Mount Hood rescue

| July 14, 2018

A climber was stranded on Mount Hood and the team sent to rescue him also got stranded. So, the Oregon National Guard got involved. When a Blackhawk helicopter coudn’t make the rescue, they called for a Chinook according to KOMO;

By Friday morning, snow had firmed up overnight and a six-person rescue team climbed to the 11,250-foot summit. Unfortunately, by the time the team reached the climber, conditions were too dangerous to climb back down.

Chris Ingersoll, a civilian spokesperson for the Guard, says a Black Hawk helicopter that initially arrived at the scene was not able to get up to the summit, which is why the Chinook from Pendleton was called in.

“Most helicopters really struggle to even get up to that altitude, as the air gets really thin. So we have to use the Chinook, which is one of our aircraft that’s powerful enough to get up to that altitude. It also gets difficult because at summit rescues the winds change direction and intensity fairly rapidly,” said Ingersoll.

Instead of lowering down a rope to hoist the climber and rescuers up, the Chinook did a two-wheel land and lowered a ramp to get all seven people on board.

There’s a video of the rescue at the link above.

Thanks to CK for the link.

Category: National Guard

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jerry920

Needed a Chinook to carry the pilots balls. That’s gutsy.

jonp

Man, you got that right. For all of those that thought the previous photo of a rescue by that Coast Guard Pilot a few weeks ago was photo shopped, here is the proof of what studs those guys are.

Ex-PH2

That is one helluva pilot running the Chinook.

I will never understand what prompts people to do silly things like climb mountains.

sj

I’m not a pilot but would think it speaks volumes of that being a well trained crew in total since, I’m guessing, there was someone on the ramp talking the pilot into the pickup.

Sierra Hotel!

AW1Ed

No guessing. Aircrew was acting as the pilot’s eyes right to the landing.

Mick

Shack.

It requires an extremely high level of training and effective crew coordination in order to successfully execute a maneuver like that at high altitude in mountainous terrain. Every crew member in that Chinook played a critical role in making this rescue happen.

And in terms of ‘ballsy’ flying by this crew, it should be noted that if the Chinook had lost power (i.e. single or dual engine failure) while holding position there while the personnel on the ground were being brought up the rear ramp, it’s doubtful that the pilots could have safely landed the aircraft. Instead, the Chinook would most likely have rolled down the mountain, taking everyone aboard with it. Every crew member would have been aware of these risks, so ‘ballsy’ flying indeed.

I hope that the entire Chinook crew is promptly and properly recognized for this outstanding feat of airmanship.

A good bit o’ flying, that.

rgr769

I am a pilot; and in RVN I had a Loach pilot try to teach me how to hover. It took the most difficult motor skills I have ever experienced and that was in still air. I can’t imagine the motor skills required to do it in high, changing winds at that altitude with the aircraft at the edge of its power/performance envelope.

Club Manager, USA ret.

This was not the first rescue on Mt. Hood. They should make these jerk offs pay for the cost of the rescue. Funny thing though, when I was stationed at Portland International Airport Air Force side for 4 1/2 years, I don’t recall reading about any chopper rescues on Mt. Hood. So I guess it is these modern day climbers who are doing the dumb things.

Mason

I’m sure the ops these helo crews are doing in A-stan have helped to refine those skills and add to the list of things they’d be willing to try in the first place.

Amazing airmanship!

sj

Hey Claw! Is that your bud one ball low or something like that from the helo site at the controls of the Hook?

Claw

Nope, don’t think so.

“Left Low Ball” Jimmy Walls, the Engineer Company Motor Pool Parts Man, always claimed to be a Huey Pilot, not a Shithook driver./smile

ex-OS2

“How many have flown a sniffer mission. Low and slow. Not one of my favorite things to do.” Jimmy Walls, Facebook 7/13/2018

Jimmy Walls, phony UH-1 pilot is still slurping and tucking people in every night.

