FAN FAVORITE: Trapped on Mt. Hood | Whiteout | 1

0:00Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. Hey again, SeaOz fans. As summer draws to a close, we're hard at work on new episodes. But in the meantime, we're revisiting a fan favorite, our series on a tragic 1986 disaster on Mount Hood. While today's mountaineers enjoy advanced weather forecasting and satellite communications, this story reminds us of a time when a sudden storm could transform a school climbing trip into a desperate fight for survival that would forever change how we approach mountain safety.

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0:55Patrick McGinnis grimaces in pain as he steps forward and his leg sinks into knee-deep snow. It hurts just to walk. He's so cold that it's difficult for him to speak or even think. But he knows he has to keep going. It's late afternoon on May 12, 1986. Pat is near the summit of Mount Hood in Oregon with a climbing group from his high school. They've been caught in a sudden blizzard that shows no signs of letting up. Now they're racing to get down from the mountain before nightfall. If they don't make it, they'll be trapped up here and they might freeze to death. Pat takes another step forward and stumbles.

1:46He's 15 years old, lean and athletic. He runs track, but now he can't seem to get his limbs to do what he wants. He's been told he has hypothermia, so he knows that he must get to a warmer location fast. But every step takes so much effort. He looks around and realizes he can't see where he's going. The sky and snow-covered mountain slope seem to have merged. There is nothing but white. He stops and hangs his head, unsure of what to do. Patrick. Hey, Patrick. Come on, buddy. We got to keep moving. Pat looks up and stares at the man who just spoke. It's the group's 30-year-old climbing consultant, Ralph Summers.

2:37Pat had completely forgotten that Summers was holding on to him, helping him stay upright. Summers has his left arm, while an older student named Susan McClave has his right. Pat nods weakly, then takes another step. He's surprised that he still has the strength to keep going. They've been hiking for over 13 hours. Pat hoists his leg out of the snow to take another step. But when he tries to plant his foot, his leg suddenly buckles. He loses his balance and pitches forward. He tumbles headfirst down the steep slope. Shards of ice slice his face as he falls. He frantically reaches his hands out in the blind hope that he'll be able to grab onto something.

3:30Then the slide stops, just as abruptly as it started. Pat looks around and sees Susan to his right, on her stomach. She must have fallen with him. Ralph Summers is several feet above them, further up the slope. He pulls himself to his feet, slowly, and calls down to them. Pat, Susan, don't move. If you try to get up, you could slide again. Stay put. I'll help, but I need to grab an ice axe first. Pat is too weak to respond, so he lowers his head back onto the snow and tries to stay as still as possible. But it doesn't matter. He can feel his body beginning to slide down the mountainside. He feels powerless to stop it.

4:20The overwhelming whiteness that surrounds him starts to grow dim. He realizes that he's on the verge of blacking out.

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6:14From Wondery, I'm Cassie DePeckel, and this is Against the Odds.

6:27Mount Hood is one of the most climbed mountains on Earth. Over 10 ,000 people scale it every year. But despite its popularity, Mount Hood can still be dangerous. Experience and technical skills are recommended for all who attempt to reach its 11 ,000-foot summit. And even in summer, the weather on the mountain can change in an instant. In May 1986, a group of students from the Oregon Episcopal School in nearby Portland set out to hike to the top of the mountain. They were part of the school's outdoor education program, called Base Camp. The program was led by a teacher at OES, Father Tom Goeman.

7:12Goeman had climbed Mount Hood at least a dozen times before, including many trips with students from OES. So even though bad weather was in the forecast, he was confident when the climbing party began their ascent in the early morning hours of May 12. If the conditions became treacherous, Goeman was certain that he would be able to lead the climbers back to safety. This is Episode 1, Whiteout.

7:51It's the evening of Sunday, May 11th, 1986. Frank McGinnis drives down the quiet suburban street that leads to OES, Oregon Episcopal School. He glances over at his 15-year-old son, Patrick, who sits by his side in the passenger seat. Pat looks back at his father and grins. Better slow down, Dad. We're almost there. Oh, yeah, you're right. Sorry, Pat. Frank turns into the entrance of the OES campus. He pulls into a parking space and peers through the windshield at the dark campus and empty parking lot. It's so silent that he can hear the rustling of leaves in the nearby trees. He turns to his son.

