Message in a bottle gets climbers rescued, Oregon
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Rose Red
N 45° 18.609 W 121° 46.427
10T E 596122 N 5018136
The climbers were able to aid rescuers after they spotted a Geocache (GCRZCV, a cache by Josh Evey), a plastic water bottle tied to a small sapling that held map coordinates giving their precise location!
Waymark Code: WM2ZMZ
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 01/16/2008
Views: 37
MOUNT HOOD, OR. – On Monday, January 14, 2008, Matthew Pitts, 28, and climbing partner, Justin Votos, 27, both from Portland, Oregon, became lost in whiteout conditions while climbing the 11,245-foot Mount Hood.
It was a classic Mount Hood whiteout—howling winds and zero visibility. Snow and ice blasted their faces. Their map blew away in the wind. At times, they couldn't even see their own feet and were afraid any misstep would send them tumbling over a cliff. At the 5,000 foot level they dug a snow cave by hand and spent much of the night huddled inside it.
Pitts and Votos, who were experienced climbers, were supposed to return Monday afternoon. When they did not return the rescue effort began at daylight Tuesday. Searchers got a break in their rescue effort Tuesday morning when a call got through to one of the men's cell phones.
They could not give rescuers an exact location. They had a compass but had neither a GPS unit nor a mountain locator unit. They were able to aid rescuers after they spotted a Geocache (GCRZCV, a cache by Josh Evey), a plastic water bottle tied to a small sapling that held map coordinates giving their precise location!
Searchers following the climber’s phone and Geocache clues found them around 10:00 am, and then led the two men out of the snow-covered forest toward a trailhead near Government Camp. They emerged from the woods shortly after 11:00 am. The climbers were in good condition.
Searchers included units from Portland Mountain Rescue, Mountain Wave, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, American Medical Response and the Portland-based 304th U.S. Air Force Rescue Squadron.
Type of publication: Newspaper
When was the article reported?: 01/16/2008
Publication: The Oregonian
Article Url: [Web Link]
Is Registration Required?: no
How widespread was the article reported?: national
News Category: Sports
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