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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Best wishes that they are safe.
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danika
Trad climber
Ridgway
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Come on now, stay positive. They are some tough women. The news that they saw footprints at 16,500' is good news... they made it up the tough stuff - even without some gear. Hopefully they are cozy, snug is some cave/hole and waiting for the winds to die down. Let's just hope they can keep their wits about them and make good decisions. Little food, water and wind can make even the best of us loose our minds.
Stay positive - for their sake.
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Bldrjac
Ice climber
Boulder
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It's 6:30pm and the latest is that the park service couldn't get the helicopters up high enough today to see anything. Not much has changed. It seems pretty obvious by the condition of the pack that was found that it was blown off the mountain. Sue might have just put it outside the tent when they were preparing to leave their bivvy site. By now it's the searchers opinion that Sue and Karen's tracks were definately seen as high as 16,500. By magnifying the images the park service have taken the tracks are obvious postholing but then the tracks stop. The winds have been about 60mph at 14,000 feet and probably much higher above that elevation. Sue and Karen might have gotten into a crevasse and be hunkered down or they might have dug a cave and be waiting. It's so hard to tell right now. The choppers are at the ready and the search will resume later tonight if the weather clears or tomorrow again. Again, I'll continue posting as I hear more news. Sue's mom Eve has left for Alaska this evening.
Jack
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pud
climber
Sportbikeville
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Thanks Jack.
My thoughts are that they will make it back with a great tale to tell.
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AbeFrohman
Trad climber
new york, NY
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the best of luck to the 2 fine ladies!
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TYeary
Mountain climber
Baldwin Park, Calif.
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Lets hope for the best and with a little luck they will back safe.
Tony
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Holdplease2
Big Wall climber
Yosemite area
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Prayers for these two, the folks who love them, and for those who are searching for them.
-Kate.
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dirtineye
Trad climber
the south
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Hey Kevelyn ,do you know a jennifer or jen.c or JR from chicks with picks events?
From GA?
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jeff benowitz
climber
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did the park service drop any food, fuel, and radio caches when they were searching? would really increase chances of survival.
The descent route is casual-been down it twice-once solo in a whiteout-out of fuel and food during the solo gig, standard epic fare. just a wondering out loud.
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climbski
Mountain climber
Anchorage Ak
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I have never seen NPS drop supplies randomly during rescues. I would doubt hey have in this case. They only drop if victims are located and inaccesable.
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Burns
Trad climber
Arlington, VA
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From this morning's NPS morning report, not really much new information, but it sounds like tracks at 16,400 ft are helping focus the search:
"Concern for two overdue climbers on the challenging Infinite Spur route on Mt. Foraker prompted the park to begin a search for them on the evening of Thursday, June 1st. These concerns were based on information gathered about the climbers anticipated time on the route and the supplies they had with them. The NPS high-altitude Lama helicopter was launched for a reconnaissance flight when weather cleared Thursday evening, following several days of heavy snow in the Alaska Range. No signs of the climbers, a 37-year-old Canadian woman and a 36-year-old woman from Colorado, were found during that flight. Flights continued on Friday and Saturday and were also fruitless, though observers did spot a backpack and some its contents at the base of the route. The gear appeared to have fallen from a higher elevation. The backpack was retrieved by a hydraulic ˜grabber" suspended below the Lama. The weather over the mountain cleared on Sunday, allowing aerial searchers to make the first complete survey of the Infinite Spur route since the search began. Although neither climber was seen, searchers found additional gear, including a jacket, stuff sack and a glove near the spot where the backpack had been found and recovered. Based on equipment descriptions provided by one of the climber's friends, it's believed that all of the gear belonged to her. Observers on board the Lama also got a better look at tracks found at the 14,800-foot level of the Infinite Spur and are confident that they belong to the two women. Additional tracks were seen between the 15,500-foot and 15,800-foot elevations on the route. Clear skies and calm winds on Monday allowed personnel in the Lama to thoroughly investigate the area in the vicinity of the summit of Mt. Foraker, the climbing team's planned exit route on Sultana Ridge, and the glaciers north and south of the peak. The tracks spotted on Sunday were confirmed. On Tuesday, the Lama did not fly due to a required rest period for the pilot. Replacing it were two Chinook helicopters from the 52nd Aviation Regiment's high altitude rescue team, based at Fort Wainwright, and an Aerostar from ERA Helicopter Division. Analysis of digital photos taken from the Lama during its Monday flight confirmed tracks at 16,400 feet, so plans were to focus Tuesday's search efforts on the area just below the south summit of Mt. Foraker. Further updates will be posted as they are received. The two missing women are both highly skilled technical climbers with years of experience in the Alaska Range."
