December 15, 2009 in City

Mount Hood rescue crews facing storm

• Print
• Email
• Share

Associated Press photo

A lenticular cloud capped Mount Hood as the search for climbers continued Monday.
(Full-size photo)

GOVERNMENT CAMP, Ore. – As a winter storm barreled toward Mount Hood, rescuers raced to find two experienced climbers missing for four days on Oregon’s highest peak.

A military Black Hawk helicopter spent Monday scanning the upper reaches of the mountain as ground teams fanned out below. But the search ended for the day as darkness fell and the storm approached.

Bad weather has hampered the search for Anthony Vietti, 24, of Longview, Wash., and Katie Nolan, 29, of Portland, who have been missing since Friday. Overnight temperatures have dipped into the teens. A major storm was expected to hit Monday night and bring 10 to 12 inches of snow.

Mountaineers found the body of fellow climber Luke T. Gullberg, 26, of Des Moines, Wash., on Saturday at the 9,000-foot level on Reid Glacier.

© Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

No comments on this story so far. Add yours!