FAN FAVORITE: Trapped on Mt. Hood | Discovery | 4

Summary

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Against The Odds – FAN FAVORITE: Trapped on Mt. Hood | Discovery | 4

Podcast by Wondery | Hosted by Cassie De Pecol | Released: August 28, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode, the fourth and final in the “Trapped on Mt. Hood” series, recounts the dramatic culmination of the 1986 disaster, where a school expedition is trapped by an unforgiving blizzard. It follows the ongoing search and rescue efforts, the harrowing discoveries made on the mountain, and the aftermath for survivors and loved ones. Through immersive storytelling, first-person perspectives, and reconstructed scenes, the episode explores the resilience and tragedy that marked one of North America’s most infamous alpine disasters.

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Key Themes & Purpose

• Perseverance in the face of disaster: Families, rescuers, and survivors struggle against overwhelming odds.
• The complexity and toll of large-scale rescue operations.
• Survivor guilt and the path to healing: Reflections from survivors and relatives years later.
• The power and limits of hope in life-threatening scenarios.

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Detailed Breakdown & Major Discussion Points

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The Search Resumes—Desperation and Dwindling Hope (00:09–10:04)

• Ralph Summers, exhausted and disoriented, attempts to guide helicopter crews over Mt. Hood in fading daylight, searching for the snow cave sheltering the trapped climbers.
  • The helicopter is buffeted by winds and poor visibility:

    “He hasn’t slept in over 46 hours, but he has to keep his fatigue at bay. The search and rescue workers…are counting on him.” (01:00)

  • The terrain is obscured by new snowfall, making it near impossible to retrace steps.
  • The pilots are forced to turn back—sunset and fuel choices are pressing.
• The mounting tension among families waiting at the Timberline Lodge, notably Frank McGinnis, whose son is missing.
  • Frank is buoyed by rescue workers’ stories of past triumphs, but quickly snapped back to anxiety by the press and the painful wait.

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Overnight—Tracking Leads and Facing False Hope (10:04–14:46)

• Early hours at command base—a break in the storm allows three search teams onto the upper slopes of White River Canyon.
  • Excitement as “Team Seven” finds a promising set of tracks; potential proof that Summers and Molly passed through.
    • Quote:

      “Those have to be the tracks. Molly and me left.” – Summers (10:39)

  • But hope fades as the tracks vanish. The energy drains from the room.
• The next dawn brings another clue—a red sleeping bag spotted from the air. Tension as visual confirmation turns, heartbreakingly, into the first discovery of bodies rather than survivors.
  • Crucial quote:

    “We have a visual on two possible survivors. We’re going to land and get a closer look.” – Rick Harder (14:19) (His phrasing is intentionally ambiguous for those listening on open channels.)

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Tragedy Realized—News for the Waiting Families (15:59–18:52)

• At Timberline, families anxiously cluster around a reporter’s car, straining for updates from rescue frequencies.
  • The moment the rescuers switch to a closed military channel, Frank McGinnis recognizes the gravity:

    “If the rescuers switch to a military channel, it means they want to talk about something that they’re afraid to discuss openly. It could mean…they found bodies.” (16:20)

• Discovery of the first victims—two teenagers identified in the snow.
  • Rick Harder, gripped by the loss:

    “These were someone’s beautiful children. Now they’re gone.” (18:52)

• More bodies are found. Harder urges the team to keep searching for the remaining eight, refusing to let the mission become solely a recovery.

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The Breakthrough—The Snow Cave and the Miracle of Survival (24:45–32:10)

• Ralph Summers in the helicopter spots a familiar formation and makes one last call to land and search.
  • “Remember Ralph, you only need to be right once.” – Rick Harder (25:06)
• A large team fans out, elbow to elbow, for a “fine probe” search. Rescuers methodically insert long poles into the snow, searching for hollows.
  • The moment of discovery:

    • “Can I get a shovel, please? I need a shovel right now.” – Charlie Eck (27:57)

  • A cache is found—then the cave itself.
• Rescue of the living: Inside the snow cave, against the odds, two teenagers—Giles Thompson and Brinton Clark—are found alive after nearly 60 hours.

  • “Got a live one.…And now I got two.” – Charlie Eck, upon checking pulses (32:36)

  • The adults are found, having tried to protect the teens from the icy water by stacking the living on their legs.
  • The scene is tense, tearful, and raw. There are survivors, but also a devastating toll.

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Immediate Aftermath—Transport, Trauma and Reflection (32:10–40:00)

• The injured and deceased are carefully extracted; even seasoned rescuers are visibly shaken.
• Barry Wright’s firsthand perspective on the cost of the operation:
  • “He looks down and sees the patient’s face. It's a teenage boy with curly hair. Wright is glad to see that the boy appears to be conscious, eyes open. But then he looks more closely and his heart breaks. The boy’s eyes are wide, vacant and lifeless. He isn’t one of the survivors. He’s dead.” (38:30)
• Survivors are evacuated; the reality sets in for families and friends at the lodge.

