Body of 33-year-old experienced hiker found in Mt. Hood National Forest
Nov 12, 2024, 7:27 AM
Sign for Paradise Park Trail in the Mt. Hood National Forest. (Photo courtesy of Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office)
(Photo courtesy of Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office)
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office has identified the body of a hiker found in the Mt. Hood National Forest.
The body was identified as James Robert MacDonald, 33, an experienced hiker from Ridgefield. The body was found following an extensive search and rescue operation near the Paradise Park Trail in the national park.
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“Shortly before 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, the 33-year-old hiker’s family reported that they were overdue from what was supposed to be a day hike,” the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a social post. “The hiker was known to be experienced, but was not carrying gear for overnight conditions and was last heard from around 2 p.m. earlier that day.”
Search and Rescue coordinators mobilized multiple volunteer teams alongside Clackamas County Search and Rescue (CSAR) to help find the hiker. Additional help came from the Portland Mountain Rescue (PMR), Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue (PNWSAR) and the Hood River Crag Rats crews. The Oregon National Guard provided air support via helicopter, and the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office provided a fixed-wing plane to help with the search.
These teams quickly located what appeared to be the missing hiker’s tracks in the snow, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, prompting an extensive search of the area.
“The search continued into Friday when the hiker was found deceased shortly before 10:30 a.m. by a PMR search team near the Hidden Lake Trail,” the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said. “The identity of the hiker will not be released until family notifications are complete.”
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As of this reporting, the sheriff’s office does not believe this death appears suspicious.
The medical examiner will determine his cause of death.
Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.