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jeff benowitz
climber
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Been wondering about this myself-ie seemed the pack was dropped from a low elevation because of its landing spot, which isn't sience, but with the combined observation of the pack's condition is of note.
Searchers still hold out hope for climbers
FORAKER: Missing women might have descended by another route, ranger says.
By PETER PORCO
Anchorage Daily News
Published: June 7, 2006
Last Modified: June 7, 2006 at 02:55 AM
Conflicting clues found in recent days on Mount Foraker in Denali National Park have dumbfounded rangers and others searching for two women climbers overdue more than a week.
Tracks found Monday high on the peak and discovery last week of a backpack on avalanche debris low on the route have led to both pessimism and hopeful speculation about what happened to American Sue Nott and Canadian Karen McNeill.
The findings along Foraker's Infinite Spur route could mean that Nott, 36, and McNeill, 37, said to be top-rank mountaineers, could be alive somewhere high on the mountain.
The Infinite Spur, a steep spine of rock, snow and ice that demands the highest degree of technical climbing, arcs upward through the middle of 17,400-foot Foraker's south face.
Searchers Tuesday continued looking in helicopters close to the south face for the sixth day in a row without a hint of where the women might be, according to the National Park Service.
They had hoped to search the summit thoroughly but had to withdraw when clouds closed in late in the day, said Denali Park spokeswoman Kris Fister. Weather permitting, the search will resume today.
The pair started their climb May 14. They told friends they expected to be finished by about May 24. When they were not spotted in routine fly-overs on May 29 and 30, their friends and rangers became concerned, Fister said.
Over the past six days, searchers found some signs of the climbers; park rangers in Talkeetna and other mountaineers have analyzed them for indications of what might have befallen the pair, said Daryl Miller, the park's South District ranger.
Nott's backpack, for example, was discovered late last week on a pile of avalanche debris near 8,000 feet elevation in a glacial basin at the base of the Infinite Spur. Other camping gear -- a sleeping bag, a jacket, a small sack -- was strewn over the pile within 200 feet of the pack.
The crew aboard a LAMA high-altitude rescue helicopter used a hydraulic claw to pluck the pack off the debris field. They did not retrieve any of the other gear, rangers said.
The pack offered evidence that it had not been attached to Nott or McNeill when it apparently was taken down by an avalanche, Miller said.
"The waist-strap buckle was unbuckled -- it was not broken," Miller said Tuesday. "If there was a (climber's) fall, typically that clip would have been ripped off. Both the buckles of the chest strap and the waist strap were unbroken and open."
Miller conceded that a lost backpack, as well as an invaluable item like a sleeping bag, boded ill for the outcome.
"That's telltale," he said. Even if the pack had not been attached to a person, "it's still worrisome we found that pack, especially with a sleeping bag. You can't dismiss it. It probably compromised not only their warmth and sleeping, but ... it could have contained fuel canisters as well." Without fuel, the women could not melt snow for water.
The pack's bottom was torn but the tear was relatively minor, Miller said. Although Miller has seen packs that have fallen a long distance and sustained surprisingly little damage, the consensus of rangers and climbers, he said, was that Nott's pack had fallen from a relatively low elevation not long after she and McNeill had begun their ascent.
That scenario was based on the other set of clues -- the women's tracks, found near 15,800 feet and also, on Monday, at 16,400 feet, 1,000 feet below the summit.
The tracks encourage hope, Miller said, that the women lost the pack to a fall when setting it aside. Afterward, the climbers may have felt it was safer to go up the route and down the mountain in another direction than to climb down the Spur.
"It's uncertain why they continued on," Miller said. "Maybe they felt that up and over was less damaging than descent. The route is so difficult to begin with. It's very committing -- you have to make a decision (to go on rather than retreat)."
Foraker and nearby mountains were raked with strong winds between May 24 and May 29, according to Miller.
"We feel they were headed up during this wind event that took place over four to five days. ... If they climbed higher, to try to get out of the wind ... they might have found a small (crevasse to hide in) or accidentally fell into a crevasse. We don't know."
Miller said the searchers have not ruled out the possibility the women were swept away by an avalanche.
"The reason we think that's less (likely) is because the tracks are very obvious -- nobody's been on that route for two years," he said. "We believe personally some of those tracks would have been wiped out with an avalanche. It's a sign of hope when you see tracks that high."