8:38Are you sure the trip is still on for tonight? Where is everyone? Yeah, it's still on, Dad. The school bus is down there, by the bell tower. See? Father Tom said we won't head out until a little after 10. We're just early. Pat opens the car door and jumps out. He starts grabbing his climbing gear from the back seat. A large red backpack filled with snacks and equipment and a thick parka. Frank watches him with fatherly pride. He loves how enthusiastic Pat is about everything. He's a well-adjusted kid, outgoing and constantly in motion. He runs track and works with the school's drama program as a stagehand.

9:22He's been looking forward to climbing Mount Hood for weeks. Frank steps out of the car and goes to give his son a hug. Are you sure about this trip, Pat? You've still got that cold, right? There's no shame in pulling out of this if you're not 100%. Are you kidding? I'm feeling great, Dad. Don't worry. I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Okay. Pasta for dinner? Yeah, pasta sounds good. It's their little joke. Frank isn't much of a cook, so pasta's on the menu most nights. Frank watches as his son bounds off towards the yellow school bus. His energy is infectious, which Frank appreciates, especially because lately, life hasn't been so easy.

10:06Frank is going through a divorce and doing his best to raise Pat and his younger brother on his own. He tries to keep it from his kids, but he's often emotionally drained from dealing with lawyers and physically drained from putting in long hours at his wood finishing shop. Still, he feels very lucky for the time he gets to spend with his boys. Frank gives his son one last goodbye wave, then climbs back into his car and drives away. He glances at the rearview mirror as the OES campus disappears from view. Suddenly, Frank feels a sharp, stabbing pain in his stomach. He gasps and takes several deep breaths, but the pain just keeps getting worse.

10:55Maybe he's caught whatever virus Pat was sick with, but Pat never complained about stomach pains. Frank leans forward and holds onto the steering wheel tight, just hoping he can get home before the pain gets any worse.

11:19John Whitson sits alone towards the rear of the school bus as it speeds down a dark stretch of highway bound for Mount Hood. He rests his aching head against the window, grateful for the touch of the cool glass. John is a 16-year-old sophomore at OES. Last night, he partied with some friends, and he's been hungover all day. He wishes he could just fall asleep before the bus reaches the mountain at around 2 a.m., but he knows there's little chance of that. The bus is filled with 14 of John's eager schoolmates, plus their leader, Father Tom Gohman, who is seated up front near a few adult chaperones.

12:02Everyone's chattering with excitement. John tries to tune them out by focusing on the view. He looks at the silhouettes of tall trees as the bus speeds past them, but that just makes him nauseous. So he shuts his eyes, angry that he did this to himself. Before this hangover, he had been looking forward to this trip. This is his first year at OES, and he got excited when he learned about the school's base camp wilderness program and the climb up to Mount Hood. He loves a good challenge, even if there's something about Father Tom that rubs him the wrong way. He closes his eyes again, making one last-ditch effort to get some sleep.

12:44but he can't help eavesdropping on a pair of students in front of him. Is it true what they say about Father Tom? Did he really meet God at the top of the mountain? Why don't you ask him? I'm not going to ask him. You ask him. John chuckles under his breath. He thinks it's very unlikely that Father Tom ever met God on Mount Hood, or anywhere else for that matter, but he decides to keep that opinion to himself.

13:17Ralph Summers lifts his head from his pickup truck's steering wheel and blinks. He rubs his eyes and sees that the OES school bus has just entered the Timberline Lodge parking lot here at the base of Mount Hood. Summers checks his watch. It's 2.30 a.m. The high school climbing party is already running half an hour late. Summers is the climb's technical consultant, and he knows they can't afford to fall too far behind schedule. It will probably take the students at least 10 to 12 hours to reach the summit and descend back down to the lodge, so they need to start climbing in the middle of the night.

13:56Plus, the cold nighttime temperatures actually make for an easier climb. Cold snow is firmer, so your feet don't sink into it as much. Summers knows all this and more, because in addition to being a climbing consultant, he's a part-time ski instructor. He lives on the southwestern side of Mount Hood and has climbed it five times. He's also summited over half a dozen other peaks in the Cascade Range. Summers smacks his cheeks a couple times to wake himself up. He hops out and walks towards the bus with a smile as the students exit. He's pleased to see that it looks like they all came prepared. The students are all wearing thick jackets, ski pants, gloves, wool hats, and hiking boots.

