Here are the latest developments in the search for three climbers missing on Mt. Hood, updated continuously as new details become available.

12/14/06

3 p.m. update:

A blizzard warning for the Central and Northern Oregon Cascades are in effect through 8 a.m. Friday.

10 a.m. update:

There are unconfirmed reports that a cell phone belonging to climber Kelly James was turned on Tuesday at 10:55 p.m. but no call was made.

Searchers are probably not going to be able to get above the 6,000 foot level on Thursday. One team of searchers is already on the mountain and a second team was expected on the mountain by 10 a.m.

Searchers still believe James is near the top of Mt. Hood.

Hood River County Deputy Sheriff Chris Guertin said they have a "good idea that Mr. James is near the top" but they "don’t have much idea" where the other two climbers, Brian Hall and Jerry Cooke, are.

Low elevation searches, which including checking tree lines, continue. Air support is on standby.

The small, remote-controlled, heat-seeking aircraft known as drones are grounded at base camp, located at Cloud Cap, at about 6,000 feet. They were not used Wednesday, due to inclement weather.

Kelly James' wife, Karen James, spoke during a 9:15 a.m. press conference. She said her husband proposed to her on Mt. Rainier and they plan to celebrate their 50-year wedding anniversary there, so she's confident he will come down from Mt. Hood alive.

She described her husband and his two climbing partners as phenomenal and smart men and said she believes God is watching over them.

James' brother, Frank, also spoke and reiterated the family's optimistic belief that James is still alive and will survive the ordeal.

The search is planned to continue through Saturday.

1 a.m. update from Deputy Pete Hughes:

We have not confirmed a report that Kelly James attempted to make a 911 call on Monday morning at 7:20am. If a call was attempted it was not completed. We do know that the phone was turned on at 7:20am. There was enough of a signal at that time to get a GPS reading. Hood River 911 sent a text message to the phone saying “call 911.” The text message was received by the phone, but the message was not opened. It may be possible that text was mistaken as a call, but it is unknown at his time. Several times through the day on 12/11, 12/12 and 12/13 the cell phone was pinged by T-Mobile. On 12/12 at 10:55pm T-Mobile received a signal on the phone indicating it was back on, when it had been off. That was the last signal that was obtained. Every ping since that time has shown that the phone is not on. The phone is pinged every 5 minutes. Today, Hood River 911 asked T-Mobile to send the phone a text message asking that the phone be turned off until 12/14 at 9:00am to save power. The phone has not been on to receive that message. If the phone is turned on we will be notified immediately. Please be aware we are still trying to learn the technological ability relating to the cell phones. The FBI has offered to help us on this front as well as helping to trace signals. Two FBI agents arrived from Portland today and are assisting the search team.

ARACAR with owner John Blitch arrived today with UAV equipment and four operators. They have brought 6 UAV’s with them to use in the search operation. They were not able to fly the aircraft because of wind. Although the aircraft have the ability to fly they can not be used accurately in winds above 35-40mph. The ARACAR team will remain in the area and are waiting for the weather to break.

Search operations on the mountain continued with ground search crews. Air operations were not possible due to high winds. Winds were gusting to at least 70mph. 1042nd Air National Guard was grounded an not allowed to fly.

Five ground search teams comprised of 13 members from Crag Rats, Corvallis Search and Rescue and the 304th Rescue Squadron continued by searching the following areas: Team #1 searched south to Timberline Trail and Gnarl Ridge. The team reported that weather conditions would not allow them above the tree line. They did make it to approximately 6500’. Team #2 searched the Timberline Trail and attempted to cross Eliot Glacier. The team reported icy conditions with strong winds and were forced to turn back. They continued to search toward lower Eliot and E. Langille Glacier. Team #3 searched the area of the Tilly Jane Warming Hut, where the three climbers spent the night on 12/07. A note was found in the log book that was left by the three men. The note read “12/7/06, Thanks for your hard work on this great Shelter. We did not plan on staying, but the warmth of the fire changed our minds. We climb as a group of 3 and we left a $20 bill. We will leave tomorrow for the north face! Wish us luck! Nikko, B Hall, Krazy Kelly” No gear was found at this site. Team #4 searched Pollalie Drainage. Team #5 searched lower Tilly Jane.

Two friends of the climbers assisted search teams today. Searchers over the past three days have covered a large area of land below the tree line. We also continued searching snow closed mountain roadways with snow cat and Sheriff’s Office personnel. An operational plan was developed for 12/14/06. We continue to search out resources as well. The weather outlook for the search on Thursday is very poor. We are expecting extreme winds and up to 18 inches of snow.

