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magic skagit
Member
Joined: 10 Aug 2008
Posts: 137 | TRs | Pics
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Back to what happened to summer  There can be a strong denial about being weathered out in august when a trip has been planned for a long time. I don't claim to have any idea about this situation. I only speak for myself.
May they walk out with the story 
sheep go to heaven Goats go to hell... Cake
sheep go to heaven Goats go to hell... Cake
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stacymarie
Member
Joined: 22 Jul 2008
Posts: 251 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle, WA |
| The Angry Hiker wrote: | | It's one thing for there to be reports of good weather all week, and then get caught in a freak storm. It's another thing entirely to go out knowing the weather will be crappy but hoping for a miracle.
Pretty much everyone who followed the weather reports knew that we would have wacky weather this week and into the weekend. And in Washington State, you better err on the side of rain anyway. Especially this time of year. |
I guess this was my point. I know that the NW is a hikers paradise and everyone wants to say "I went hiking this weekend" and have this need to prove how hard it was, hence the massive amounts of people on Si every weekend. I just feel like people are not really thinking the hike through. I didn't even make any outdoor plans for the city this week, knowing that the weather was going to be a bit wacky, there is no way you would catch me on the top of a mountain during the type of strange weather we've been having lately.
Not to belittle these people at all, and who knows what events lead to this occurring. I know people plan trips months in advance so it's hard to just not go because of the weather, but that's what gets people killed...the "summit fever" I guess.
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
Joined: 06 Mar 2007
Posts: 12655 | TRs | Pics
Location: here now |
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
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 Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:33 am |
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| Guiran wrote: | | With respect to checking the forecast, even mountain forecasts:
Spire Point is near the end of the Ptarmigan Traverse, probably 4-5 days into the trip. I'm not sure when the last time was that I saw a weather forecast around here that was reliable five days out. |
+1. Longer trips => increased risk of unforseeable conditions. By the time one reaches Spire Col, the technical part of the PT is finished.
Losing gear on an exposed ledge is a nightmare. I wish them the best of luck. Very sobering.
Edited: The article states that they are "on the PT," at around 6,000 feet. There's no travel on an 18-inch ledge near Spire Col/Pt. if one is on route. It's relatively friendly travel between the exit off the Dana Glacier to and over Spire Col. They must have been off route if they were indeed "on the PT" (as opposed to climbing Spire Point). Finding the right col is not easy.
Repeat: wishing them the best.
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
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Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:35 am |
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Hard to predict mountain weather. Ranges create their own weather system, and within the range, certain areas such as the Ptharmigan Ptraverse create their own then again.
4 -5 days is a long time to predict out there. Could have an excellent forcast, which we did have for this week, and 2 or 3 days later things go south. If you're already out there, you're out there.
Early this week, things looked great forcast-wise. Now they're not so good. Only rain, not thunderstorms. Being on top of a mountain during rain isn't a big deal usually. The snow levels are typically very high this time of year; they've dropped to 7,000 last I checked. That could be a deal-breaker, but maybe not. Sometimes it's a mere inconvenience.
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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the Zachster
Member
Joined: 17 Jan 2007
Posts: 4776 | TRs | Pics
Location: dog training |
Losing gear is extremely frightening. You choose everything so carefully (especially on a long trip) so everything is a necessity. And then combine that with horrible weather...My prayers are with them for a safe return. It is definitely not going to be comfortable. God bless SAR in their efforts as well.
"May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am"
"May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am"
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Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker
Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 23956 | TRs | Pics
Location: Cle Elum |
I guess its a try not to jump to judgement to quickly thing that Im thinking right now. Good luck to them.
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
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fettster
Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
Posts: 182 | TRs | Pics
Location: Hillsboro, OR |
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fettster
Member
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Thu Aug 28, 2008 12:11 pm |
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Any pictures of this Spire Point?
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OregonCajun
Member
Joined: 25 Jan 2007
Posts: 30 | TRs | Pics
Location: NE Portland |
| fettster wrote: | | Any pictures of this Spire Point? |
From Flickr:
Sprire Point
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Riverside Laker
Member
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 2819 | TRs | Pics
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I've climbed Spire Point, and it's high-end class 4. Many could do it unroped but I needed one! Kinda tricky downclimbing it.
