Authorities: Unlikely Climbers are Alive

(CBS/AP)  Last updated at 8:35 p.m. EST

Two climbers missing on Mount Hood for the past five days are likely dead and a search will not resume any time soon because of severe avalanche danger, officials said Tuesday.

Dr Terri Schmidt, an expert on hypothermia and mountain survival, said there was less than a 1 percent chance that Anthony Vietti and Katie Nolan had survived after going missing on Friday.

The body of a third member of their party, Luke Gullberg, 26, of Des Moines, Wash., was found on the mountain Saturday.

Schmidt spoke at a news conference called by rescue officials. She talked with relatives of the missing climbers earlier in the day about the chances of survival in the extreme conditions on Mount Hood.

Steven Rollins, a rescue leader, said search teams would not be going back up the mountain any time soon because of avalanche dangers were made worse by an ongoing storm that has created whiteout conditions.

Rollins, with Portland Mountain Rescue, said it would take four to five days of good weather to ease the avalanche risk, but such stretches were rare in the winter on Mount Hood.

"We can't get people off the ground ... our hands are really tied," Rollins said. "If there is anything we could do we would do it."

CBS News correspondent Priya David reports that, although rescuers have not officially called off the search, as they hope for a break in the weather Tuesday, with avalanche danger so high, it's unlikely they could conduct a ground search even if the skies cleared.

A whiteout expected to dump as much as two feet of new snow on the mountain prevented a helicopter and ground teams from resuming the search. The storm was expected to last until Thursday, threatening to cause an avalanche that could further complicate a rescue.

"It doesn't look good," Jim Strovink, spokesman for the search and rescue operation, said about the forecast. "This could hang on for a couple of days."

Gullberg was found dead on a glacier Saturday. An autopsy showed he suffered minor injuries in a fall and died of hypothermia.

Teri Preiss, Vietti's aunt, told "The Early Show" on Tuesday that the young man's family "have a different kind of peace," taking comfort in their conviction that Luke, "literally chose to give his life for his friends" as he struck out solo on a mission to find help for his two friends.

Preiss praised the rescue workers, saying she and her family had the utmost confidence in their abilities and saying she was glad that, "amazingly, they're still calling this a rescue mission, not a recovery mission."

Strovink said Schmidt would answer questions about the health dangers faced by Vietti, 24, of Longview, Wash., and Nolan, 29, of Portland.

Intermittent snow and subfreezing temperatures have hampered the search since it began on the 11,249-foot mountain.

Rescuers said they were hoping Vietti and Nolan had managed to carve out a snow cave and were waiting out the storm.

"We are still being very optimistic," said Steve Rollins, a search leader. "I've been in plenty of snow caves in complete blizzards. You don't know what the weather is like outside."

Gullberg, of Des Moines, Wash., was found without his pack or the ropes that had apparently bound the group together at some point.

The discovery raised hope among family members that Vietti and Nolan had Gullberg's safety equipment and supplies after he headed down the mountain for help.

The Mount Hood ordeal began last Friday when the trio was reported missing. They had started up earlier in the day on what was expected to a one-day outing.

[edgy44]

My dad died in the basement of a hospital after three days of hell. He would have loved the simple death of falling off a cliff. Those who seek to live forever, die the most horrible of deaths. The object is, to keep from killing other trying to rescue your sorry ass.
Just die already! Wear an orange jacket and die out in the open. Why die tired, digging a cave...

[lloydbest1]

by displeased December 15, 2009 10:12 AM EST
"Sometimes the more experienced ones are more dangerous because they are over-confident."

A lot of truth to that. It seems the more experience and expertise you have, the MORE likely it is you'll end up in a world of hurt. Overconfidence is a man's worst enemy and familiarity sometimes breeds a dangerous level of comtempt. All three of these folks have climbed Hood before and know the mountain very well.

If Luke Gullberg hadn't have fallen he might not have died. His injuries may not have been severe but if he were knocked senseless at 9000 feet with the temperature hovering around -15 and accompanied by a 40 mile gale, it doesn't take long to be rendered helpless. A few minutes of unconsciousness would be all it takes....

If there is a take away from this incident it would be:
a high degree of mountaineering skill is no immunity from disaster. Even the best get bit. Locater beacons are available for rental at Timberline Lodge and possibly other sites around the mountain. Even if you don't think you need one, you never know for sure.