We will not be able to search above 6000’ once again. Search teams will be transported up to the Cloud Cap base camp in the morning. There are several searchers who are staying the night at the base camp. Searchers from Portland Mountain Rescue along with the Crag Rats and 304th will begin search operations.

New resources will be heading to the search area on Thursday. The Air Force 304th Rescue squadron will be adding new members to the search. A 10th Special Forces S.A.R. team will be joining the search effort. Eugene Mountain Rescue will be joining the effort late in the day and will be available into the weekend.

The 4th Battalion 160th SOAR of the National Guard is attempting to gain authorization to support the search with a Chinook Helicopter. Nevada air National Guard is attempting to gain authorization to assist with a C-130. However, they have been grounded due to extreme winds.

A press conference is scheduled for 9:00am at Cooper Spur Ski Area. The family will give a statement and answer questions. Search team operations will also have someone available to answer questions.

Sheriff Wampler wishes to thank everyone for the assistance that has been offered. Again, please do not set out searching on your own. Organized search efforts are required for everyone’s safety. We are extremely busy taking phone calls from media and concerned people from around the country. We are sorry in advance if we do not get back to everyone immediately.

12/13/06

4:30 p.m. update:

Searchers have officially been pulled off the mountain.

3:30 p.m. update:

Wednesday's searchers stopped for the day; they were not able to search as high as Timberline.

Twenty-four mountain climbers were at Cloud Cap, waiting for a break in the weather that would allow them to search higher elevations.

At least one drone had been transported to Cloud Cap, where authorities hoped to launch it, but 60 mph winds made the launch unlikely.

9 a.m. update

Crews are not searching above 7,000 feet on Wednesday, due to weather conditions.

They believe one of the climbers, Kelly James, is at about 10,000 feet and that he's moved a significant distance, but they're not sure how far. They think he probably moved on Monday.

Searchers will focus on the lower elevations and finding James' two climbing partners, Brian Hall and Jerry “Nikko” Cooke. However, two climbing teams -- on the north and south sides -- are in standby mode in the event that a break in the weather allows teams to search higher elevations. It would take an estimated 4-5 hours to reach James' last known location.

Crews are getting help from high-tech sources -- a heat-seeking, unmanned aircraft provided by a Colorado company and pinpoint cell phone detection equipment from another high-tech company.

At least three of the unmanned drones from ARACAR were expected to fly on Wednesday. The company says the drones can fly where choppers can't.

Rescue squadron ATVs that operate on snow trails also joined the search.

8:30 a.m. update:

The following statement was released by the families of the missing climbers on Wednesday:

Speaking on behalf of the families of Kelly James, Brian Hall and Jerry “Nikko” Cooke, we would like to thank everyone who continues to tirelessly work to rescue our loved ones.

We have renewed hope today as the search effort is receiving help from two companies offering their services free of charge. The families want to thank ARACAR and IOMAX for their generosity and commitment to help in the rescue effort.

We would also like to thank the Mountain Waves who were part of the team that helped identify the signal of Kelly’s cell phone and are facilitating communications between the search and rescue teams on the mountains and the base camp.

The assistance from these organizations has been tremendous and it keeps our faith alive. The families have remained strong. They are supporting each other and looking forward to welcoming Kelly, Brian and Nikko home again very soon.

7 a.m. update:

Hood River County Sheriff Joe Wampler schedules a 9 a.m. press conference.

12/12/06

6:10 p.m. update:

Members of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue unit officially ended their search operation for the day as of 5:26 p.m. Four ground search teams worked below the timberline and one team waited in the area of the top of the Palmer Chairlift, located at the 8,500-foot level on the south side of Mt. Hood. The upper team was unable to conduct a search due to the weather conditions at that location on the mountain.

5:00 p.m. update:

Searchers confirm an Oregon National Guard helicopter was able to briefly join the search during a weather break Tuesday afternoon but the chopper was never able to go higher than 6,000 feet due to visibility. The missing climbers are believed to be closer to the 11,239-foot summit.

Rescue teams were pulled from the mountain Tuesday afternoon, with most returning by 3:30 - 4:00 p.m. to insure their safe return before nightfall. Hood River County Sheriff Joe Wampler said the search would resume again Wednesday morning if weather permitted.

However, KGW Meteorologist Matt Zaffino warns that today may have been the last weather window for several days. Another storm is expected tomorrow, bringing more wind, snow and even higher avalanche danger to the upper slopes of Mt. Hood.

Search team member Marty Johnson of Portland Mountain Rescue, upon returning after a day searching on the mountain, said: "You can't see anything. It's hard to search when you can't see....we would have to stumble across them to find them."

