Kyle Dempster and Scott Adamson missing on the North Face of Ogre 2

Another day has passed in Palistan while we slept comfortably last night. The news from the Google is unchanged. Does anyone with deeper ties to their network have an update? I am sure you would post it immediately. Still sending the good energy.

This is posted on the Gofundme page as well as the Outdoor Research Facebook:

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Salt Lake City, Utah

The search for Kyle Dempster and Scott Adamson is ongoing. This update for Thursday, September 1st is provided in order to keep everyone informed of the efforts being made to locate Kyle and Scott. All dates and times noted are Pakistan Standard Time.

Snow and low clouds at Ogre II again kept the aerial search team grounded in Skardu. In addition to the Global Rescue helicopter, we are very grateful to have the Pakistani military now supporting the effort—they have helicopters at the ready in Skardu.

Current weather forecasts for the Ogre II area show the potential for a change in pressure and possible weather clearing within the next 24-48 hours. The Pakistani military helicopters are prepared to get in the air as soon as a usable window of good weather occurs.

The porters that have trekked up the Biafo Glacier from Askole to the backside of Ogre II should be in position to begin a visual inspection with binoculars by Friday, September 2.

Kyle and Scott’s rescue insurance will only cover a fraction (under $10,000) of the rapidly-escalating costs. We have already paid significant deposits for the helicopter and for porters to search on foot for Scott and Kyle. That is why a GoFundMe page ( gofundme.com/2mjv38k) has been established, which continues to see contributions from the global climbing family.

The friends and family of Kyle and Scott wish to deeply and sincerely thank everyone for their concerns, contributions, and continued hope for Kyle and Scott.

That is the update for Thursday, September 1st. The search effort is ongoing and we will continue to provide daily updates. We again ask that everyone please provide privacy to Kyle and Scott’s families, and direct any questions or media inquires to Jonathan Thesenga at jonathan.thesenga@bdel.com.

Seeing all of the response from the climbing community has been inspiring. The numerous trolls and constant bickering on MP can make a person lose sight of how great the climbing community really is. My climbing objectives will likely never be as serious as what Kyle and Scott are currently involved in, but it feels good to know that there a large population of people who have never met you, who genuinely have your back.

Hoping for some positive news soon.

Faulted Geologist wrote:Another day has passed in Palistan while we slept comfortably last night. The news from the Google is unchanged. Does anyone with deeper ties to their network have an update? I am sure you would post it immediately. Still sending the good energy.

Black Diamond, Liberty Mountain, and Outdoor Research are all posting at least daily updates on their facebook pages.

mpech wrote: I think what Ali wrote is incredibly reasonable. It sounds like sufficient funds have been generated for actual rescue operation, and that money is not the rate-limiting factor here. If, god forbid, Kyle and Scott do not survive on the Ogre, I hope that the funds will go to their families... The gofundme page makes no mention of what happens to people's donations if it is not spent on the rescue.

A professional SAR helicopter has been brought in. That is less cheap.

Bump

Friday, September 2, 2016

Salt Lake City, Utah

The search for Kyle Dempster and Scott Adamson is ongoing. This update for Friday, September 2nd and is provided in order to keep everyone informed of the efforts being made to locate Kyle and Scott. NOTE: all dates and times referenced are for Pakistan Standard Time.

There is a confirmed weather window opening up as early as tomorrow morning. This is the first break in weather in 10 days, since Kyle and Scott were last seen. We have been in communication with the Pakistan military and they assure us that two Pakistani military helicopters will be starting the search tomorrow morning. A Global Rescue helicopter will also be on hand. We owe a huge amount of gratitude to the Pakistan government for scrambling all of their available assets and their commitment to finding Scott and Kyle. Their support, and that of Global Rescue, has been invaluable. Additionally Kyle and Scott’s families are deeply grateful for the assistance provided by the Pakistan Embassy in Switzerland. It’s important to note that without the help of the Pakistani military, Global Rescue, and the Pakistan Embassy in Switzerland, we would not be so well equipped to take advantage of this upcoming, and crucial, weather window.

That is the update for Friday, September 2st. The next 24 hours will be crucial, and we again ask that everyone please provide privacy to Kyle and Scott’s families. Any questions or media inquires should be directed to Jonathan Thesenga at jonathan.thesenga@bdel.com.

Ali Jaffri wrote:Folks just so you know, the cost of getting a Pakistan Army helicopter rescue to a base-camp is $10,000 tops in Pakistan. The cost of getting a few high-altitude porters to go look for them is less than $500 - so far you've raised over 100k. Instead of raising more it would be actually cheaper and faster to get 5 skilled alpinists from the US to fly to Pakistan and to Ogre base-camp and do a search.

Firstly, I hope they find these two guys safe and sound.

According this R&I article, Global Rescue requires that their fees are paid upfront. I highly doubt there will be any $ left for the families. Even Global Rescue doesn't call itself insurance; it's a for profit (est $5-10M annual revenue) evac service that you can pay a membership fee to join. Then you pay whatever premium fees they charge for a rescue upfront. I don't know if it's still the case, but when I spoke to GR last about the AAC coverage benefit GR required that they do all of the rescue coordination. I opted for Spot's $100K coverage instead, which is SAR provider agnostic.