14:45As they step out of the bus, the older student chaperones hand everyone a helmet and an ice axe. They won't need the helmets and axes much, but they'll be glad they brought them. They'll be climbing up Mount Hood's south side route. The first two-thirds of the route shouldn't be difficult. It's more of a high-altitude hike than a climb. But the final third of the climb is quite steep and technically challenging. They'll need to cross a glacier, keep their eyes out for rockfall and avalanches, and avoid falling into crevasses hidden under the snowpack. It will require strength, stamina, and strong mental focus.

15:28But with any luck, Summers thinks it should be a pretty uneventful climb. Summers watches as Father Tom Goemans steps out of the bus and adjusts his thick, rimmed glasses. Goeman is a tall, slender man with long hair and a thick beard. Tonight, he's dressed like an old-school mountaineer in lots of layers of wool, with a down parka and leather climbing boots. He's also wearing rainbow-striped suspenders, which makes Summers smile. Summers and Goeman have never climbed together before, but they had a few conversations in preparation for the upcoming ascent. Gohman has always come across as an upbeat, likable guy.

16:13More importantly, Summers knows that Gohman has summited Mount Hood over a dozen times. He's glad that he'll be working with a man who also knows his way around the mountain. Gohman calls out to the students. All right, everyone, make sure you've got all your things and please get organized into groups of three. Summers watches as the students follow Gohman's direction. Once in their groups, the older students distribute more climbing gear, rope, first aid kits, and one large backpack containing additional equipment. While the students are busy with their gear, Goman walks over to Summers. Hey, Ralph.

16:52Ready to get going? Sure thing, Tom. You're aware of the forecast, though, right? Storm fronts moving in? Could reach the mountains sometime in the late afternoon. I've heard, but I'm not too worried. We'll just keep an eye on the weather. If it looks bad, we'll turn around and head back. Summers agrees with that plan, then follows Goeman over to the students. Goeman calls them all to attention. By this time tomorrow, you'll be able to say that you climbed to the highest point in the state of Oregon. The climb will be strenuous at times, but I'm confident that all of you can make it. It should take us between seven and nine hours to reach the summit.

17:33Then we'll take a few pictures, turn around, and descend for about three hours. All right, let's get going. Summers walks alongside the students as they follow Gomen towards the base of the mountain. He looks up at the crisp, white slopes of Mount Hood, dimly visible in the starlight. They'll ascend over 5 ,000 vertical feet during their climb. It won't be easy, but the mountain looks inviting tonight under the stars, which shine brightly above scattered clouds. They're ready to begin their ascent.

18:19Molly Shula adjusts her headlamp to get a better look at the snow blanketing the terrain in front of her. She takes a deep breath and feels invigorated by the brisk mountain air. The first leg of their climb takes them up a slope called Palmer Snowfield, next to a groomed ski trail. The snow is up to Molly's calves, deeper than usual for this time of year. But she maintains a steady pace. Molly is a 17-year-old senior at Oregon Episcopal School and a member of Father Goeman's Advanced Climbing Team, or ACT. ACT students are upperclassmen who have participated in Mount Hood climbs in the past. They're here to help lead and encourage the sophomores when the climb gets tough.

19:11It's also their job to escort any student who may need to abandon the climb early. Right now, Molly's taking the lead, blazing a trail through the snow so everyone can follow in her footsteps. She turns to look back at the rest of the climbing party, 15 students and five adults. She's surprised to see how many of the students are already breathing heavily. As Molly trudges through the snow, she overhears snatches of conversation behind her. My legs are sore. Why won't she slow down? I can't keep up. I'm so tired. Molly gets the sense that the sophomores are hoping she'll hear them and take a hint.

19:52She debates whether or not she should stop and take a break. She's not wearing a watch, but she guesses they've only been hiking for about 15 minutes. She thinks they should keep going, but she also doesn't want to burn the hikers out so soon. Ten-minute break. The students respond with loud exclamations of gratitude. Molly tells the students that if they're feeling too warm, they should remove one outer layer of clothing. She waits as several shed their jackets and parkas. As the hikers catch their breath, Molly gazes at the path up the mountain. They're not going to have time for too many more breaks.