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Years Later—Survivors, Memory, and Meaning (40:00–47:44)

• The episode closes with reflections from survivors and loved ones, illustrating the long emotional journey to healing:
  • Giles Thompson learns to ski again with prosthetics and chooses to focus on making the most of life:

    • “He often feels lucky to be alive, but especially on a day like this…they’re always present, especially at moments like this when he’s up in the mountains surrounded by snow. Then he takes a deep breath, pushes off and zooms down powdery slopes.” (44:10)

  • Frank McGinnis returns to the OES campus for a 20th anniversary remembrance ceremony:

    • “Frank closes his eyes and pictures his son at 15, as he’s done every day for the last 20 years. He can hear Patrick’s laugh in his head and it makes him smile now…” (45:25)

  • Brinton Clark speaks years later:

    • “I was only 15. I don't do a lot of second-guessing. I survived and many wonderful things happened to me. I lived. Why is not a question that has plagued me.” (46:40)

  • Program Impact: The tragedy led to the suspension of OES’s Base Camp Outdoor Program and a reevaluation of high school wilderness mentoring nationwide.
  • Rescuers honored: The conclusion offers short biographies of the key figures and their later lives, celebrating their careers, noting their personal struggles, and the ways both survivors and relatives continued on in the wake of loss.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker / Attributor | Quote or Moment | |-----------|----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:00 | Narrator | "He hasn’t slept in over 46 hours, but he has to keep his fatigue at bay. The search and rescue workers are counting on him." | | 14:19 | Rick Harder | "We have a visual on two possible survivors. We're going to land and get a closer look." | | 16:20 | Narrator/Frank McGinnis | "If the rescuers switch to a military channel, it means they want to talk about something that they’re afraid to discuss openly. It could mean…they found bodies." | | 18:52 | Narrator/Rick Harder | "These were someone’s beautiful children. Now they’re gone." | | 25:06 | Rick Harder | "Remember Ralph, you only need to be right once." | | 27:57 | Charlie Eck | "Can I get a shovel, please? I need a shovel right now." | | 32:36 | Charlie Eck | "Got a live one.…And now I got two." | | 38:30 | Narrator/Barry Wright | "He looks down and sees the patient’s face. It's a teenage boy with curly hair.…he isn’t one of the survivors. He’s dead." | | 44:10 | Narrator (on Giles) | "He often feels lucky to be alive, but especially on a day like this…Then he takes a deep breath, pushes off and zooms down powdery slopes." | | 45:25 | Narrator (on Frank) | "Frank closes his eyes and pictures his son at 15, as he’s done every day for the last 20 years. He can hear Patrick’s laugh in his head and it makes him smile now…" | | 46:40 | Brinton Clark | "I was only 15. I don't do a lot of second-guessing. I survived and many wonderful things happened to me. I lived. Why is not a question that has plagued me." |

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Structured Timeline of Important Segments

• 00:09–03:17: Summers struggles in the helicopter, search teams prepare; storm thwarts aerial search
• 04:36–10:04: Scene shifts to families, base camp, and the first sign of hope as weather clears for rescue operations
• 10:04–14:46: Lead with tracks, lost hope, and the first sighting of the missing party’s items and then bodies
• 15:59–18:52: Families receive ambiguous and then devastating updates about the fate of their loved ones
• 24:45–32:10: Summers’ recognition, ground search intensifies, snow cave is discovered, and survivors found
• 32:10–40:00: Extraction of survivors and casualties; immediate emotional aftermath and transporting survivors
• 40:00–47:44: Decades-later reflections, survivor perspectives, community remembrance, the legacy of the event

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Closing Thoughts

The episode is a moving, respectful tribute to the lost, the survivors, and those who risked everything to offer hope. It doesn’t sensationalize the tragedy, but instead honors the complexity and emotion of a community facing unspeakable loss and hard-earned rescue.

Final line from a survivor encapsulates the spirit of the series:

“I survived and many wonderful things happened to me. I lived. Why is not a question that has plagued me.” – Brinton Clark (46:40)

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For more about this story, the podcast recommends Rick Conrad’s book, Code 1244: The 1986 Mount Hood Tragedy.

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Transcript

[Wondery Announcer]

Wondery subscribers can listen to against the Odds early and ad free right now. Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

