** Solo Climber Missing on Mount Hood ***

From: hshields@aol.com (HShields)
Newsgroups: rec.climbing
Subject: Re: Missing climber-Mt Hood soloists
Date: 4 Oct 1995 16:19:30 -0400
Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364)

swamp@teleport.com wrote: I saw today that they called off the search.

I returned from Goat Rocks in Washington yesterday, we had to pull out
because the weather was so bad. I hope the climber is okay and can make it
out, but with the weather getting worse and worse, I don't think there is
much hope. Let this be a lesson to anyone thinking because you have radio
it's okay to climb solo. Because the missing climber was alone and search
parties haven't found him yet I think it's fair to say nobody knows what
happened to him. Which makes your judgemental statement about his
disappearance being a lesson to all solo climbers uninformed. Who's to say
the same thing wouldn't have happened to a whole group if he'd had some
partners. I'll admit: solo climbing is more dangerous, in some aspects,
than group climbing. I also must say I'd hate to be dragged down a slope by
my partners.

According to the Oregonian, Ken Budlong was an experienced climber with
many solo climbs. I can't imagine he would be naive enough to think his
cell phone was all he needed to climb solo, as you would suggest. I'm sure
he understood the risks involved and knew his judgement, skill and
intuition were more important than his cell phone. It's always easy for
bystanders to second guess anyones judgement. I hope this tagedy doesn't
stop other soloists from experiencing the raw and rare solitude and beauty
of the mountains and the untapped strength and determination which is
within themselves.
Climb on.

HShields@aol.com

From: allen@doug.med.utah.edu (Allen Sanderson)
Newsgroups: rec.climbing
Subject: Re: Missing climber - Mt Hood soloists
Date: 4 Oct 1995 22:25:30 GMT
Organization: University of Utah, Dept. of Radiology

Good thing on my solos of Hood I have never taken a radio (I've done 3
solos, one of which I was the only person on the whole mountain- it was
about this time last year - excellent experience, perfect conditions ;-).
But then Oregon has a new law that says you have to take something like a
radio and proper gear in order not to be charged up to $500 for being
rescued (This is not a great law but it at least shifts the responsibility
to the user). So maybe this person took the radio as part of trying to be
responsible. What is the Biblical says - Let he who casks the first stone
must be without sin - or something like that. Anyway the first comment is
a pretty uninformed opinon. Mean while lets all hope that it does not turn
into a tragedy -think postive.--

Allen R. Sanderson
allen@mirl.med.utah.edu
Medical Imaging Research Lab
Dept. of Radiology
University of Utah Salt Lake City,
Utah 84132 USA

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