Saluting Lost Climbers
Katie Rani Nolan, Anthony Vietti
and Luke Gullberg
A Message from Sheriff Craig Roberts:
Making the decision to suspend a search and rescue mission is among the most difficult that I am required to make as Clackamas County Sheriff. Unfortunately, that was how our rescue efforts for Katie Nolan and Anthony Vietti ended on Dec. 16.
The mission received national media attention, so you might think that by now everybody knows everything that happened up on the mountain — but I want to tell you about some of the things you didn’t see on television.
On the last day of the search, it was clear that all of the elements had turned against us. The avalanche danger was so severe that even stable slopes had started to slide, making it impossible for climbers to head up the mountain. Also, a storm system had covered the mountain with clouds, posing a serious challenge to the Army National Guard helicopters that were helping us search from the air.
In spite of that, a helicopter took off from Salem that morning and flew north. They didn’t show this on TV, because there was nothing to see, but all of us on the ground heard the sound of its rotors as it circled overhead, hoping for a break in the clouds over Timberline Lodge. On the ground, a pair of pararescue jumpers from the 304th Rescue Squadron waited in their orange parkas for their chance to climb on board and take one last look for the missing climbers.
One of their commanders described the plan to me: the helicopter would fly towards the mountain between cloud layers, fighting 60-mile-an-hour winds. If they spotted something, one of the rescuers would be lowered using a winch. Then, the helicopter would deliberately rock from side to side, swinging the man on the end of the line like a pendulum so that he could try to hook the side of the mountain with his ice axe.
He looked me in the eye and told me that they would do all of this, even though the best medical advice we were getting was that there was less than a one percent chance that Katie and Anthony were still alive.
That’s just one example of the enormous courage and dedication I saw on the side of that mountain. The members of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office who coordinated the search worked for days on end and refused to be relieved. They wanted to finish what they had started, for the missing climbers and for their families.
Likely one of the greatest acts of bravery during the entire rescue effort was made by Katie and Anthony’s climbing companion, Luke Gullberg. Although we do not yet understand exactly what happened, it’s likely that Luke set out to get help after there was an accident high on the mountain. Apparently, he left most of his own gear behind with his friends to increase their chances for survival — then succumbed to exhaustion and hypothermia during the descent.
Luke’s body was recovered early in the search by volunteers, who took time off from work and away from loved ones to climb the mountain — putting their own lives at risk to rescue people they had never met. It isn’t widely recognized, but unpaid volunteers account for most search and rescue efforts in Oregon. Of the 107,000 hours spent performing search and rescue missions in 2008, 85 percent were provided by volunteers.
More than anything else I personally witnessed during the mission, I was affected the patience, the gratitude and the enduring faith of the missing climbers’ families. From the start, they were worried about the safety of the searchers on the mountain, and their concerns only grew as conditions got worse. Yet, when Katie’s mother, Darla, hugged me, she whispered how grateful she was that I had made that one last attempt.
I was almost overcome by emotion myself, knowing that it was increasingly unlikely that we would find them alive — but in a strange way, her hug and support gave me the strength to face the family later with the sad news that the rescue effort was over.
This tragedy has changed the lives of the climbers’ families forever. Their time on the mountain — hoping to see their son, or their daughter, or their brother, or their sister or their cousin climb out of a helicopter — will always be a vivid memory for them.
Like their families, the members of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and everyone else who fought to save Luke, Katie and Anthony, will always remember them. By the time I stepped up to the microphones to announce that the rescue phase of the search had ended, I felt like part of their family, and so did everyone else. That takes a personal toll on all of us. Over the course of a career, these experiences have lasting emotional impacts.
Knowing this, we take care of ourselves and we take care of each other. We have to, because there are more people out there who need our help, and more families waiting anxiously for news about a missing loved one.
Each year, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office conducts an average of 120 search and rescue missions — that means we launch one every two or three days. Most will never get the kind of attention that this one received from the public and the media, but they are all just as important to me.
If your mother has Alzheimer’s disease and she wanders away from home, or your brother gets lost while he’s out hunting, or your child is missing, you will want me to deploy every resource available to find them — and I will. It doesn’t matter whether or not anybody ever sees it on television or reads about it in the newspapers, we do it because we care.
-- Craig Roberts, Clackamas County Sheriff
Obituaries and Tributes
Katie Rani Nolan
1980-2009
Portland resident Katie Nolan died as a result of a climbing accident last week on Mt. Hood. She was 29.
A celebration of her life was held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009 a Portland Foursquare Church.