Join Wondery plus in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app to listen to against the Odds early and ad free. This episode of against the Odds contains depictions of suffering and death that some listeners may find disturbing. Please be advised. Ralph Summers looks out the scuffed window of a military helicopter as it hovers over the south side of Mount Hood. He scans the snow covered slopes below him, hoping to find some familiar landmarks, but all he can see is an endless blanket of white. Summers smacks the side of his face a couple times to wake himself up. He hasn't slept in over 46 hours, but he has to keep his fatigue at bay. The search and rescue workers riding in the helicopter with Summers are counting on him. He needs to find the rest of his climbing party before they freeze to death on the side of this mountain. Those 11 climbers are sheltered inside a tiny snow cave somewhere on the slopes below. Nine of the climbers are teenagers from Oregon Episcopal School. Summers was hired as a climbing consultant to help guide the group to the top of the mountain. He assumed the climb would be straightforward, but near the summit they were suddenly caught in a vicious blizzard. Summers dug the snow cave so they could take refuge from the elements. That was at 8:30pm last night. Almost 20 hours ago. This morning, Summers and a student named Molly Shula hiked down the mountain to find help. They risked their lives fighting through the storm. Summers has joined the rescuers, hopeful he can retrace his steps and lead them back to the snow cave. When they lifted off a few minutes ago, Summers was certain he could figure out the route back to the cave. Now he's not so sure. In the seven hours since he and Molly climbed down, the storm hasn't let up and heavy snowfall has rendered the terrain unrecognizable. He braces himself as the helicopter lurches in the wind. Over his headset, Summers hears the pilot's voice.

[Rescue Team Radio / Helicopter Pilot / Rescue Worker]

Sorry about that, folks. These gusts are tossing us around a little. How are you doing back there, Ralph? See anything yet? Not yet.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

Summers sees that it's 3.50pm if they can't find the cave before sundown, the missing climbers will probably have to spend a second night stranded on the mountain. Summers peers down and sees ice covered rocks emerging from the white landscape. He sees a vaguely familiar grouping of boulders. He's just about to tell the pilot to hover over them when thick clouds suddenly roll in, obscuring his view. He calls out over his headset, I can't see.

[Rescue Team Radio / Helicopter Pilot / Rescue Worker]

Yeah, we've lost visibility. If we stay out here any longer in this, we could fly right into the side of the mountain. We've got to head back to base.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

The helicopter starts to descend as Summers grits his teeth in frustration. He knows that until this storm lets up, there's he'll be able to help them find the snow cave. And if they can't reach those missing climbers soon, some of them might not make it off the mountain alive. Against the Odds is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail], progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.

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[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

From Wondery I'm Cassie Depechel, and this is against the Odds. On May 12, 1986, 13 climbers from a wilderness program at Oregon Episcopal School found themselves caught in a ferocious storm on Mount Hood. They were unable to descend safely and took refuge in a snow cave. The next morning, search and rescue personnel swarmed across the mountain looking for the missing climbers. But conditions on the mountain were brutal, with extreme cold, strong strong winds and low visibility. While the rescue teams risked their lives on the mountain, friends and family of the missing climbers gathered at Mount Hood's Timberline ski resort and waited, hoping against hope that their loved ones would be saved. This is episode four discovery Frank McGinnis stares out the window of Mount Hood's Timberline Lodge restaurant. It's 7:50pm on May 13th, and the sky is dark and foreboding. The storm that's been pounding the mountain since yesterday afternoon is refusing to let up. As a result, rescue efforts have been temporarily suspended. Again, 11 climbers are still stranded out there, including his son, Patrick. Frank closes his eyes and kneads the back of his neck as he imagines the horror they must be going through. Excuse me, Mr. McGinnis. Frank turns to see that one of the rescue workers has approached him. There's a few of us from the team eating dinner over there. We wanted to see if you'd like to join us. Frank looks over and sees five other members of the rescue squad seated at a long table, waving him over. He nods quietly and walks across the dining room to join them. Over dinner, the workers share tales of past rescue attempts that were pulled off in the harshest conditions. The stories make Frank feel a little more hopeful that this rescue will have a happy ending as well. As they get to the end of their meal, Frank turns to the group. So listen, I was wondering, could you give me a sense of the plan for tonight and tomorrow? The rescue workers exchange glances and nod. Frank, you can read a map, right? Frank nods. Yeah, I can read a map. I can get lost, too. The rescue workers get up and start clearing the table. One of them unrolls a large topographical map. Frank learned to read maps like this in the military. That was a long time ago, but it's coming back fast. So, Frank, see this area up here? That's White River Canyon. We think the snow cave is up there. And we'll find it very soon, I promise. And you've got choppers flying over for the bird's eye view, right? That's right. And now that we have the manpower, we're keeping four to five search teams on the mountain as long as conditions allow. The weather's not good, but it's getting better. And we've got more and more people. People coming in to help. Frank's throat tightens with emotion. I appreciate that. Thanks for everything you're doing. Frank shakes their hands and leaves the restaurant for some fresh air. He's overcome with gratitude for these people who are risking so much to find his son, and their optimism has turned out to be contagious. The stomach pain that has nagged him ever since he last saw Patrick is now completely gone. But as he steps outside, his mood turns again. Several reporters rush towards him with outstretched microphones. Any updates on your son? Frank blinks. He isn't sure how the reporters got his name. Hey guys, leave me alone, all right? He retreats to the lobby. His stomach hurts again. He clutches it as the total horror of his son's predicament reasserts itself. But there's nothing he can do, so he walks off in the direction of his room. He hopes he'll fall asleep quickly and that he'll wake up to good news about his son. Barry Wright downs the last drops of another Styrofoam cup of coffee and rubs his eyes. It's 3am and he's been up for nearly 24 hours, helping to coordinate the search for the missing climbers. They've converted Timberline Resort's ski patrol office into base operations, and it's littered with empty coffee cups and food containers. But he's hopeful that all their efforts are finally about to pay off. A few hours ago, they finally got a break in the weather for the first time since the rescue effort started. The skies are clear and winds are low. Wright now has three teams searching the upper reaches of White River Canyon, where Ralph Summers thinks they'll find the snow cave. Even in darkness, the rescuers will make much better progress now that the weather is in their favor. Wright perks up at the sound of a new transmission coming in.

