he's unresponsive that's not good. of course getting to anywhere near that spot won't be easy.
wishing for the best possible outcome....
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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Mar 29, 2010 - 11:41pm PT
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A SAR team is a lot like a militia. Here in Inyo County, I think we are offically on paper somewhere as a posse, which is cool.
I bet the rescuers are doing all they can.
Having a good location report from the one that walked out is good, but weather can be bad. Altitde sickness, the kind that floors you, can be real bad too.
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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Mar 30, 2010 - 12:17am PT
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FortMental... have you ever hung out it Redding? Try it some time (actually, don't). You'd understand the ignorant hateful comments you read a little better.
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John Moosie
climber
Beautiful California
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Mar 30, 2010 - 12:17am PT
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From this link..
http://tiny.cc/6nu6a
Eric White, the lead climbing ranger on Mount Shasta for the U.S. Forest Service, described a scene that did not appear conducive to a quick search and rescue.
Winds on the mountain were blowing 60-70 mph, dropping overnight temperatures at the peak to well below freezing. The wind was so forceful it was blowing snow and creating whiteout conditions while turning the mountain's surface into hard-pack ice, he said.
The conditions forced White to turn back Monday after reaching the 9,000-foot level, well below the summit.
"There's no visibility and very high winds right now and just very high risk trying to get up to that elevation," he said.
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Mar 30, 2010 - 12:34am PT
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Geez, i hate seeing these threads. I hope this one turns out OK, climbers are unnaturally tough individuals.
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rhyang
climber
SJC
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Mar 30, 2010 - 12:36am PT
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Been up and down Hotlum-Bolam Ridge a number of times over the years during the summer. A friend has a story about going up with a group one August and getting surprised by a snowstorm.
Mt. Shasta is not like the southern Sierra -- it's in the Cascade range; treeline is lower and weather is colder and wetter.
Here are some shots from last June .. we did HBR the first day of summer.
Bluebird skies at the trailhead
Whiteout came and went as we headed up to northgate high camp
We camped around 10800' -- the whiteout gave way to snow, occasional rain and thunder.
Next morning on the route
It was in the 20's when we set out from camp at 4am-ish. It was probably in the teens later in the day as we climbed higher.
Near 13000' -- Hotlum Headwall on the left .. I believe there is a loose multipitch 5.8 somewhere on that thing
And below it is a glacier .. with deep crevasses and flowing ice.
Looking down from ~13500'.. fortunately the clouds stayed low most of the day
After we summitted & came back down, the skies cleared for a while
We broke camp and headed back to the car. We noticed that there was snow still in the trees from the storm the night before.
First day of summer. Imagine what it's like in the winter !
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JOEY.F
Social climber
sebastopol
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Mar 30, 2010 - 12:36am PT
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Praying for the guys tonight.
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em kn0t
Trad climber
isle of wyde
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Mar 30, 2010 - 02:57am PT
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listening to the wind outside down here in the flatlands,
remembering how fierce it can be up there on Shasta in a storm.
sending good thoughts and hopes that Bennett has shelter, safety and the will to survive this night
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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Mar 30, 2010 - 11:00am PT
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bump for positive vibes
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Mar 30, 2010 - 11:04am PT
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The weather really sucks up here now. :(
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cleo
Social climber
Berkeley, CA
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Mar 30, 2010 - 12:48pm PT
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Damn, I'm feeling really sad. Tom is new to the community here in Berkeley, but he struck me as the kind of guy you really want as a climbing partner. Helpful, kind, experienced, good-humored, down-to-earth, and enthusiastic. He is somebody I'd have tagged to go rescue somebody else, not the other way around.
I never realized HACE could progress so quickly and severely at "only" 14k.
Still holding out hope that they can get to Tom today, and that he still has a chance. I can't imagine being in Mark's position - I know he did everything he could for Tom. Staying with Tom for 2 days and 2 nights, dragging him into snow caves. Mark is someone I'd want as a partner if I were in trouble.
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snaps10
Mountain climber
Visalia, CA
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Mar 30, 2010 - 03:38pm PT
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Mark, via SP:
Dear everyone. I'm down safe and well.
I disagree with some of the important details in the news reports (regarding permits, weather advisories, and closures at the time of our departure) and will be responding to those as soon as appropriate.
While I'm touched by the outpouring of support from you all, in respect for Tom and his family, please limit your messages to me to be via e-mail or PMs for now. My phone battery is dead, so I won't be accessible by phone.
 Mark |
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Jingy
Social climber
Nowhere
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Mar 30, 2010 - 03:48pm PT
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I get the impression that Thomas will be fine.
Bennett will survive if he is able to keep fluid and food in him.
I think eerything is going to be just fine due to the experience of Thomas.
This is all based on the news report posted to the OP.
This is also my good vibes going out to the survivors.
Wheather seems to be breaking in my area (central valley area) so I see a happy ending here.
Keep the good thought comin'!
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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Mar 30, 2010 - 04:25pm PT
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Uh... Jingy... did you read the report at redding.com?
Media hype aside the last two reports on that site both state that Mark stated Thomas was unresponsive when he decided to descend. Though I have all the best hopes this looks grim.
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slobmonster
Trad climber
OAK (nee NH)
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Mar 30, 2010 - 06:22pm PT
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Channel 2 is here (@ my shop in Berkeley) looking for comments.
It makes me a little ill to consider opining before any real news has come from the north. Anything we know down here is third-hand at best, and nothing more than morbid filler.
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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Mar 30, 2010 - 06:30pm PT
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Severe AMS is no joke. 14,000 feet is plenty high to be fatal.
Last summer there were two fatalities in Inyo County due to HAPE. I think the first was around 11,000 feet near cottonwood lakes,and the second was about that height or maybe lower near Paiute Pass.
In both cases, the HAPE came on real fast and killed the victims in a matter of hours, not days.
I claim no knowledge of the current situation on Shasta, but my point is that it can happen to people below that altitude, and it is very serious.
Edit- I just read the comments on the Redding website- many say that the lesson is to stay off the mountain in a storm.
I think that's the wrong lesson. The weather almost seems incidental to the serious effects of AMS, which can seemingly happen to anyone.
I'm sorry for the loss of this man. He sounds like a good guy.
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cleo
Social climber
Berkeley, CA
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Mar 30, 2010 - 06:40pm PT
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Seth - I trust you'll make appropriate comments. Email me if you like. The news are sniffing around UC Berkeley too, and I'm pretty sure it is because nobody up north is talking yet.
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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Mar 30, 2010 - 07:06pm PT
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Tom, thanks for that input. As a far as reading the comments on the redding.com site take it with a grain of salt. I read many comments and nine out of 10 are disgusting, inappropriate and downright ignorant.
still hoping of for a positive outcome..... positive vibes....
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