Since we haven't found the others there is still hope for a rescue. OTOH Whiteout conditions are now occuring on the mountain top and wind speeds at 7700 feet at relatively calm Timberline are running close to 40. Who knows how hard it's blowing at the 9-10000 foot level. I am hopeful for a happy out come but I am not betting my mortgage on it.

[Sloughfoot]

It is good that those really wishing to flirt with death have the opportunity to do so. Within the next decade or two the "Crib to Coffin" political party will prohibit all such adventures.

[displeased]

maiingan, judging by starving1968-1's replies, it is quite obvious this person does not participate in outdoor recreation, or else he/she would understand the reason people do these type of activities.

[starving1968-1]

I own a cruising motorcycle and a quad. I camp, I hunt, I fish, I hike, and (weather permitting) I put 10 - 15 miles a day on my bicycle.

Note that I don't own a "crotch rocket". Note that when I DO go on a hike, it's on a well marked trail, and I go when the weather is enjoyable. I ride my bicycle in "bike lanes" or preferably secondary roads. I enjoy the outdoors as much as the next guy, but I don't foolishly risk my life, OR THE LIVES OF OTHERS, doing it.

And if I was to do something as stupid as climbing a mountain IN THE WINTER, or ice fishing on 3" thick ice, or hunting from a tree stand with the safety harness tied around my neck, then I would expect that since I was NEEDLESSLY and FOOLISHLY risking my life, then I would blame NO ONE for my demise, but myself. And I wouldn't want anyone to risk their lives to save me, because I did something dangerous and stupid, for no apparent reason.

[Brokennews]

They keep say that these people were "experienced". Bull!! An "experienced climber" implies that they are knowledgeable enough to not ignore common sense safety procedures like bringing a mountain locator device. They're cheap to rent or own and available at almost any resort or sporting goods store.

Would you look at a motocross racer riding in competition without a helmet and say: "Hey! He looks pretty experienced"

[displeased]

Sometimes the more experienced ones are more dangerous because they are over-confident.

[edgy44]

It's the mission of type-b personalities to rescue type-a personalities. Every month we see them trying to beat the train at the crossing. Some make it, some need to be mopped-up and cremated.

[starving1968-1]

by maiingan December 15, 2009 9:31 AM EST

I'd like to know if "starving1968-1" has any mountain cred.







I don't need "mountain cred". What I DO HAVE is called "common sense".

I don't climb mountains, I don't take a bath with a toaster, I don't look down the barrel of a loaded gun OR play Russian Roulette, I don't walk down dark alley's in the nastiest part of the ghetto, I don't smoke crack, and I don't drive 150 MPH.

And I don't expect someone to risk THEIR LIVES to save ME, when I knowingly AND voluntarily put myself into a dangerous situation, for no apparent reason.

[justsane-2009]

i'm with you on this one. i fail to understand why anyone would go mountain climbing in the winter. there should never be any assumption that you will be rescued if you choose to do so. it's one thing for search and rescue teams to risk their lives for people who get caught in unexpected storms, or whose planes go down, that sort of thing. going after people who know the risks and choose to take them anyway is a different story.

[starving1968-1]

by displeased December 15, 2009 9:15 AM EST
One of the compassionate types, eh? I'm sure you would change your tune if you or a loved one were involved.






I'm not stupid enough to put my life in jeopardy, for no apparent reason.

And IF I was that stupid, I sure wouldn't expect people to risk their lives to try and save me.

Either way, their families / estates should be billed for the full cost of the search / recovery efforts.

[efh123]

On Monday's newscast rescuers didn't fault the climbers for not carrying lightweight and inexpensive beacon devices that help rescuers locate them if they get into trouble. They basically said that any extra equipment is too much for a climber, yet the climber who died on the mountain brought a camera. I don't get it.

[maiingan]

Years ago, I bought 2 small books on frostbite and hypothermia. These are very important resources for me when backpacking and hiking. I know Mt. Hood was in these books, because it is so dangerous from a weather standpoint. Someone could probably write an entire book about all the problems people have encountered because of weather on Mt. Hood. The people being searched for now obviously made a mistake in not bringing locator beacons. But we need to find them and hopefully bring them back alive. People with experiences like these are the best ones to try to teach others about how to try to scale Mt. Hood safely - as opposed to armchair mountaineers who just want to write off their lives along with the expense. Even for people who knew better but didn't take all necessary precautions, there are reasons we screwed up. I speak from my own experience. I'd like to know if "starving1968-1" has any mountain cred.