[Rescue Team Radio / Helicopter Pilot / Rescue Worker]

Base, this is Team seven.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

Go ahead, Team seven. We found tracks.

[Rescue Team Radio / Helicopter Pilot / Rescue Worker]

They're originating from somewhere above us.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

Looks like two people passed through here, heading downhill. Wright feels a twinge of anticipation but tries not to get his hopes up. Earlier, one of his other teams found tracks that looked promising, only to realize they were left by other rescuers. Wright looks around the ski patrol office and sees Ralph Summers dozing on a couch nearby. Ralph, wake up. Together, Wright and Summers quiz the rescue worker on the exact location of the tracks. When Summers hears what direction the tracks are heading in, he claps his hands. That was our exact compass bearing. Those have to be the tracks. Molly and me. Left. Team 7. Follow those tracks uphill and report back the second you find anything. Wright, Summers and the other base operations staff hover closely around the radio. Wright feels certain this is the breakthrough they've been waiting for. 10 minutes pass, then 30. Finally, the radio crackles to life again.

[Rescue Team Radio / Helicopter Pilot / Rescue Worker]

Base, this is team seven.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

We're at 7700ft and the tracks have disappeared.

[Rescue Team Radio / Helicopter Pilot / Rescue Worker]

Over.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

Wright can sense the energy draining from the room. This was the first tangible lead of the entire rescue effort, and now it's gone. He taps the handset against his forehead a few times, gathering himself, then radios back. Understood, Team 7. Continue your ascent along the last known heading of those tracks. We'll just have to hope for the best. Wright turns to look at Summers, but the climbing consultant won't make eye contact. Wright can only imagine how gutted he must feel. He knows Summers feels a sense of responsibility for the missing climbers and wishes he could do more to help find them. But right now, they need him to rest up. After sunrise, they'll send Summers back up in another helicopter, hoping that this time he can retrace his route and lead them to the snow cave. Rick Carter bounces his leg up and down as he sits in the back of a military helicopter filled with rescue personnel. He looks at his watch. It's 5:50am that means that the search for the missing climbers has entered its 23rd hour. And harder believes that this will be its final hour. After all the dead ends, false leads and forced retreats. Finally, they found something. Harder was at base operations when a Portland mountain rescue team announced that they'd spotted what appeared to be a red sleeping bag near the eastern rim of White River Canyon. Now Harder is bringing Ralph Summers and a rescue team up to the canyon for a closer look. As Harder stares out his window at the canyon below, he is amazed at how clearly he can see. See the contours of White River Glacier. The frozen river of ice that carved this canyon over thousands of years gleams in the morning sun. The storm that trapped the climbing party has finally lifted, and he can see every inch of the mountainside with stunning clarity. As the helicopter ascends, Harder spots something in the snow. Instantly, he knows it's not a sleeping bag. He looks at one of his fellow rescuers, an Air Force master sergeant named Charlie Eck.

[Rescue Team Radio / Helicopter Pilot / Rescue Worker]

Charlie, are you seeing what I'm seeing? I'm afraid so, Rick. And look, just over there. Another one.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

Harder sees the second object, then picks up the walkie talkie next to him.

[Rescue Team Radio / Helicopter Pilot / Rescue Worker]

Base Operations, come in. This is Harder. Over. We hear you loud and clear, Rick. You see anything up there? Over.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

Harder thinks about what he should say next. He knows this is an open channel and he can't be sure who else is listening in. He has to choose his words carefully.

[Rescue Team Radio / Helicopter Pilot / Rescue Worker]

We have a visual on two possible survivors. We're going to land and get a closer look.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

Harder lowers the walkie talkie. His use of the word survivors was deliberate. He didn't want to say anything that could cause alarm back at base operations. But as the helicopter descends, Harder knows that if the objects they've spotted are people, then it's highly unlikely either one of them has survived. Frank McGinnis pushes open the door that leads to the to the Timberline Resort parking lot. The muscles in his face tense as he sees the chaos unfolding in front of him. Rescue workers in olive green uniforms run back and forth with medical bags. Journalists crowd around sheriff's deputies and shout frantic questions. It's not quite 6:15 in the morning and clearly something significant has happened. He sees a small group of people gathered around a parked Chevy Impala. The driver's side door is open and a man in a suit sits behind the wheel. Frank approaches an elderly man standing nearby. He's the grandfather of one of the missing climbers. Frank nods at the Impala. What's going on? The guy in the car is a reporter. He's got a radio that can tune into the rescue workers frequencies. It sounds like they finally found something up there, but we don't know what. The reporter shouts from inside his car. Everyone be quiet. I'm getting something. We've reached one of the victims.

