Update, 10 pm, Monday, 11.12.12: Kevin Backer, public information officer at Mount Rainier National Park, has issued the following update on the missing snowboarders above Paradise:
About 3:00 this afternoon, one of the search teams made brief visual contact, from a distance of about half a mile, with two individuals who matched (Derek) Tyndall and (Thomas) Dale’s description and seemed to be in good condition on the lower Paradise Glacier. Due to the steep terrain, it took several hours for the search teams to circle around to the location, and deep, fresh snow slowed progress to half a mile per hour with searchers trading off to break trail. Attempts to locate or contact the individuals proved unsuccessful. The search was called off for the day about 7:00 pm as night, weather, low visibility, and dangerous terrain made continued efforts dangerous and unproductive.
Search teams will renew their efforts at first light tomorrow morning.
Earlier, Mr. Backer had released the following information:
Search underway for snowboarders lost on Mount Rainier
At 4:30 pm on Sunday, November 11, two snowboarders, ages 20 and 21, called 9-1-1 to report that they had become lost in a winter storm while descending from Camp Muir in Mount Rainier National Park. They had winter gear, smart phones, and a compass, but no overnight gear. Continue reading →
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