Latest news: dawn.com/news/1281798/pakis…

This was the first day weather was clear enough to do a search. Tomorrow 3 helicopters will go up, 2 Army helicopters and an international rescue helicopter. Lets all hope and pray that they find them tomorrow and bring them home safe.

Best suggestion ive seen is to send a military drone to find their snow shelter and deliver supplies. The snow
ed in conditions probably too difficult for speed climbers to ascend still for vertical rescue. Could probaly lower a climber to snow shelter to carry them out of shelter for heli rescue. Calorie deprivation is not going to allow them to walk out of shelter. Get them home. This is still possi
ble if done right and quick. Im sure the u.s. has a drone nearby. We would do this for a hostage situation why not bring our boys home the same way

Chris I got your e-mail and you're right getting a drone to look for them is an excellent idea (although Im not sure what elevation photography drones can get to. This may be more of a military drone thing. It's midnight in Pakistan right now but I'll talk to whoever I can down there and find out if they can get a drone up there somehow.

I never met Scott but the Pakistani people owe Kyle big time as he started at least 2 separate charities to help the poor porters in that region.

Thanks Ali, the climbing community appreciates this very much. These climbers are good souls. Any efforts will be repaid 3x with good deeds. I will personally see to it.a drone filmed climbers on trango tower in 2012 so they must be capable

Posted today by Nathan Smith:

instagram.com/p/BJ6K0NpBQ1G…

"What matters most are the brothers and the sisters you choose to walk with-and to laugh with-through the fire." Kyle Dempster

Saturday, September 3, 2016
Salt Lake City, Utah

This update is for Saturday, September 3rd and is provided in order to keep everyone informed of the efforts being made to locate Kyle Dempster and Scott Adamson. NOTE: All dates and times referenced are for Pakistan Standard Time.

Early on Saturday, September 3rd, two Pakistani military helicopters left Skardu in clear weather. They landed at basecamp on the Choktoi Glacier and picked up climber Thomas Huber (Austria) who would assist as an observer/spotter. An exhaustive and close-proximity initial search of the north face of the Ogre 2 (where Kyle and Scott were last seen on August 22), the northeast ridge (their planned descent route), and the glacial basin between the Ogre 2 and Ogre 1, yielded no sign of the pair. After refueling, the two helicopters made a second sweep of all sides of the mountain, from an even higher altitude, and again found no sign of Kyle and Scott. In light of those extensive yet unsuccessful efforts, the search team and knowledgeable observers in Pakistan, the US, and Europe, assessed that there remained a very slim chance that any evidence of their passage would be revealed in subsequent sweeps of the mountain.

Given the time that has elapsed and the nearly continuous stormy weather since they were last seen, and the substantial risks that such high-altitude missions entail, Kyle and Scott’s families have made the extremely difficult decision to end the search efforts.

We owe a huge amount of gratitude to the Pakistan government for scrambling all of their available assets and their commitment to finding Scott and Kyle. Their support, and that of Global Rescue, has been invaluable. Additionally Kyle and Scott’s families are deeply grateful for the assistance provided by the Pakistan Embassy in Switzerland the US Embassy in Pakistan, and numerous other individuals and organizations worldwide. We will acknowledge and thank each of them publicly and privately in the coming days.

That is the update for Saturday, September 3rd. We again ask that everyone please provide privacy to Kyle and Scott’s families. Any questions or media inquires should be directed to Jonathan Thesenga at jonathan.thesenga@bdel.com.

=(

I doubt thomas huber will turn back his effort to climb. I respect the families wishes. However if they have a shelter survival is still slim but possible especially with the strength of scott. I hope huber continues up. Furthermore a drone risks no lives and should still be a considered option above giving up. There have been other rescues reported where climbers survived in similar circumstances for a longer amt of time. Supertopo discussion of this event describes those scenarios.

As Chris said, the Supertopo thread on this has some interesting insight to high altitude survival.

I did see a post from Global Rescue that Miah Watt shared on Facebook stating that there is still a team of climbers planning to ascend Ogre 2 and try and locate any signs of anything. Not sure who, when, or what route.

SO, there is still hope, at the moment. But its slim.

Kyle was stuck on Tahu Ratum for days and managed to climb back down and was assisted by Hispar porters back to their village. He lost a thumb to frostbite during the ordeal.

I think there is still hope and I won't be surprised if he manages to get himself and his friend down the mountain.

"An exhaustive and close-proximity initial search of the north face of the Ogre 2 (where Kyle and Scott were last seen on August 22), the northeast ridge (their planned descent route), and the glacial basin between the Ogre 2 and Ogre 1, yielded no sign of the pair. After refueling, the two helicopters made a second sweep of all sides of the mountain, from an even higher altitude, and again found no sign of Kyle and Scott."

Pretty sobering report given a couple of noisy passes and no sign.

Best wishes to those close to Kyle and Scott.
Bill

One scenario is scott and kyle went on a different first ascent attempt than what is on route topo or photo and that is why they werent seen by heli team. they may have dug a snow shelter in big gulley just under half way up on route photo. 3rd scenario is they rapped to ground and are in crevasse that was hidden under new snowfall as they hiked out. Worse case is avalanche swept them. I am praying huber gets to them. Survival window almost closed but not impossible.