[Rescue Team Radio / Helicopter Pilot / Rescue Worker]

We.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

Suddenly the radio goes dead. Frank approaches the reporter. What happened? They switched to a military channel. I can't pick up what they're saying anymore. Frank purses his lips and runs his hand along the side of his face. He recalls his army experience and knows this is a terrible sign. If the rescuers switch to a military channel, it means they want to talk about something that they're afraid to discuss openly. It could mean that instead of survivors, they found bodies. Frank's stomach clenches again with a thought that one of those bodies could be his son.

[Rescue Team Radio / Helicopter Pilot / Rescue Worker]

Foreign.

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[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

Rick Harder stands and looks down at a teenager curled up in in the fetal position in the snow. A second teenager lies just a few yards away. His colleagues have checked both victims and confirmed it. No breathing. No pulse. A thin layer of ice covers their faces. These were someone's beautiful children. Now they're gone. Harder's radio Church it's the pilot of a second helicopter that's searching farther up the canyon.

[Rescue Team Radio / Helicopter Pilot / Rescue Worker]

Be advised, we've spotted another object that appears to be one of the climbers. Estimated elevation 8,200ft.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

No sign of movement. Harder closes his eyes and sighs. That's three. But that leaves eight climbers that could still be alive. A rescue worker approaches. Harder doesn't recognize him, so he blocks his path. I don't want anyone disturbing the bodies. You're absolutely sure they're dead? I'm sure. Tell your team to keep searching the eastern rim of the canyon above this spot. We can't help these kids, but there's still a chance we'll find survivors in the snow cave. The rescuer looks skeptical, and Harder understands. What? Why? It's not really his place to be issuing orders. He's not officially in charge up here, but right now, everyone else looks too stunned to act. They're all milling around like the search is over. Harder calls out. There's eight more people on this mountain and they could still be alive. Let's keep looking. The other rescue workers start heading back up the slope to resume their search. Harder pulls out his Air Force radio and switches to a military channel. Harder to base. Someone alert the sheriff's department. We're bringing down three Deltas. It's a transmission Harder hoped he wouldn't have to make. Delta is a code word for deceased. Frank McGinnis walks through the doorway that leads to the cafeteria inside the Timberline Resort Ski lodge. There, standing around square wooden tables, are family, friends and staff from Oregon Episcopal School. Frank recognizes most of them. It's a bit after 8am and a search and rescue spokesman is supposed to arrive in A few minutes. It's been a long ordeal, but now Frank is feeling energized. Good news has spread that three survivors were recovered from Mount Hood. The search and rescue rep will update everyone on the survivors and overall progress of the rescue effort. Frank moves towards the back of the cafeteria trying to contain his excitement. He believes he's just minutes away from seeing his son. The crowd suddenly goes quiet. Quiet and Frank turns towards the door. A middle aged man in a blue blazer walks to the front of the room and asks if he can have everyone's attention. Frank takes a step forward as all conversation in the cafeteria stops. The spokesman clears his throat. I have been authorized to deliver some news. You've probably heard that three survivors were recovered from the mountain, but I'm afraid there's been a miscommunication. The three people found did not survive. They are deceased. Frank covers his mouth with his hand as several people in the room cry out. Two parents just a few feet away from him stagger then drop to the floor. Frank feels like he's about to collapse himself. He looks around the room for someone, anyone, who can assure him that none of the bodies found was Patrick. For what feels like the hundredth time, Ralph Summers buckles into the back of a military helicopter. It's 3:15pm on Thursday, May 15. It's been over 24 hours since the bodies of Eric Sandvik, Allison Litzenberger and Aaron o' Leary were recovered on Mount Hood, and over two days since Summers and Molly Shula left the snow cave to get help. But somehow, in all that time, rescue workers still haven't been able to locate the climbers that remain missing. As the helicopter lifts off, Summers can feel the eyes of the rescue team on him. Rick Carter's expression is especially intense. Summers feels like harder, and the other rescuers blame him for his failure to remember the exact route he and Molly took from the cave. He knows they've been constantly questioning why the climbing party didn't have an altimeter so they could know the exact elevation to search. Summers takes a deep breath and then exhales. All he can do is try to focus and try one more time to spot something, anything that will help them find the snow cave. As they pass above 8,000ft, Summers peers down at a section of White River Glacier. They must have flown over this exact spot at least half a dozen times, and yet for some reason this time the landscape of snowdrifts and rocks looks somehow familiar. Summers calls out to the pilot, hey, I recognize something. Can you land?

[Rescue Team Radio / Helicopter Pilot / Rescue Worker]

Are you sure.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

Summers hesitates. As usual, he's not sure, but something in his gut tells him he has to stand firm.

[Rescue Team Radio / Helicopter Pilot / Rescue Worker]

Yes, I'm sure.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

The pilot circles until he finds a level patch of snow. Snow then starts a slow, careful descent. Summers hears Harder's voice over his headset.

