Trio of hikers found safe after cold night on Mt. Hood
NEAR MOUNT HOOD, Ore. -- Search and Rescue teams were activated Monday morning after three people got lost and spent the night in cold conditions on Mount Hood.
Just after 10:30 a.m. Monday, the hikers were all found safe. Search team members are leading them off the mountain, according to the Hood River County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office said the group was planning on camping overnight and were equipped with sleeping bags and food.
The trio of one man and two women were snowshoeing, got lost and initially called for help Sunday afternoon while trying to reach a "rustic cabin," according to Russell Gubele with Mountain Wave Search and Rescue.
Family members said the three, identified as Mark Kelsey, Magarita Estrada and Deborah Shindler, were good friends and the hike to the cabin was to celebrate Estrada's birthday.
Mountain Wave's search and rescue teams looked for the hikers from about 1 p.m. until dark without success on Sunday. Searchers had to turn back due to bad weather, Gubele said.
Monday morning brought excellent conditions for searchers, with sun and clear skies. Deputies said the team of about 20 searchers using two snocats to check for the hikers.
Steve Rollins with Portland Mountain Rescue said Kelsey, who is in his 60's, has solo-climbed 20,320-foot tall Mt. McKinley, also known as Denali, in Alaska in the past and is very experienced.
"If you had asked me before they got lost who I’d rather they’d be lost with, it’d be Mark Kelsey," Andy Ozeroff, Estrada’s son said. "And every single one of them’s experienced climbers in terms of wilderness survival."
"I watched him pack for this trip and it’s ridiculous how much stuff he puts into his bag and carries," Kelsey's daughter Alexandra Kelsey said, but added "I’m still worried, regardless. I’m sure he would be fine."
Search teams began coordinating Monday's from the White River West Sno-Park on Highway 35.
KATU Meteorologist Joe Raineri said conditions on the mountain overnight were cold with snow falling.
Clackamas County, Mountain Wave and Portland Mountain Rescue are assisting Hood River County and the Crag Rats in the search. "Every effort is being made to locate the three lost snowshoers," Detective Matt English said in an email.
Who in the hell goes out hiking/snowshoeing in storm conditions? Only a fool or an idiot would and then hope someone is willing to risk their life to bail their sorry ars's out of trouble. Those kind of people should be charged for the work and effort of the rescue teams for the service. I can see someone getting lost while hiking (I did), but to do so in dangerous conditions is pure folly. Before going out, equip ones self properly, check the weather, and delay the hike if their is trouble in the offing. These fools remind me of the others that went up on St. Helens when they knew it was going to blow. The only honest one out there was Harry who said he was staying no matter what
@LongBeachBum Its always interesting the trolls that show up and spew random crap about people and events they know little about. The story said the rescue teams had to turn back because of bad weather, and you automatically assume the hikers set out in bad weather. What the story does not say is what the weather was like when they set out, and you do not know what the weather was like.
Instead, you chose to come in here and call them fools and idiots from the comfort and anonymity of your keyboard and computer. Idiots and fools make wild assumptions and choose to judge others soley on what they read.
Furthermore, you choose to read selectively. It sounded to me based on what I read that these "fools and idiots" did equip themselves properly. Then you contradict youself and call others fools for went to Mt Saint Helens before it blew, yet it was ok for Harry Truman to stay put and endanger the lives of rescuers and authorities.
Man, you have zero class and are one of the most negative people on these forums. I've run into you before here, and its the same as it was before. Preach on old man.
Lucky 1,2,and 3...
"cold night on Mt. Hood"
December on Mt Hood and its cold at night...imagine that.
I'm not sure why these "experienced" hikers don't take PLBs with them when conditions are bad.

@Vince Story didnt say what the conditions were before they left. On Hood as well as Rainier, conditions change rapidly. Maybe they should have anticipated this and brought beacons, but the dude who was with them obviously knew what he was doing. Still, living a life such as this, enjoying the outdoors and such does carry a degree of risk.
These stories of rescuing people in the winter on a mountain are getting moved down the page of news. The public is becoming numb to this.  Here is a novel idea: how about checking the weather before heading out, or just staying off the mountain in the winter?
I hope these people get home safely.