OWB

Something you have never done would naturally not be among your favorite things to do. Hello? Jimmy Walls – is that you? At least his silly statement is the truth, for once.

Jimmy Walls probably had nightmares triggered by that video. Maybe some heart palpitations as well.

Joe Williams

Hey, any of you rotorheads ever make pickups and deliveries at the Rockpile in N. I Corp. I am talking about before they built the landing platform for it. Hueys and 34s one skid or wheel on the mountain. the of your hovering with a long drop under it. 46s would back in like the mountain picture. Fun Times Joe

AnotherPat

Kudos to the Six Person Rescue Team and the Oregon National Guard Chinook team for laying their lives in rescuing the climber.

Sincerely hope the climber will receive professional mental health assistance and realize what these brave folks did to save his life considering he wanted to end it with an overdose, but changed his mind.

The Other Whitey

That had to be a white-knuckle flight! Those Chinook drivers are badass!

7711C20

I was surprised they even tried it with the UH-60’s after the Pave Hawk crash on MT. Hood during the 2002 rescue.

2banana

Oh look. Blackhawks suck at higher elevations.

So why did the Americans force the Afghans to get rid of their MI-17s for Blackhawks?

No one takes the war in Afghanistan seriously – except the enemy

Skippy

Awesome !!!!!!

Sparks

Damned fine job there.

HMC Ret

I read that the rescue was made with two choppers. One of the choppers was used to carry the pilot’s balls. Hats off to all crew members. It wasn’t a one-man operation

HMCS(FMF) ret

BZ to the crew for the rescue!

It happens a few times each climbing season… some with not such a happy ending.

Trent

So proud of our Army National Guard air crews. I’m just an MP in the Oregon Guard working Joint Domestic Operations, but these guys and our Black Hawk crews fly so many rescue missions every year, they seem to make them look easy and they do Oregon and the Guard proud.

Thunderstixx

Stationed in Alaska, we were always going up into the mountains during the summer. Many times they took us to where other choppers couldn’t go.
The best part of a Chinook is being in the field at -45 in 1975, waiting on an LZ for 4 hours walking up the ramp and pausing in the jet blast, opening up your Korean War vintage 40 year old “Arctic Parka” and letting the super warm air finally warm you up !!!
That is until your squad leader kicks you in the ass and tells you to get moving !!!
LMAO !!!
Those were the days boys, those were the heady days of the US Army !!!!!

Claw

That’s Right!!

We, in the Army, did more before nine than most people do all day. (just trying to get a Gamma Goat started)/smile

AnotherPat

Folks…try to find Claw in this GREAT Army Commercial (hint, Supply = Coffee Trade…”Good Mornin, 1SG!!):

https://youtu.be/E_OCDJIT344

Jeff LPH 3, 63-66

OH I went upon a mountain one bright and early day.
(Magnificents-“Up On A Mountain,” Vee Jay 1956)

Cacti35

Out here in the Pacific Northwest there is no shortage of fools that fall of mountains while communing with nature. The upside of it is, it gives the pilots lots of training opportunities. We often have Whidbey Naval Air Station winching fools off of mountainsides just miles from where I live. Great pilots but methinks the climbers need to bear some financial responsibility.

FatCircles031-

Scuttlebutt is he already got reprimanded for showboating. 🤣

jonp

What’s the ceiling on a Chinook? I know I can look up the official numbers but I would rather ask someone that actually knows.

jonp

Damn, I’m surprised that Chinook could take off with that payload of balls on it.

Just read the story. That fucking clown on the mountain called 911 threatening suicide and put many at risk going to get him. I hope they lock his ass up for years over that stunt. Climb a mountain and then call to say your going to kill yourself? I got one answer: JUMP

Ex-PH2

Ditto.

Mr. Sharkman

That’s good reporting, and a nice story with a happy ending.

Oregon guardsmen have a long and distinguished record of combat deployments.

Having said all that, I hate helos and I especially hate Sh1thooks.