PMR Rescues Climbers Lost in Whiteout

Sunday, May 28, 2006

On Sunday evening, a team from Portland Mountain Rescue rescued a party of two climbers who became lost in a whiteout on the descent from Crater Rock after climbing Mt. Hood. Upon reaching about 5800 ft in the Paradise Park area of the mountain, the climbers realized they were lost and called 911 for assistance.

PMR Rescue Leader Steve Rollins made cell phone contact with the subjects and determined that the climbers had a working GPS, two compasses (one of which was set to “20 degrees declination”), no map or altimeter. The climbers had reportedly forgotten to mark Timberline Lodge as a waypoint in their GPS and thus were not able to use it to reach Timberline Lodge and avoid becoming lost.

Rollins talked the climbers through configuring their GPS for the NAD27 map datum, and to use UTM coordinates. He was then able to determine the climber's location and provided three sets of waypoints and bearings to get the climbers safely over to the Paradise Park trail. This trail would ultimately lead them out of the woods and avoid the avalanche danger higher on the mountain.

After a series of phone calls and navigation errors, it was determined that the climber’s GPS had somehow switched map datum's off of NAD27 (causing their location to be inaccurately reported relative to the map Rollins was using.) Additionally, the climbers had set their compass to 20 degrees *West* declination, instead of 20 degrees *East*. As a result, the climber's track was always about 40 degrees off the track they were attempting to follow.

The error in the climber’s compass declination setting may have contributed to them becoming lost and also hindered their progress to the Paradise Park trail.  Though the navigation problems were resolved over the telephone, darkness was approaching and the climbers were tired, so a ground team of rescuers was sent up the Paradise Park trail to assist the climbers in their descent.

PMR Rescue Leader Mike Ochsner, assisted by rescuers Maria Nelsen and Tom Gall, started up the Paradise Park trail at sundown. Traveling light and fast, the team was able to make contact with the two tired climbers at about 10:30 pm. The group then slowly made their way over seven miles down the trail, arriving at the trailhead around 1:30 am.

This incident highlights the following climber safety fundamentals that should be followed:

- Always bring a map and compass, and have the knowledge of how to use them proficiently.

- A GPS is helpful in navigating, but GPS units are not a replacement for a map and compass.

- Do not forget to mark your entrance and exit points in your GPS before leaving on a backcountry trip

- Cell phones can be helpful in initiating a rescue, but cell coverage may not be strong or reliable.

- Be sure to bring sufficient navigation and survival gear when traveling in the backcountry, particularly when poor weather is predicted.