Why would you climb Mt Hood in winter with your dog?

[Louis]

For all I know this may be done very often, but given the known risks it seems foolish. (I wouldn't do it at this time of year with or without a dog, but that's a separate issue.)

Are 10 year old kids next?

Louis

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . get found all right and get out of this alive.

But second, I hope they get sent a HUGE f***ing bill for all the resources that have been expended to save their sorry butts from a situation they should have been smart enough not to get themselves into in the first place. :no:

BBD

[manet]

Frank's Wild Years

Well Frank settled down in the Valley
and hung his wild years
on a nail that he drove through
his wife's forehead
he sold used office furniture
out there on San Fernando Road
and assumed a $30,000 loan
at 15 1/4 % and put down payment
on a little two bedroom place
his wife was a spent piece of used jet trash
made good bloody marys
kept her mouth shut most of the time
had a little Chihuahua named Carlos
that had some kind of skin disease
and was totally blind. They had a
thoroughly modern kitchen
self-cleaning oven (the whole bit)
Frank drove a little sedan
they were so happy

One night Frank was on his way home
from work, stopped at the liquor store,
picked up a couple Mickey's Big Mouths
drank 'em in the car on his way
to the Shell station, he got a gallon of
gas in a can, drove home, doused
everything in the house, torched it,
parked across the street, laughing,
watching it burn, all Halloween
orange and chimney red then
Frank put on a top forty station
got on the Hollywood Freeway
headed north

Never could stand that dog

[Sandy]

Seems as if the dog may have helped save their lives by lying across them at night. A dog can be helpful to humans even when lying down on the job.



Sandy

[Sandy]

35 climbers have died on Mt. Hood in the last 25 years.



Sandy

[bcm119]

. . . get found all right and get out of this alive.

But second, I hope they get sent a HUGE f***ing bill for all the resources that have been expended to save their sorry butts from a situation they should have been smart enough not to get themselves into in the first place. :no:

BBD
The rescue units that work Mt Hood are non-profit volunteer organizations. The volunteers provide their own equipment and are trained using funds from grants and donations. There is no public funding. To these rescuers, a bad day on Hood is better than a good day at work. The tourist dollars spent in the local area by out of state climbers likely exceeds any local rescue expenditures, atmo.

Some people ride bikes, some climb mountains... I don't see why folks get all bent out of shape about this here. There are ambulances and emergency room visits at almost every amateur bike race in the country, because people like us insist on risking injury to do what we love.

[chuckred]

For all I know this may be done very often, but given the known risks it seems foolish. (I wouldn't do it at this time of year with or without a dog, but that's a separate issue.)

Are 10 year old kids next?

Louis

Lots of dogs do quite well in the mountains -

they use them for avalanche search and rescue, sledding, carrying brandy to lost souls, etc. Labs are pretty damn happy to be going just about anywhere!

The party appeared to be well equipped - had a locator beacon, and was able to get down under their own power after surviving the night.

Search and rescue teams are generally made up of people who love doing the same thing that the people they're searching for are doing. They just hope they're on the searching end and not the being searched for end.

Some places - e.g. Colorado, sell a back country rescue card that provides insurance against the cost of search and rescue. Probably not a bad idea, and I don't have any conceptual problem with charging people for it ...

But, I didn't see anything in the short article I read that indicates that these people were worthy of contempt, and more than any of us would be if we had to be rescued after a bike crash on the road.

[gasman]

BBDave-

People have covered it well. The rescuers are volunteers, there is some time spent by the sheriffs' deptartment but if you talk to them they spend WAY more time looking for lost hikers and not climbers. In spite of what many think it's pretty common to climb Northwest mountains in the winter-same thing back East. Climbing when everything is frozen in place with many fewer beginners present feels much safer than in the early summer when everyone is up there-and yes I've seen 10 year old kids up there.
These people were well equipped from what I've heard and kept themselves alive and safe after an accident. I don't really know what happened-a full analysis will be done and published.
I've personally known more people (4) who have died riding a bike than have died climbing (1) in many years of doing both.
Everything has dangers.

[Ginger]

These people evidently are rockclimbers...I'll bet the dog has been on far more adventuresome trips than this. I certainly wouldn't take your average soft, garden variety city dog who only knows four walls and chasing squirrels. But a well mannered athletic dog who is good with the weather and activity? Sure.

[Archibald]

These people evidently are rockclimbers...I'll bet the dog has been on far more adventuresome trips than this. I certainly wouldn't take your average soft, garden variety city dog who only knows four walls and chasing squirrels. But a well mannered athletic dog who is good with the weather and activity? Sure.
Exactly. I saw our black lab mixes climb out of a 12 foot vertical slot in Moab. It was like they were channeling Jackie Chan. They got a run at the wall and BANG!, popped right over the top. No muss, no fuss. I was rather amazed. Took me a couple minutes to work may way out of there.

[Kevan]

my dad would take our boxer with him up to Alta for a day skiing. Sieggie loved it up there, except for those few times he tried playing with a porcupine.

Not saying a ski resort is the same as Hood (I know it has one too.), but the two are pretty similar, getting around in the snow.

[telenick]

...gets a bone for sure.

[Sandy]

my dad would take our boxer with him up to Alta for a day skiing. Sieggie loved it up there, except for those few times he tried playing with a porcupine.

Not saying a ski resort is the same as Hood (I know it has one too.), but the two are pretty similar, getting around in the snow.

I wish I was a porcupine. Get the point? :)


Sticking Sandy

[alembical]

My only issue I have with this story is that the local sheriff and media keep saying that they did everything right. Compare this coverage to that of the three who died earlier in the year.

While I am real glad that they all made it out safely, simply bringing another piece of technological gear along should not take the place of smart decision making in the first place. Group of 8, inexperienced (on mountains compared to rock climbing), a dog along, an accident, and most importantly an overnight climb planning on ending the day of a much known about and forecasted winter storm. I am real glad that they all survived, but the fact that they survived (plus the bringing of another piece of technological equipement) is not enough IMO to warrant the statement that "they did everything right."

Alembical

p.s. - I have been on numerous climbs with dogs and it is amazing the stuff they can do... but considering the individuals inexperience, I would venture to guess the dog was also inexperienced... which while still fun, can definitely be considered one more crutch.

[David Kirk]

Our ski area Bridger Bowl uses working dogs for avalanche rescue work and you've never seen happier dogs. They work in brutal conditions, in all types of weather and get lots of petting from all those that appreciate them.

I love those dogs.

Dave