EISPIRATEN

HikeUp wrote: ↑The report on KTLA 10 o'clock news showed some woman pointing on a map to where they found her at 7900' on the north side of Baldy. This ACME map shows approximately where the woman was pointing at on the map in the report.

Tim wrote: ↑I hate to speculate, but if the north face was covered in snow, she might have fallen down an ice chute. That north slope is almost a straight shot all the way down 2000 ft.

MOUNT BALDY – Last weekend’s storm may have caused an experienced alpine hiker to lose her way on Mt. Baldy and ultimately her life.

Searchers found the body of Michelle Yu, 49, Wednesday on the northwest side of the icy peak at Fish Fork.

Sheriff’s spokeswoman Arden Wiltshire says the weather was against the searchers late last Sunday.

“They reported that the rain was coming at them sideways. That’s how hard the wind was blowing. It was actually blowing them off of the trail.”

Ms. Yu had been training for an alpine event and had planned only a day hike last Saturday. (INT)

Sam Page wrote: ↑Alan K: The report you quote makes sense. She didn't return from her dayhike on Saturday and then the rescue was hampered by bad weather the following day.

Another horrible winter accident on Mt. Baldy. I read somewhere that she was planning to descend Devil's Backbone. I suspect she mistakenly descended the ridge toward Dawson -- hence her final resting place in the Fish Fork drainage. In poor visibility, it would be easy to get lured down that ridge.

AlanK wrote: ↑...But I am still under the impression that she hiked, and fell, on Saturday, when the weather was not at all bad. Is is likely that someone intimately familiar with the mountain could have headed down towards Dawson by mistake on Saturday?

AlanK wrote: ↑

Sam Page wrote: ↑Alan K: The report you quote makes sense. She didn't return from her dayhike on Saturday and then the rescue was hampered by bad weather the following day.

Another horrible winter accident on Mt. Baldy. I read somewhere that she was planning to descend Devil's Backbone. I suspect she mistakenly descended the ridge toward Dawson -- hence her final resting place in the Fish Fork drainage. In poor visibility, it would be easy to get lured down that ridge.

I understand that the conditions early on in the rescue effort were awful. I have been on Baldy in whiteout conditions and can easily imagine someone going down the wrong ridge. But I am still under the impression that she hiked, and fell, on Saturday, when the weather was not at all bad. Is is likely that someone intimately familiar with the mountain could have headed down towards Dawson by mistake on Saturday?

Search and rescue crews have speculated that poor conditions at the peak might have confused Yu.

“Because of fog, she could have got to the summit and turned in the wrong direction, and then slipped and fell,” Miller said.

The retrieval team plans to put the victim in a rescue basket and fly the body out the area, Miller said.
“They are not able to walk,” she said. “The terrain is not safe enough."

AlanK wrote: ↑Ken Murray had a good comment on this subject on the WPS Board

this question often comes up. As I have seen the discussions go, outside help is STRONGLY discouraged, sometimes to the point of arresting people.

The reason is that searches end up becoming very methodical explorations of terrain, in which clues are sought, and resources are allocated based upon clues found. The look is for "footprints" (actual or metaphorical). When a bunch of us well meaning amateurs go into an area, we usually eradicate all sign of anyone who has passed, and we don't have the training to recognize the disturbed ground, the snapped twig, the slide in the snow that has filled in.

Plus, in technical terrain, well-meaning people who are not skilled, get hurt/lost/exhausted/etc....and end up pulling resources away from the actual search.

We make it harder.

The SAR's know what they are doing, they know what they need, they know how to get help, and are best left to do what they are best at doing.

....We were doing this(traverse to the ski lift) at this point, in the complete darkness, no more iphone 4 light...As I lead my two companions in the darkness, the worst happened. I took a step coming down a sharp decline on the path, and I fell forward, but my foot caught inside a iced hole. I heard a sharp loud *CRACK* and felt the intense heat and sharp pain of electric pain shoot up my left ankle.

AW wrote: ↑
http://exempt.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/ ... er-update/

Sorry subscribers, but to many damn rednecks and mountain trash were yip yapping, seems that calling SARS underfunded and unreliable really upsets the white trash. I also really didn’t feel like have the epically historic debate of civilian operations training vs military training which then always leads to a “who’s penis is bigger” contest for the feeble minded. Yah no thanks.

Cheers!

Over the course of the last four days, our family has fought to keep hope alive that our beloved Michelle would come home to us after an exhausting ordeal on Mount Baldy. We are simply devastated to know now that she will not.

Our family cannot adequately express our grief at the untimely passing of our vibrant, incredible Michelle; but, we have been so touched by and grateful for the outpouring of support from so many people who loved and cared for her. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for all of your thoughts, prayers, and efforts.

“Thank you” does not begin to sufficiently relay our immense gratitude and appreciation for all of the counties, especially San Bernardino and Los Angeles, which extended such tremendous support to the Search and Rescue efforts to find Michelle in difficult conditions at the risk of their own safety. To all of the officials, countless volunteers, and well-wishers who contributed vastly in the efforts to recover our loved one, we are forever grateful. Our family would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to Pastor Ron Thomas and the Mt. Baldy VillageChurch for opening their doors to family and friends during the search.

We cannot comprehend a world without our Michelle, but find some comfort in knowing that she left us while doing something she loved. For those so inclined, in lieu of flowers or any other forms of sympathy, our family would appreciate you supporting your local Sheriff’s Search and Rescue programs through contributions made in memory of Michelle Yu.

Tim wrote: ↑Btw, I don't mean any disrespect to Michelle with any of the speculation. It's just when this stuff happens, your mind just starts analyzing everything, partly to try to learn from it and partly to understand her circumstances. It's really sad when this happens because as corny as it sounds, I think we feel a certain kinship with other hikers and climbers because we know what it's like out there. You read those crazy comments by the general public after news articles and those people don't have any idea. So when someone goes missing, it's like losing one of our own.

bertfivesix wrote: ↑

Sorry subscribers, but to many damn rednecks and mountain trash were yip yapping, seems that calling SARS underfunded and unreliable really upsets the white trash. I also really didn’t feel like have the epically historic debate of civilian operations training vs military training which then always leads to a “who’s penis is bigger” contest for the feeble minded. Yah no thanks.

Cheers!

Posers are cute.

lilbitmo wrote: ↑
With her knowledge of the mountain (everyone has indicated that she goes there every weekend to hike to get ready for the competition) I cannot see her getting lost and trying to downclimb to Dawson or towards Pine without being able to notice the high desert was straight ahead. The weather did start to have realy soft flurries/rain at Manker Flats at 2:30 but it was not a "white out" by any means, that does not mean it wasn't worse on top, only the people that summited 1 PM and 3 PM can give us those conditions - I've been in the bowl when it was a "white out" on top and I've been on top when you could see for miles and the bowl was "socked in" with low lying clouds - the real bad weather came on Sunday night when it rained hard with snow coming down above 8,000 feet just as the call when out to SAR.

simonov wrote: ↑

bertfivesix wrote: ↑

Sorry subscribers, but to many damn rednecks and mountain trash were yip yapping, seems that calling SARS underfunded and unreliable really upsets the white trash. I also really didn’t feel like have the epically historic debate of civilian operations training vs military training which then always leads to a “who’s penis is bigger” contest for the feeble minded. Yah no thanks.

Cheers!

Posers are cute.

Damn. I wanted to ask him why he was carrying an iPhone in the Hindu Kush.