The question, Miller said, therefore remains: Why aren't one or both of the women coming out of whatever snow cave or crevasse they're hunkered down in to wave at the passing helicopter?
About 10 years ago, a Polish climber spent days taking shelter in a crevasse at about 19,700 feet on McKinley. When weather allowed a helicopter to fly by, he got out and waved.
"We're not sure why they don't come out and wave," Miller said. "It's very worrisome."
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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The descent route is casual-been down it twice-once solo in a whiteout-out of fuel and food during the solo gig, standard epic fare. just a wondering out loud.
Apparently wasn't casual last season, at least according to folks that came down it. Only 4 folks topped out, and, all via the Talkeetna Spur (bailing off the Infinite Spur). They reported that coming down the Sultana was pretty adult (or worse). Sue would have known that, since she and John were two of the four. I got a good look at it last season, and, it looked really spicey (a ton of low angle blue water up higher, and mushy meltout crap below).
Which, given that its a fair piece over to the true summit from the south summit, makes me wonder if they traversed over to the SE Ridge for the descent (which used to be the standard descent, but, was not so good for the bros a couple years back, eeek). Or, maybe tried to bail down somewhere between the French Ridge (ugh, that thing looks hairball!) and the SE Ridge. Speculation. Ugh.
Still holding out hope...keepin' the fingers crossed...
-Brian in SLC
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jsavage
climber
Bishop, CA
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I want to add my hope to those wishing for the best. I had the pleasure of meeting Sue in '98 or '99 at an OR show. She was easy to talk to. I've been impressed as I've watched her resume grow. I'm sure Karen is the same. Very best wishes on the outcome.
Jim
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jeff benowitz
climber
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true enough, haven't been on it since 96 when i was eating your brownies...
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Couloir
Trad climber
Yosemite, CA
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bump...anyone heard anything new?
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Howie
Trad climber
Calgary, Alberta
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Nothing new has been posted today on the parks web site.
Still keep all digits crossed.
H.
p.s: I'll post as soon as I hear anything as I hope others will too.
H.
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Howie
Trad climber
Calgary, Alberta
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Just this minute posted:
"Date: June 6, 2006
6:30pm
Weather Prevents Summit Search Effort
Although the day began with mostly clear conditions, by early afternoon clouds had shrouded areas on Mount Foraker above 16,000 feet, preventing the aerial search of the peak’s south summit area that had been planned. An Aerostar helicopter from ERA’s Helicopter Division was utilized to search areas below 13,000 feet, which included the pile of avalanche debris where Sue Nott’s pack and other miscellaneous gear items were found last Friday. No new items were seen during today’s search.
The area below the south summit of Mount Foraker became a high priority search zone this morning due to the discovery of new tracks at the 16,400’ elevation late yesterday. This is the highest point on the peak where signs of the Karen McNeill and Sue Nott have been located. Searchers theorize that the two elite mountaineers may have purposely burrowed themselves into a sheltered spot such as a crevasse in order to reduce their exposure to the wind and cold.
Two Chinook helicopters from Company B, 1st Battalion, 52 nd Aviation Regiment at Fort Wainwright arrived in Talkeetna by late morning, and flew to base camp at the 7,200 foot elevation on Mt. McKinley to off-load 800 gallons of fuel for the NPS-contract high-altitude Lama helicopter. The ships attempted to search the summit, but were turned back due to the cloud cover.
The search of the area below the south summit remains the incident’s highest priority. Search efforts will continue until the areas of highest probability have been searched as thoroughly as possible, contingent on weather and other factors.
McNeill, age 37 of Canmore, Alberta, Canada and Nott, age 36 of Vail, Colorado were last seen when they began their climb of the Infinite Spur on May 14. The route is of the highest degree of difficulty in the Alaska grading system, rated as Grade 6. Both women are highly skilled technical climbers, with years of experience in the Alaska Range.
-NPS- "
Howie.
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Bldrjac
Ice climber
Boulder
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I apologize for such a loat posting but there really has not been any new information and looking between the lines takes a little time.
Nothing new has been discovered. It's pretty certain that Sue and Karen reached a point where they could descend the Sultana Ridge. From their high point to 15,400 can be riddled with crevasses and if the weather was nasty they might have looked for shelter in one of these. The park service theorize that they may have summitted on the 28th or so of May in which case they would have been up there for ten days. It's impossible to say what has happened.
The weather forcast for the next five days is not good. High winds and snow is predicted and it is unlikely that helicopters will be able to go up and search. People responsible for the rescue are very experienced climbers and they are not very optimistic. It truly will be a miracle if sue and Karen emerge from this.
Jack
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