"Official: Remaining two climbers may have fallen over a precipice."

This is a bit puzzling. If they summited they would have been in pretty good shape for getting down. The south side of Hood can certainly be dangerous, and compared to the north side, or north-east side is mild. Sort of like a children's slide compared to a roller-coaster. Had they been able to find the Pearly Gates they would have been a bit out of the weather, and able to see the Palmer chair lift and/or Timberline Lodge in clearer weather. My wildest night on the mountain was about 1/4 mile from there, maybe a bit less.

I am betting they did not have a GPS with them. That would have told them within about 10 feet where they were, and led them to the Pearly Gates. They seem to be well-to-do enough to be able to travel around climbing, it rather surprises me they seemingly did not. Had I been going into that weather, everyone would have had a GPS and GMRS radio so as to be able to locate each other in foul weather. With lithium batteries, which operate in cold weather.

In one cave they found 2 ice axes. Usually for climbing one is used, unless one is planning on ice climbing, in which case two shorter ones are essential. It didn't say what type they may be. However, NO climber will leave behind his ice axe(s). You may lose them, but you would not leave them in an ice cave. They are way, way too important. Unless both of them belonged to the deceased guy. It would make sense that they had two each, or maybe even three, one with a long handle. Especially if they had ice screws, a specialized piece of equipment.

A picture of rope they left behind is illustrative. First, it's not buried in snow. Second it's a classic anchor for descending steep slopes. the stem of the Y or point of the V points downhill. However, the rope and screws are not recoverable on a one-way trip. This sort of thing is often used to anchor people going down into a crevasse, for instance.

A knowledgeable climber set this up, maybe to help another climber. It indicates folks who are very well equipped. They may not be as skilled as a lot of experience would give them, I don't know, but they weren't all that reckless.

I'm guessing, if they headed back down the NE side, they were literally blown off the mountain or slid down into a crevasse. Depending upon where they were, it can be a 6,000 foot slide down one of those glaciers. Some live, most are killed from the bouncing. Or into a crevasse, miserable places.

Sad. To have hit the summit, and not continued down the south side is especially sad.

Arf