A 26-year-old man from Washington state went missing in Oregon while climbing one of the most treacherous mountains in the U.S., authorities said Friday.
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said the climber and his friend summited Mount Hood from the Timberline Lodge on Thursday, but they got separated in “very foggy” weather. The missing climber’s name was not released.
Once officers were notified at about 4 p.m. Thursday, the sheriff’s office said its search and rescue team attempted to find the missing man using cellphone signals, working into the night to locate him.
The search continued Friday with addition support from several teams, including Clackamas Search and Rescue volunteers, Mountain Wave SAR, PNW Search & Rescue and Hood River Crag Rats — America’s oldest mountain Search and Rescue organization.
“We will be searching for as long as we can,” a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office told CBS Portland affiliate KOIN.
Mount Hood, which is located about 70 miles east of Portland, is Oregon’s tallest peak at approximately 11,240 feet, according to the U.S. Forest Service. It attracts more than 10,000 climbers each year, but it’s a highly technical climb, requiring some planning and expertise.
The mountain is “notorious” for its rapidly changing weather, the forest service warns. Other climbers have fallen to their deaths during such conditions.
Since the beginning of 2024, Mount Hood climbers are required to obtain a climbing permit if they’re looking to travel above the 9,500-foot mark.
