Weather halts search for 4 on Rainier
UPDATE: The two climbers from Springfield, Ore., mentioned in earlier reports are Sork (Erik) Yang, 52, of Springfield, Ore., and Jin Seol Hee, from Korea, according to a Mount Rainier National Park press release.
DO YOU KNOW THEM? Contact KVAL News in Springfield/Eugene by email or call (541) 685-KVAL.
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, Wash. (AP) — A blizzard is keeping rescuers from continuing to search for four people missing on Washington's Mount Rainier.
National Park spokeswoman Patti Wold says five elite mountaineers spent Friday morning searching for two climbers and two campers who were due to return from their trips at the beginning of the week. But conditions on 14,410-foot volcano include 40-mph winds and zero visibility, so it was too risky for the rescuers to keep looking. Well over a foot of new snow fell overnight.
Rangers say the two parties were well-equipped and hopefully have dug in to wait out the storm, but they could be getting low on supplies.
Missing are 37-year-old Mark Vucich of San Diego, 30-year-old Michelle Trojanowski of Atlanta and a Springfield, Ore., couple whose names have not been released.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press
From Patti Wold at Mount Rainier National Park
Poor Weather Hinders Search for Overdue Parties
Two ground teams battled 40 mph winds and white out conditions this morning as they navigated the area between Paradise and Camp Muir in search of the two overdue parties. The severe conditions forced searchers to withdraw from the field. They remain on standby to return to the search upon the first sign of improved conditions.
A helicopter and pilots from Joint Base Lewis McChord were not cleared to fly until later in the morning due to the ice storm that hit Western Washington. Once cleared of the icy condition, the limited visibility on the mountain was not favorable for a flight. They remain on standby to assist in the search.
There are two teams of overdue parties currently on the mountain. A party of two, Mike Vucich, 37 of San Diego, Calif., and Michelle Trojanowski, 30, of Atlanta, Ga., planning to winter camp on the Muir Snowfield over the weekend was due out on Sunday, January 15. A second party of two climbers,
Sork (Erik) Yang, 52, of Springfield, Ore., and Jin Seol Hee, from Korea, on a summit attempt via the Disappointment Cleaver route was due back Monday, January 16th. Due to weather conditions it is expected that they are waiting out the weather before attempting to descend to Paradise. Visitors to the upper mountain are advised to stop moving, dig in and wait for better weather during severe weather and white out conditions.
Park staff and searchers remain optimistic that both parties will be found alive. They are equipped for winter camping and carried extra food.
The weather forecast calls for snow, temperatures in the teens and twenties, and high winds through at least Monday. For more information on weather conditions visit the park weather webpage http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/weather.htm.
For a look at current conditions at Paradise visit the Webcam webpage http://www.nps.gov/mora/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm. Note that the Camp Muir webcam is not maintained in winter.
