Cooper Spur, Ore. – Rescue teams headed up the flanks of treacherous Mount Hood on Monday to search for three climbers reported missing in heavy snow but were ordered off the mountain when conditions became too dangerous.
Officials described the three men as experienced but said none had climbed Mount Hood before.
The mother of Kelly James, 48, of Dallas told authorities he had called his son on a cellphone Sunday to say he was stranded in a snow cave just below the summit of the 11,239-foot peak and that his companions had gone for help.
Rescuers were unable to re-establish contact with James, and there was no sign of the other men, identified as Brian Hall, 37, of Dallas and Jerry “Nikko” Cooke, 36, of New York.
Snow was falling heavily Monday, with up to 18 inches expected through today, along with wind gusts of 55 mph. The seven three-member rescue teams encountered wind gusts of 80 mph, Deputy Marc Smith said, and didn’t get higher than 8,500 feet. They planned to keep searching today.
