Climbers may have been located.

[Alan]

According to reports, a snow cave has been located and evidence outside the cave show they are there. This is a time for prayer and good thoughts for the survival of the climbers.

[Hakuna Makarla]

I hope so, this will bring new hope to there loved ones. thank you for posting this Alan

[stinkerbell]

Sunday, December 17, 2006
BREAKING NEWS: Searchers "zeroing in" on target; have not found climbers
Searchers are closing in on an area that is “relatively close” to where authorities traced a cell phone ping earlier this week. The area is about 300 feet below the summit in an especially treacherous area of the slope.

Capt. Mike Braibish cautioned that searchers have not found the climbers.

"We don't know anything certain about the status of the climbers," he said. "We believe we have found the snow cave. We are going to go get it.

“What we have found is a target that is shrinking down with each additional bit of information,” he said.

Searchers say they also found what they believe are footprints headed toward the summit. They do now know how fresh the prints are.

"This is a developing situation right now," he said. "Information is going to be coming in."

The pilots are highly skilled. "These are folks who have been serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. They are very experienced pilots."

[stinkerbell]

From CNN.com:

HOOD RIVER, Oregon (CNN) -- Rescuers searching for three missing climbers told CNN Sunday afternoon that they have identified a "snow cave" where the three men may be located.
According to Mount Hood River Sheriff's Department spokesman Gerry Tiffany, a Chinook helicopter is now focusing in on a target area where climber Kelly James is possibly sheltered.
James, Brian Hall, and Jerry "Nikko" Cooke have been missing for 10 days.
"It looks good," said Tiffany. "Until it's a done deal, you can't know for sure but everybody's hoping."

Good weather Sunday greeted searchers scouring Mount Hood.
"Weather is going to be a factor," Tiffany told CNN Sunday afternoon. "If it starts getting really windy again, it's going to be a problem."
Around 4 p.m. ET officials said they discovered a "Y" carved in the snow. The National Guard is walking to the top of the summit where the snow cave is probably located.
Searchers said they expected "major developments" in the next few hours, based on information found Saturday by teams on the ground and in the air.
"Yesterday was a positive day," said Capt. Chris Bernard of the 304th Rescue Squadron. "We brought some significant data that we analyzed and has narrowed the scope of our search area."
"We got a good area," he said. "We're really positive about today."
Sgt. Sean Collinson of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office said rescue teams started up the mountain on the north and south sides about 6 a.m. (9 a.m. ET).
Collinson said they hoped to "get into the area where we got the cell phone signal the other day," adding that visibility was excellent.

[stinkerbell]

We've had some horrible storms up here during the week they've been missing, so the search crews haven't been able to get above 9000 feet all week on the mountain.

It's all anyone can talk and think about here. There was a story in the paper about some teens who survived for weeks at the summit of Mt. Hood that gave the families some hope the other day:

Survivor of '76: If we made it, they can too

Three teens walked out after 13 days in a snow cave on Mount Hood
Friday, December 15, 2006 MARK LARABEE

It's been almost 31 years since Randy Knapp and two high school friends emerged from their 13th night in a wet, cold snow cave on Mount Hood, where they held onto hope through prayers and struggled to survive while a snowstorm raged outside.
As the years passed, Knapp, 48, a finish carpenter and part-time pastor who lives in Medford, refused requests for interviews. But Thursday, as headlines detailed the unfolding drama of another Mount Hood climbing party in trouble, the father of two said he wanted to give the climbers' families some hope.
"Ten days into it, I could hear the helicopter up there searching, and that gave us hope," he said. "I wouldn't write these guys off. They're experienced mountain climbers, and I wouldn't give up hope. They can make it."

[SusieP.]

My fingers are crossed for these climbers and their families.

[EagleWings]

I hope they get saved.

And I hope climbers and hikers take heed from this and stop doing this stuff when it's winter and it's snowing. They should learn to use common sense.

[dramaqueen]

I think climbing a mountain during winter was kind of their point. The fact that it is risky and dangerous is what makes people want to do it, so it not exactly a matter of common sense. They knew the kind of danger they were putting themselves into. It sounds like they must be experienced and have some sort of survival training. I hope the search teams continue to have luck and maybe find them alive! It would be awful for their families to lose them at christmas.

[Hakuna Makarla]

Thank you Stinkerbell for the updates.

[kelly]

i sure hope they find them all alive

[awesomemama]

Actually, as of right now, no one was in that snow cave, but they did find another, and sadly, there was one climber in it, and he had died.

[kelly]

MSNBC Breaking News: One climber found dead on Mount Hood, The
Associated Press reports.

[Tinkerbelle]

my thoughts and prayers are with the climbers and their families...

[EagleWings]

Anyone else think climbing should be banned when weather is this bad? I just can't believe people would choose to go and climb when they know it's gonna get like this and if it was outlawed during bad weather we might save a few lives.

[Crazy Legs]

I hope all is well for them and there families

Also in the tile of the thread you put gave not have