1:30 p.m. update:

Hood River County Sheriff Joe Wampler reveals that "weather is going to be an issue after today," and that searchers are struggling in high winds. He says blowing snow has made for "terrible visibility."

Wampler says he needs to turn searchers around by about 2:30 p.m. to give them time to get off the mountain before sundown. Wampler abruptly halts the press conference when he receives word that the weather may have cleared enough to launch the Air National Guard Blackhawk helicopter waiting on standby in Hood River. The helicopter had been grounded all day due to poor visibility.

1:15 p.m. update:

Hood River Sheriff Joe Wampler says a T-Mobile cell phone owned by kelly James is still actively transmitting. He says searchers receive hourly print-outs, and the location has been mapped as on the NE side of Mt. Hood near the summit.

1:05 p.m. update:

Police, family hold press conference

The brother of Kelly James, one of the climbers missing on Mount Hood, says: "If anybody could survive these conditions, it would be Kelly James."

James' brother says this has been an "extremely difficult week" for the families of the missing climbers but they are "keeping big hope alive." He also says the families have had great encouragement from searchers and this is "a day for courage and prayers."

11:48 a.m. update:

From Oregon National Guard:

The Blackhawk crew landed at Hood River at 10:20 a.m. and was transported to the ICP by Hood River Sheriff (HRS) personnel. Currently, the ICP is moving SAR personnel to the search site via snow cats and leaving the aircraft on standby awaiting any weather windows higher up the mountain (currently, the ceilings are below the search areas).

The ICP is indicating that the likely use of the Blackhawk would be to cover search areas not covered by ground personnel, again, weather permitting. The aircraft is crewed by pilot CW4 Gregg Schroeder, co-pilot CW2 Shaun Lazier, crew chief Sgt. Rob Armstrong and flight medic, Sgt. William Welborne.

Members of the MART Team of the Oregon Army National Guard train year round for search and rescue operations in the mountainous areas of Oregon and southwest Washington. Medevac operations in a large part of their military mission and the Oregon Army Guard has highly trained, professionals who have been recognized by National level awards on numerous occasions.

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11:30 a.m. update:

Hood River Sheriff Joe Wampler says he is with the Blackhawk crew which is now grounded in Hood River. While skies are fairly clear in the area, the mountain is still in the clouds. They're hoping clouds clear so the chopper can get up - and that winds are not not so strong that they can't safely fly. They will do their best to get up to the area where the cell pings indicate Kelly James may be. Right now - all the Blackhawk crew can do is wait.

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9:20 a.m. update:

From Oregon Air National Guard

At approximately 9:15 today , one UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter departed from the Army Aviation Support Facility in Salem, Ore. to aid in the search for the three missing hikers on Mt. Hood. Current plans will have the Blackhawk and crew reposition to the Hood River, Ore. airport where they will meet with representatives of the Hood River Sheriff's Office for briefings on the current situation on the mountain. The crew will consist of a pilot, co-pilot, crew chief and flight medic.

Weather permitting they will attempt to locate a landing zone at a higher elevation to reposition the airframe. This would allow for faster response time to transport additional ground crews and equipment higher up the mountain or to launch an aerial search. Weather will play a large part in the search efforts and determining use of the Blackhawk.

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9 a.m. update:

From Det. Jim Strovink with the Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office

CCSO personnel report five; four man teams are deployed at this time. These teams are comprised of members of the elite Portland Mountain Rescue and Pacific Northwest Search & Rescue. Members of Mountain Wave are also providing communications for this operation. These mountaineers are moving along selected routes that typically are used by ‘climbers descending' the mountain. This tactical approach is designed to hopefully locate the missing climbers who may have been attempting to descend the mountain late last week.

It has been stated the mountain rescue teams will travel up the mountain to the summit if weather permits. An additional weather front is approaching and expected to bring harsher weather conditions later in the afternoon. At the present, the weather on the mountain is reported as calm, with light snow conditions.

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8:30 a.m. update:

From the search camp on the North side of Mt. Hood:

1 am - Sent 5 people up mountain from Corvallis Search and Rescue

6 am - 3 Hood River Crag Rats deployed

9 am – will try to send 5 people from 304th Air Force Reserve

9-10 am – will try to send 3 people from Portland Mountain Rescue

Air National Guard helicopter should be landing soon, weather permitting

A ping came from Kelly James' cell phone yesterday morning at 10 am. They have estimated the coordinates of the ping at:

- Lattitude: 45.285537

- Longitude: 121.619467

These are estimates only. Does not mean this is definitely his location. Searchers will do their best to reach this estimated area.