Nov 12, '12: people lost, Paradise closed

UPDATE3: The search was called off at 7 p.m. due to nightfall and the poor weather. Efforts will resume at first light, park spokesman Kevin Bacher said.


Read more here: blog.thenewstribune.com/crime/2012/11/12...inier/#storylink=cpy

So evidently the party retrieving the truck were others..hope my optimism didn't mislead. Better weather will help and temps haven't been too brutal so lets hope today gets it done. Fingers crossed.

So there's two people missing but there are two vehicles? Drove separately? Current image at 08:10 11/13 shows pickup gone but another smaller vehicle completely buried that was evidently behind the pickup. Two other rescue trucks with people applying skins and prepping.

I really hope these guys have the skill and/or determination to have built a good snow cave and they are now just waiting it out. Echoing what others have said, I've been up there recently in similar conditions and got a good reminder of how featureless the real alpine seems to us tree-and-valley oriented NW'ers.

TNT:
The teams began searching in the area of McClure Rock at about 7,500 feet, based on landmarks Tyndall and Dale relayed to park officials.

It appeared the men left that location some time Monday and were trying to hike down when they were spotted on Paradise Glacier about 3 p.m., Bacher said.

It took rescuers several hours to circle around due to steep terrain, and they weren’t able to reach the individuals, but they seemed to be in good condition and match the descriptions of the snowboarders, Bacher said.

Forecasters said 8 inches to nearly 2 feet of snow fell in the central Cascades from noon Sunday to about noon Monday. Temperatures dipped below 20 degrees Sunday night, and winds gusted to more than 60 miles per hour.

Read more here: www.thenewstribune.com/2012/11/12/236520...t.html#storylink=cpy

SPOT would have sorted this problem out immediately. Glad I have one. Yes its great to be self sufficient but my ego is not so large I can’t call for help and admit I’m lost. Personally I use it more for Cross Country paragliding and landing out 50 miles from where I started so people can find me if I don’t hitch a lift home but a bonus was the use of it for BC winter travel too. These guys would have been home Monday morning at the latest if using SPOT I guarantee it.

Watching them dig out.  Stoked they made it out and aren't in the back of the ambulance!