[Rescue Team Radio / Helicopter Pilot / Rescue Worker]

Remember Ralph, you only need to be right once.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

The helicopter lands and Summers exits with Harder and his rescue team. He looks around and points there to the east. I remember that ridgeline. Harder gets on his radio and relays their coordinates to base operations. I need every team on White River Glacier to head to our location right now. Ralph thinks we're close. Then he nods to Summers. Okay Ralph, you're up. Summers starts walking with Harder's team right behind him. Up close, the landscape looks even more familiar. For the first time in three days, Summers finally feels like he's heading in the right direction. Rick Carter moves carefully along the snowy steep surface of White River Glacier. His every move is deliberate. He makes as little noise as possible. The climbers cave might be nearby, but it's likely to be completely covered in snow. So Harder listens intently for the sound of muffled pounds or calls for help. Ralph Summers is just a few steps ahead, scanning the craggy terrain. Suddenly he stops. It's right around here, Rick. I'm sure of it. Harder nods as he hears the sound of footsteps behind him. He turns and sees about 30 rescue workers trudging uphill towards them. They're all going to search the area based on Summer's gut feeling. Harder looks at his colleague, Charlie Eck. We've got enough people to do a fine probe search. What do you think? Let's do it. Parter calls out to the volunteers. Ralph says a snow cave is in this area. We're going to fine probe this snow until we find it. Line up. The rescue workers organize themselves into a long row grouped close together, elbow to elbow. They unclip thin aluminum profile probe poles from their backpacks. They hold them out in front of themselves, grasping near the end of the poles with both hands. Harder calls out probe left. The rescue workers plunge their probes into the snow in front of them. Then they take one step forward. Probe right. The rescue workers stick their probes in the snow again. Harder nods. This is tedious, time consuming work, but Harder thinks they need need to be thorough. If Summers is right and the snow cave is nearby, it would be a tragedy if they missed it. Probe left. Probe right. Rescue worker Charlie eck pushes his 10 foot probe into the snow in front of him. It's 5:15pm Eck and the other rescuers have been fine priority probing White River Glacier for almost two hours. Eck is getting tired and his arms ache. He wonders if Harder was wrong to order a time consuming, fine probe of this area. They should have discovered some clue by now if the cave was here. And they can't keep searching like this for much longer. The wind has picked back up and the clouds are rolling in. Base Operations has warned the team that in 45 minutes they'll have to start bringing rescue crews off the mountain again for safety. The clock is ticking. But as X stabs the snow with his probe yet again, he wonders if it's already too late. The people they're searching for have been stranded up here for three days. If any of them were still alive, surely they would have found some trace of them by now. It all points to one inescap, inescapable conclusion. This is no longer a rescue mission. It's a recovery. But Eck knows it's his job to keep searching. So he takes another step forward, raises his probe and presses it into the snow once more. Eck takes a sudden step back. It might be his imagination, but it feels like his probe is touching something that isn't snow. X stabs the snow with his probe again. In the same spot, he feels something resisting. But it's not a rock. This is softer. It almost feels like. Can I get a shovel, please? I need a shovel right now. Another rescuer thrusts a shovel into X hands. He drops to his knees and digs as fast as he can. Rescue workers crowd around him. Eck hears Harder's voice. More shovels. Come on, let's help him out. Finally, about four feet down, Eck's shovel slams into something. He brushes the snow away until he sees what it is. He gasps. It's the edge of a yellow tarp. And just below that, a green backpack. Eck looks up as Ralph Summers approaches. It's the equipment cache, right? Ralph Summers nods, getting his bearings, then turns to his right and points at a massive snow drift. There. That's where I dug the snow cave. The rescue workers run towards the giant heap of snow and start digging. X sits back and exhales. He's exhausted, but the search is over. They found the snow cave and in just a few minutes they'll learn whether they found it in time to save any lives.

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[Nick Cannon]

It's your man, Nick Cannon and I'm here to bring you my new podcast, Nick Cannon at Night. I've heard y' all been needing some advice in the love department, so who better to help than yours truly? Nah, I'm serious. Every week I'm bringing out some of my celebrity friends and the best experts in the business to answer your most intimate relationship questions. Having problems with your man? We got you catching feelings for your sneaky link. Let's make sure it's the real deal first. Ready to bring toys into the bedroom? Let's talk about it. Consider this a non judgment zone to ask your questions when it comes to sex and modern dating in relationships, friendships, situationships and everything in between. It's gonna be sexy, freaky, messy. And you know what? You'll just have to watch the show. So don't be shy, join the conversation and head over to YouTube to watch Nick Cannon at Night. Or subscribe on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcast. Want to watch episodes early and ad free? Join Wondery right now.

