The disaster is the second deadliest alpine accident in North American history, behind an avalanche in 1981 on Mount Rainier which claimed eleven lives.

Led by Thomas Goman, the school's chaplain, the expedition set off from Timberline Lodge, just west of the route up Mount Hood, on Monday May 12, 1986, at 2:30 a.m.

Four more students named Lorca Smetana, Courtney Boatsman, John Whitson, and Michael Garrett,[2][3] along with Zduniak turned around shortly after.

According to a statement written by Summers after their rescue, bad weather suddenly arrived in the two-hour period after Zduniak turned back.

Summers and a student, Molly Schula, set off for help after first light on Tuesday morning, arriving at Mount Hood Meadows, two miles east of Timberline Lodge, a few hours later.