20:34It's important that the climbers reach the summit on schedule at around noon, nine hours from now. If they fall too far behind, they might have to deal with the bad weather that's been predicted for this afternoon. They might even be forced to turn back before they reach the summit. After 10 minutes, Molly rallies the group, and the hike resumes. She takes the lead and trudges forward, happy to hear the crunchy chorus of hiking boots behind her. She feels a gust of wind on her face. It's strong, but not so strong that it will make the climb any harder. She hopes it won't pick up too much as they get closer to the summit.

21:19Molly remembers her first time on the top of Mount Hood. The incredible views. The feeling of accomplishment. She wants these sophomores to experience that too. So she presses on, blazing a trail through the snow and picking up her pace. She knows they have to stay ahead of the approaching storm.

21:49The End

22:14but he's struggling now. They've been climbing in the dark for two hours. The snow is very soft and quite deep. His knees and hamstrings ache from having a hike through it. Up ahead, just beyond the line of students in front of him, Giles sees a small, rundown structure made of wood and stone. Father Tom stops next to it and turns around. This is Silcox Hut, constructed in 1939. It's been abandoned since 1962, but it makes for a good rest spot. You can stand behind it if you want a break from the wind. But don't take too long, please. We're moving a little slower than I'd like, and we're about an hour behind schedule.

23:01Giles makes his way up to the hut, then throws himself against the side of the building. He leans there for several moments and catches his breath. His friend, Mick Garrett, leans next to him. How you holding up, Giles? Mick is one of the ACT upperclassmen. Giles notices that he barely looks winded. He tries to put on a brave face. I'm good. I just need to catch my breath. Giles sees that a golden glow is beginning to rise from behind a distant, snow-capped ridge. It's almost dawn, and he can already feel the warmth of the sun. He turns to Mick. Oh my God, it's going to be really hot. I've got to get some of these layers off.

23:48It looks like everyone's starting to move. Hold on, I'll see if you can stay behind to change. Giles nods gratefully as Mick jogs over to Father Tom. He leans his head against the hut for a moment and takes a deep breath. The hike certainly isn't what he expected. He really hopes the experience of making it to the summit. will be worth the effort. Giles turns to see Mick trotting back, smiling. Father Tom said they're going to keep going, but I can wait here with you while you change. Then we'll catch up to them, okay? Awesome. Thanks for doing that. Sure, but be as quick as you can. Father Tom is right.

24:28We are behind. The terrain only gets steeper from here. If you think you're tired now, just wait. I hear you. I'll be able to move quicker once I get some layers off. Giles takes off his yellow raincoat and immediately feels relief. The heavy fabric is good protection against the wind, but it doesn't breathe, and he's sweating from the physical exertion of the uphill hike. He stashes the jacket in his backpack and wipes sweat from his brow. He's surprised at how difficult the climb has been, but now that the sun is starting to come up, he's ready to give Mount Hood his best shot.

25:14Mick Garrett grits his teeth as he hikes up the vast white expanse of Palmer Snowfield. It's been four hours since they left Silcox Hut, but even though the sun is up, it's actually gotten colder. They're up around 8 ,500 feet now, and Mick knows the higher they climb, the colder it will get. The whole climb has been much harder than anyone was expecting. The snow is unusually deep for this time of year. It's exhausting to slog through it. Already, three students and a parent chaperone have turned back. Their group is down to 16. Mick looks up at the slate gray towers of a nearby chairlift and wishes he could catch a ride back down to the lodge, but the chairlifts aren't in operation.

26:08He tries to assess the body language of the younger students ahead of him. They're clearly fatigued, but they're pushing themselves. He's proud of them for their effort and decides he can keep pushing himself too. Then one of the climbers in front of him collapses to the ground. He rolls onto his back and lays there, catching his breath. Mick rushes over to him and realizes that it's sophomore John Whitson. Hey, John, you okay? I'm done, man. I want to go back. Mick studies the paleness of John's face. He looks like he's about to throw up. There's no way he can complete the climb. Mick sees Father Tom approaching.