To give you some sort of an idea of how often Mt. Hood is climbed, one local company alone has rented out over 100 emergency locator units since the three climbers were recently killed. This figure does not take into account other companies renting this equipment, nor the climbers who refuse to carry such equipment.

But the real question is why should we pay for stupid things people do . Also this would be a disaster only if one of the rescue people were hurt or the DOG.

KEYBEAR

zarathrusta, there are many different rescue services involved here for mountain rescues and other rescues.

The primary responsibility lies with the local county sheriff.

If helicopter support is needed, the 304th Air National Guard Rescue Squadron is used.

Actual climbers for the rescue are almost always volunteer climbers with mountain climbing experience.

For search and rescues other than mountain climbing, there are volunteer and paid people with rescue dogs.

Ground searches are often done with volunteers, who can be almost anyone - hunters, hikers, etc.

The Civil Air Patrol (a civilian auxilliary of the USAF) used to do a lot of searches, but you don't hear much about them anymore. I don't know if they are strictly involved in only down aircraft now, or what. When I was in the CAP, we searched for anyone.

LOL.

BTW, the cardinal rule is...if you fire your three shots, sit down and don't move. It's difficult enough for rescuers to figure out where the shots are coming from without the lost person wandering around.

"Stupid is as Stupid Does". In Oregon it starts with the govenor and works it's way through the Democratic process. We don't want to infringe on the rights of illegals, mountain climbers, and two wheel peedlers. Post-2

Right now the mountain climbers are screaming bloody murder over a bill in the Oregon legislature to require the use of emergency locator devices by anyone climbing the mountain. "It's not part of the experience", they say.

they climbed the mountain, so what big deal it's been done many times before.

OK, so where do we draw the line on "stupid" activities? Is climbing a mountain any dumber than amateur racing? Downhill skiing? Fishing for a great white? I'm not about to do any of those things, but I do feel that rescuing people in trouble (regardless of whether or not it's their fault) is just the price that we pay for living in an organized society. We pay for the carelessness of other people every day. I'm sure my stupidity has caused someone else a problem somehwere along the line as well.

I don't think there's anything wrong with taking a trip into the wilderness, as long as you know the dangers associated with it. I would also guess that we as a society pay a lot less for wilderness rescues in an average year than what is made in tourism revenues around places like Mt. Hood.

--Dan

One they should have looked at the weather reports. Two, they should have READ THE WEATHER REPORT. They should not have gone when they saw a weather front coming in. The two only smart thing they did was to wear the beepers so they could be found and that they brought along food. But why did they bring that damn dog with them??????? As pilots say "I would rather be on the ground wishing I was up then up wishing I was on the ground".

since Oregon is two diffrent states, and the cascade range splits wrong from right..my feeling is if the climbers are stuck on the west side of the mountain the liberal well-fare of the willamitte valley will kick in and take care of the bill. If they get stuck on the east side better have your cell phone and credit card ready for non-refundable money to initaite a rescue.

I was happy to hear the Dog was OK.

John C. Saubak

The local radio station interviewed a climber this morning. When asked if he thought an emergency locator beacon should be required since a rental is only five dollars. He said absolutely not. That would infringe on his personal rights. An idiot like that does not deserve to be rescued and certainly no one should put them selves at risk for him. Besides wouldn't rescue be an infringement on his personal rights as well? At least the people who went up last week had the right safety equipment.

I have an uncle lost on Mt. Rainer in the early 60's due to a plane crash. The resources were not available to bring them down so they are there until global warming exposes their remains. Maybe he will be the next anthropological discovery. That said, I have three sons who I would hate to instill the fear of exploration and discovery into. Perhaps a social price tag for being stupid is warranted, "ie". if we have to send out a search party you will be held finacially accountable. However, to stiffel adventureism by our young and ignorant seems to me like the grossest of injustice's. There will always be people who are willing to venture beyond accepted boundarys. God bless them all! Robert

Is everyone except BrianfromOregon really that shallow, ignorant, just plain stupid and condascending that you all have to make rediculous statements like you have? Why climb a mtn. in the winter? Obviously not many of you are climbers and probably could not climb a flight of stairs without hurting yourselves or gasping for air. I have been a mtn.guide for many years on Mt. Shasta. I have climbed many mtns in winter in both the N. and southern hemispheres. I have extensive climbing and avalanche experience, I was head of the winter search and rescue team with Trinity County Sheriff dept.and still teach climbing and avalanche forecasting. Just like any other sport you train, prepare, plan, train more, gain experience etc. Just like any other sport, accidents happen. In the case of Hood, Shasta and many other mtns and ranges around the world, in addition to normal weather patterns, the mtn. can and does make its own weather. I have been in winds in excess of 120mph on Mt. Shasta while its dead calm in town. Whiteouts happen and weather changes suddenly in the mtns. Most accidents and deaths occur to the untrained person who decides they want to try climbing Hood, Shasta or any other mtn. assuming its just a walk up. They don't know how to use the equipment they rent or borrow, don't know self rescue techniques and many times take equipment that is of little value and don't take equipment that can save their lives.

Accidents can happen in any sport. Would you make the same comments if a shooter had a gun malfunction on the line and blew his eye out? Do you make the same comments when a football player blows out a knee. These people know the risks too and take every precaution to minimize them but things happen.

For your information, climbing in winter and early spring is the safest time if done correctly. Keep to ridge routes, summit early in the day, know your limits, and the list could go on.

Please stop the comments on a subject you all know very little or nothing about. Keep this forum to shooting only.

Apparently those people climbing the mountain arn't doing it correctly there fore thay are untrained and shouldn't be up there. Those that come from other states are not familiar with the weather and are not experienced enough or they wouldn't be getting in so much trouble. "Stupid is as stupid does."

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