Katie Rani Nolan was born July 6, 1980 in Walla Walla to David and Darla Nolan. She was raised in Touchet, Wash., and graduated from Touchet High School in 1998. After high school, Katie attended Philadelphia Biblical University and graduated in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical studies and elementary education. She went on a short-term mission trip to Nepal in the fall of 2003.
She moved to Portland from Philadelphia in 2004. Katie worked for Catholic Charities, helping homeless women. She volunteered with Transitions Global, fighting sex trafficking. Katie was working on a Master's of Social Work at Portland State University.
Katie enjoyed traveling and outdoor adventures. She touched many lives and was much-loved.
Survivors include her parents, David and Darla; brother Jason and his wife Raeben and their children, Orion and Persephone; sisters Heidi, Sheri and Mindy; grandparents William and Goldie Nolan and Robert and Naomi Fulgham; and great-grandmother Maxine Herman.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Transitions Global, 2215 NW Imbrie Dr., #166, Hillsboro, OR 97124; www.TransitionsGlobal.org.
Please sign the online guest book at www.oregonlive.com/obits.
Anthony Vietti
1983-2009
"A young man who always gave ... whose word was always true ... whose love was always genuine ... whose fears were always faced ... whose faith was always lived."
Anthony Robert Vietti was born in Elko, Nevada on Dec. 22, 1983 -- a precious gift from God, with a red head, a sunshine smile, and a heart of gold. His physical life was ended on and he climbed into eternity at the top of Mt. Hood in December 2009.
Anthony lived an abundant life and thoroughly enjoyed every moment. He loved God first, he loved to serve others (as evidenced in his daily activities), and he loved outdoor life. He lived his life to make a difference in the world.
He is the son of Jon and LaDonna Vietti, and brother to Adam and Steven Vietti. Anthony has close family currently residing in Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Sicily, and Germany. And his friends are everywhere! Memorial services for Anthony are being held in Longview, WA; Bozeman, MT; Glasgow, MT; and Elko, NV.
The family has requested that in lieu of flowers and gifts, donations be given in memory of Anthony to your local search-and-rescue organization of choice, to Compassion International, or to Samaritan's Purse: World Medical Mission.
Luke Gullberg
Excerpts from "A tribute to Des Moines mountain climber Luke Gullberg"
By Peter C.H. Livingston
Written for The Federal Way News, Dec. 17, 2009
(Editor's Note: Gullberg's close friend, Peter C.H. Livingston, wrote the following tribute.)
... What is certain is that the Des Moines community has lost a truly great citizen on that mountain.
Luke grew up in Des Moines where he attended Des Moines Gospel Chapel throughout his lifetime, and attended Mount Rainier High School and Highline Community College.
Luke excelled in school, focusing on English and creative writing and had several works published during his time at Highline.
He went on to graduate from Central Washington University. Luke was considering a career in teaching.
He was a person who enriched the lives of those around him. Luke made everyone feel important, loved and valuable, regardless of circumstance or merit. He was a lover of people, of God, of the outdoors, and a person that genuinely cared about everyone in his life.
One would be hard-pressed to find a person that would not truly attest to what an inspirational person he was.
Over the course of these trying days for family and friends, more than a handful of people have called Luke the best friend they had, and those individuals meant it.
Luke had a way of bringing people together, including everyone, and recognizing that it's not the differences in people's lives that matter, it's what we have in common. For Luke, that meant hosting casual movie nights, organizing soccer teams, taking videos and pictures of events, leading church youth events, or his beloved activity - hiking.
He was famous among his friends for his themed parties, which always had his creativity splashed throughout. From his glow stick dance parties, to beer exchanges, to even a superhero themed gathering, Luke was someone that would bring people together.
Luke's strength, even in challenging times, can be an inspiration to us all. During his mother's heartbreaking battle with cancer that claimed her life two years ago, Karen Gullberg found comfort in the son that would not leave her side.
Following his mother's death, Luke displayed a perseverance that struck even the casual observer. He continued to encourage and cherish friendships, even at a trying point in his life.
After his death, many have wondered what led to the tragedy on the frigid mountaintop over the weekend. Those who knew him have theories as to what happened, but there is a common thread that runs throughout; that Luke was risking his life to save the other climbers.
He always put others before himself, and this situation may be no different.
He was, and will always be in the minds and hearts of those who knew him, a treasure. Cut short in the prime of his vibrant life, Luke's legacy will continue long after he has passed: loving son, brother, uncle, boyfriend and friend.
Keep climbing Luke...
