Three Missing Climbers on Mt Hood: Headlines of Lost Hikers Sound Eerily Familiar

In mid December of 2006, three Mt Hood climbers went missing in the midst of a severe weather storm. They were never seen again. But this morning, three years later, headlines give a grim reminder of the tragic events, with those painfully familiar words, "Three Mt Hood Climbers Reported Missing". Two male hikers and one female set out on a technical climb up the west side of the mountain and didn't return by their expected 2 p.m. arrival time on Friday, December 11, 2009.

The climbers are said to be experienced and prepared, and although they do not have a location beacon, they did send a text message today around 1 p.m. Detective Jim Strovink, of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, is waiting for any possible location information from the cell phone company, hoping it will pinpoint the hikers' location. 25-year old medical student Anthony Vietti, reported them missing, sending an email to the FOX 12 newsroom in Portland stating that he was a friend of one of the missing hikers.

Portland Mountain Rescue workers have begun searching for the missing climbers in the Reid Glacier area, which is known for its large crevasses and elevations ranging from 6,000 to 9,800 ft. Using snowshoes and binoculars, a team including about 30 volunteers are actively involved in a ground level search. The Oregon Air National Guard is standing by for a break in the clouds in order to conduct an air search.