[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

Rick Harter digs alongside several of his colleagues. It's 5:38pm May 15, 1986, on Mount Hood's White River Glacier at an elevation of 8,200ft. Harder is certain that somewhere just below him lies the snow cave and the last of the missing climbers. He urges the other men alone, come on, faster. Remember, the weather's going to turn any minute. Harder thrusts his shovel down as his colleagues do the same. Then, just a few feet away, he sees Charlie Eck stagger forward, losing his balance. His shovel has just broken through into open space. Over here. Harder races over and gets down on his hands and knees. He peers into the dark hole exposed by X shovel. A pungent smell rises from the void. Harder knows instantly that this is it. They've found the snow cave. For a moment, everyone stops digging and there's a silence. And then, unmistakably, Harder hears a faint moan. One of his colleagues calls out, hey, somebody's talking to me. Harder calls out to his colleagues. Everyone search the edge of this mound. There has to be an entrance somewhere. It's too risky to dig in from the roof. It could collapse. The rescue workers move in and start digging. Finally, one of them exposes a narrow tunnel that leads into the front of the cave. When they've dug in far enough for someone to crawl through, Harder turns to Charlie Eck. Charlie, can you climb in there and check vital signs. Eck nods, grabs a small medical bag and slithers into the cave. Harder watches him go, hoping against hope that whoever they can hear moaning isn't the only survivor. Charlie Eck squeezes through the icy tunnel and onto the frozen floor of the snow cave. He knows he must work fast to identify any survivors so they can be rushed off the mountain and medevaced to a nearby hospital. In the flickering light of his headlamp, he sees the face of a teenage girl with brown hair. Her eyelids are blue and her limbs are stiff. But when he presses his stethoscope to her chest, he detects a slow, faint heartbeat. Got a live one. Lying stretched out next to her is a tall teenage boy. Ek doesn't need to check his pulse to know he's alive. He's the one moaning. And now I got two. Eck Eck looks up and sees Rick Harder squeezing into the cave entrance. Check for others, Charlie. I'll take care of these two. As Eck climbs deeper into the cave, his hands shake, and not just because of the cold. He is desperate for more good news. If these first two teenagers are still alive, there could be more survivors. At the back of the cave, Eck finds four more teenagers stacked up on top of the legs of two adults, a man and a woman. The man has a bushy beard. Eck realizes this must be the climbing group's leader, Father Tom Goeman. And the woman must be the school's dean of students, Marion Horwell. Goeman, Horwell and the four teens are completely motionless. They look like pale wax statues. Looking at how they're all positioned, Eck realizes that the two adults tried to protect the teenagers from the icy meltwater collecting at the bottom of the cave. That's why all four students are lying across their legs. He pauses for a second to marvel at the courage of Gohman and Horwell. Then he gets to work. Eck places his stethoscope on the chest of a boy with blonde hair and frowns. He doesn't hear anything. He moves on, checking each student one at a time. Then the two adults behind him. He hears Harder curse softly. I tried to check the big kid's temperature and he's shaking so hard he bit the thermometer right in half. How are you doing back there? Any luck? Eck looks up and starts to speak, but his voice catches in his throat. Instead, he just slowly shakes his head. Ralph Summers stands outside the snow cave, motionless. He's so still he can feel his heart pounding inside his chest. He watches as Giles Thompson is pulled from the cave. Then one of the female students. It takes him a second to recognize her as Brinton Clark. Both she and Giles are moaning and shivering, but they're alive now. Summers just hopes they can stay alive until they're brought to a hospital. He he looks away and realizes he's standing right on the edge of a steep precipice. He looks down at the slope he and Molly Shula slid down two days ago on their way to get help. Now that help is finally here. But he wonders if it's too late. One of the rescue workers approaches Summers and gently puts a hand on his shoulder. You might not want to stick around for this, Ralph. Summers starts to ask why not? But then he realizes what the rescue worker means. In a daze, he turns and walks slowly back downhill towards the closest helicopter. Barry Wright rubs his as he walks into the Timberline resort parking lot. It's 7:30pm on Thursday, May 15, and Wright has barely stepped outside for 62 hours. He didn't want to leave his post at base operations, not until this rescue was completed, but he needs to be present for what's about to happen next. Wright has heard that there are survivors on the army green Huey helicopter that is about to land in the parking lot. Those survivors are to be transferred to a medical helicopter and taken to the nearest intensive care unit. But before they go, Wright wants to see them with his own eyes, so he volunteered to be a part of the team that does the transfer. As the helicopter touches down on the asphalt, Wright and the other volunteers race forward. The helicopter's door slides open and paramedics jump out carrying stretcher. Wright hands one of the paramedics a blanket and watches as they throw it over their patient. He looks down and sees the patient's face. It's a teenage boy with curly hair. Wright is glad to see that the boy appears to be conscious, eyes open. But then he looks more closely and his heart breaks. The boy's eyes are wide, vacant and lifeless. He isn't one of the survivors. He's dead. Wright stops and covers his mouth with his hand as the paramedics pull the blanket over the boy's face, then carry him to the medevac helicopter. He's worked dozens of search and rescue operations, and they haven't all been successful, but something