Families Adapt To Missing Climbers' Likely Fate

The families of two area mountain climbers lost and presumed dead in the Himalayas are grappling with that probable but uncertain fate.

The Ministry of Tourism in Nepal says Gregory Barber, 21, of Kent; and Scot McGrath, 33, of Purdy; along with Nuru Wangchu Sherpa, 30; left for the summit of 26,810-foot Dhaulagiri I sometime late in December from a camp at 22,000 feet.

They were to return within four days but have not been seen since.

Two team members, including Jim Yoder of Spanaway, searched for the men and saw equipment they believed belonged to them. But the searchers could not get close enough to investigate because of dangerous conditions and the threat of avalanche.

A message sent from Yoder to the U.S. Embassy in Nepal said the men are believed dead and that the search probably would not continue. The rest of the seven-member team apparently left base camp for Katmandu en route home Thursday, the ministry said.

The information has trickled to the families with several days' delay and through several channels of communication. Calling Nepal and reaching authorities has been frustrating.

``To be honest I don't know if there is much hope,'' said McGrath's brother, Conner. ``He's been missing in those severe conditions for more than three weeks. I think we've pretty much resolved this thing, but you can bet if he showed up at the airport I'd pick him up.''

McGrath taught climbing for the Tacoma Mountaineers and had climbed in Chile, Peru, Bolivia and throughout the United States. He graduated from Sumner High School in 1974 and served on a destroyer in the Navy for three years.

McGrath, who worked as a carpenter, has an 8-year-old daughter, for whom a fund will be set up.

The men were trying to be part of the first American-Canadian expedition to reach the top of Dhaulagiri, the world's sixth-highest peak, during the winter, an honor that was an especially strong incentive to McGrath.

``It was everything to him,'' said Conner McGrath. ``He knew if he could achieve this he would have a slate on the next expedition to the top of Everest. He wanted that in the worst way.''

Barber, who is single, turned 21 on Dec. 27, probably after the men were last seen. His mother, Joyce, said her son loves climbing and the outdoors. Last summer he worked on a search-and-rescue crew in Yosemite National Park and also had worked briefly on a logging crew.

Barber was described as a strong and promising climber who also belonged to the Tacoma Mountaineers.

``It certainly isn't easy,'' Joyce Barber said. ``But he was doing something he truly loved. I guess there are worse ways to lose a child.''

Curtis Barth, an area mountain climber, said he didn't know the two climbers personally but believed they were physically capable of handling the challenge. He described Wangchu Sherpa - whose second surname indicates a Tibetan people highly skilled in mountain climbing - as a very strong, experienced climber.