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Tim Hagan
Member
Joined: 22 Jul 2008
Posts: 189 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellevue, WA |
| fettster wrote: | | Any pictures of this Spire Point? |
Here are a couple from August 1986 when we climbed Dome Peak (sorry, I don't have anything more recent):
 Spire Point from Itswoot Ridge  Spire Point from Itswoot Ridge
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kleet
meat tornado
Joined: 06 Feb 2002
Posts: 5303 | TRs | Pics
Location: O no they dih ent |
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kleet
meat tornado
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Thu Aug 28, 2008 1:49 pm |
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| The Angry Hiker wrote: | | It's one thing for there to be reports of good weather all week, and then get caught in a freak storm. It's another thing entirely to go out knowing the weather will be crappy but hoping for a miracle.
Pretty much everyone who followed the weather reports knew that we would have wacky weather this week and into the weekend. And in Washington State, you better err on the side of rain anyway. Especially this time of year. |
Sounds like they're from Massachusetts. I imagine they flew out here and hoped for good weather for their trip.
| KOMO story wrote: | | The terrain is very rugged and the two lost most of their gear while they were climbing down, leaving them with only one sleeping bag and part of a tent. |
Man, that's bad luck. Even with all their equipment in good weather, being stuck on an 18" ledge would suck.
A fuxk, why do I not give one?
A fuxk, why do I not give one?
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stacymarie
Member
Joined: 22 Jul 2008
Posts: 251 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle, WA |
| kleet wrote: | | Sounds like they're from Massachusetts. I imagine they flew out here and hoped for good weather for their trip. |
My point exactly. If they are indeed from somewhere else, and again I have no idea what happened up there or what circumstances lead to their situation, if the weather is bad don't chance it. The summit fever will get you killed.
It looks as though they are taking a turn for the worse, so I'm really hoping they get through this with an amazing story to tell.
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
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Thu Aug 28, 2008 2:28 pm |
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It's not a case of people going out with a bad weather forecast.
The weather was good when they started out, and predicted to continue to be good.
The loss of gear makes it impossible for them to get down. If the weather were poor they could still get down and move on with their trek if they had it. Don't confuse the weather issue with the original incident. Even if the weather were good, as kleet says, being stuck on a ledge would suck. If it were sunny and clear at night, they'd still suffer hypothermia.
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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wamtngal
Member
Joined: 13 Jun 2004
Posts: 2382 | TRs | Pics
Location: somewhere |
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wamtngal
Member
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Thu Aug 28, 2008 2:46 pm |
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A bit of misinformation out there...from Komo's website:
| Quote: | | Sheriff's Search and Rescue spokesman Joel Pratt said the hikers, 33-year-old Matthew Edwards and 27-year-old Robin Gibson, both from Wisconsin, called Wednesday night to say they were stuck at about 6,000 feet on the Spire Point along the Ptarmigan Traverse route of the Pacific Crest Trail |
also from the article:
| Quote: | | Pratt says the Edwards and Gibson set out on the trail on Sunday and were descending when they lost much of their gear down the side of the mountain.
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Search and rescue staff are worried about hypothermia.
"The clothes that they had for dry clothes were in their packs. They're currently just wearing what they were wearing on their day hike, and they've been through several rain storms by now and one full evening," said Deputy Brad Holmes. |
Opinions expressed here are my own.
Opinions expressed here are my own.
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kleet
meat tornado
Joined: 06 Feb 2002
Posts: 5303 | TRs | Pics
Location: O no they dih ent |
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kleet
meat tornado
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Thu Aug 28, 2008 3:00 pm |
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Well no wonder they're in trouble if they thought the PCT took them through the Ptarmigan Traverse and they thought they were from Massachusetts, but just now realized they're from Wisconsin.
Seriously, who writes this stuff? Is there not anyone in those newsrooms who backpacks or climbs who could fact check this stuff before publication?
A fuxk, why do I not give one?
A fuxk, why do I not give one?
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