about this one is hitting him hard. He closes his eyes and all he can see is that boy's face. Giles Thompson breathes deeply as he stands upon a sweet, snowy mountain slope in Colorado. It's A perfect clear, brisk day. The sky is blue and cloudless and Giles can see snow covered mountains that stretch out towards the horizon. It's 1994 years since the climbing tragedy on Mount Hood that nearly took his life. Giles is a college student now majoring in theater. He often feels lucky to be alive, but especially on a day like this. Giles fell asleep in the snow cave and woke up days later in the hospital surrounded by doctors and his family. The doctor said Giles was a very strong young man and the fact that he was dressed extra warmly probably saved his life. The doctor also said that frostbite and had severely injured his body and that Giles would need surgery. Giles accepted the prognosis and decided right then that he would make the most of the rest of his life. Giles looks down at the gleaming, intricate metalwork of his prosthetic legs, which are clipped into his skis. When he was first told that he would lose both his legs, he was scared. But he's gotten used to the prosthetics. Giles grips his ski poles and lowers his head. He thinks for a moment about the friends he lost in 1986. They're always present, especially at moments like this when he's up in the mountains surrounded by snow. Then he takes a deep breath, pushes off and zooms down powdery slopes. Frank McInnis walks across Oregon Episcopal School's campus towards the old bell tower. It's May 2006, 20 years since his son Patrick perished on Mount Hood. He hasn't been back to the OES campus for several years, but today he's returned to attend an annual remembrance for the climbers who lost their lives in 1986. On the lawn under the bell tower, there are several rows of folding chairs. Frank finds a seat towards the back and looks around. He nods at a few familiar faces. Fellow parents, retired faculty members. Then a chaplain steps up to a podium under the tower and the service begins. Frank closes his eyes and pictures his son at 15, as he's done every day for the last 20 years. He can hear Patrick's laugh in his head and it makes him smile now. Then the chaplain recites the names of those who died and the bell tolls after each one. Patrick. When Frank hears Patrick's name, tears begin to run down his cheeks. But he's glad he came. He's grateful for the memory of his son. The 1986 Mount Hood tragedy was the second worst Alpine disaster in the history of North America. It claimed nine lives. Tom Gohman, Marion Horwell, Tasha Amy, Richard Hayter, Allison Litzenberger Susan McClave, Erin O', Leary, Eric Sandvik and Patrick McGinnis. After the tragedy, Oregon Episcopal School suspended its Base Camp Outdoor program and commissioned an investigation to determine what went wrong. That July, a panel of experts noted that Gohman was probably suffering from the effects of hypothermia and this may have affected his decision making abilities. The father of one of the deceased, Susan McClave, said about we will never know any of us for sure why he climbed as long as he did, but he was a fine man who never would have endangered his own life, let alone anyone else. Giles Thompson earned a degree in drama from Colorado College. He worked as a master artisan with numerous theater companies in the Seattle, Washington area. Brinton Clark, the other snow cave survivor, was released from the hospital in May 1986 without any medical complications. She generally declines interview requests, but in 1996 told the Oregonian, I was only 15. I don't do a lot of second guessing. I survived and many wonderful things happened to me. I lived. Why is not a question that has plagued me. Molly Shula graduated from OES in 1986. She went on to study English at the University of Oregon. Except to give a statement to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Department, she has never spoken before publicly about the tragedy. Ralph Summers earned an advanced degree in sociology and counsels mental health patients. Though some in the media criticized him at the time, others are quick to point out that if he hadn't dug a snow cave or gone for help with Molly Shula, Giles Thompson and Brinton Clark would not have survived. Barry Wright retired from Portland mountain rescue after 17 years as a volunteer. He later said, of all the organizations I've ever belonged to, Portland Mountain Rescue is still the best. I can't praise them enough for their dedication to maintaining the freedom of the hills that we love to climb. He last climbed Mount Hood in 2007. Rick Harder rescued over 300 people over the course of a 23 year career. He died of a heart attack at 44. Frank McGinnis struggled tremendously following the death of his son, but has found ways to heal over the years. His younger son, Chris, is currently a meteorologist and traffic reporter in Portland, Oregon. Chris and his wife welcomed a son in 2017. Frank loves his grandson very much. His name is Patrick. On our next episode, we'll have my conversation with author Rick Conrad. Rick's book code 1244, the 1986 Mount Hood tragedy helped inspire and guide this series.

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[Narrator / Cassie Depechel]

This is episode four of our four part series Trapped on Mount Hood. A quick note about our scenes in most cases we can't know exactly what was said, but everything is based on historical research. If you'd like to learn more about this event, we highly recommend the book code 1244 by Rick Conrad. I'm your host Cassie Depechel. Hannibal Diaz wrote this episode. Our editor is Sean Raviv. Sound design by Joe Richardson. Audio engineer is Sergio Enriquez. Original theme music by Scott Velasquez and 2K for freesound sync Script consulting by Rick Conrad Produced by Matt Matt Olmos and Emily Frost. Managing producer Tanja Thigpen Senior producer is Andy Herman. Executive producers are Jenny Lauer, Beckman, Stephanie Jens and Marshall Louie. For Wondery.

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