On the Mountain

Despite my very real problem and fear this evening, my mind and heart are with the families of the kids that set out to climb Mt Hood this past week.

If you haven't heard about it yet (it has been carried on national and PNW news) three young people were climbing Mt Hood (in the Oregon Cascades) last Friday and didn't return. At this time one has been found dead of hypothermia and his two friends--a girl and guy--are still missing despite searches by aircraft. There have been multiple issues with a high avalanche warning and now a new weather front has moved in which is expected to bring a large amount of snow to the mountain. The temperatures have been low until recently because of a subarctic front that has been in the PNW till lately.

This story is close to my heart; not because I know these young people but because, in my college years, I met the child of a man who had died in his climb of one of the Cascades (he had been caught in a storm). It is also close to my heart as a mom of three young adults, as a grandmother and as a fellow Christian.

Please if you get a chance say a prayer for those who are involved in the search, for the families of these kids and for the two missing climbers. The climber's names: Luke Gullberg (found dead on Saturday), Katie Nolan and Anthony Vietti. Thank you.

Update: the search was called off for the 2 remaining climbers. Weather + mountain conditions posed too much risk for the brave Search + Rescue teams and chances of survival are extremely slim. The families, from all the reports I have seen and read, are hanging tightly to their faith in God in spite of this tragedy. May God be with them.

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Link for more info: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/12/ground_search_for_missing_mt_h.html