Eighth Day Searching For Missing Hiker in Mount Hood Forest

The Clackamas County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team continues searching for missing hiker

Mount Hood National Forest encompasses some 1,067,043 acres. Google map

(CLACKAMAS, Ore) - Robert Bissell, a 57-year old Portland Oregon resident, went camping and hiking alone in the remote wilderness area of the Rock Lakes basin on July 12th 2010, in the Roaring River Wilderness of the Mount Hood National Forest. When he did not return home his family reported him missing on July 24th.

Today, several target search areas have been identified and additional trained resources from around the state of Oregon have arrived.

Ground search teams include Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue, Marion County Search and Rescue, Benton County Search and Rescue and Yamhill County Search and Rescue. Communications, medical support and logistical support are being provided by Mountain Wave Search and Rescue, AMR Reach and Treat team, and the American Red Cross. Also consulting on the search is wilderness survival expert Doctor Terry Schmidt from OHSU.

There are currently more than thirty searchers in the field actively searching for Robert Bissell. The search will include lakes, trails and wilderness surrounding the last known location of Robert Bissell. Mr. Bissell has been missing for three weeks in a rugged and remote wilderness area covering approximately one hundred square miles.

Officials continue to ask anyone who was hiking near the Rock Lakes basin in the Mount Hood National Forest from July 12, 2010 to July 24, 2010 and had personal contact with Mr. Bissell to please contact the Clackamas County Sheriff Tip Line at (503) 723-4949.

The Clackamas County Sheriff is currently working an active Search and Rescue in the area of the Roaring River Wilderness, Rock Lakes basin, Serene Lake and Shining Lake areas of the Mount Hood National Forest.

Access to these areas is currently limited and the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office requests you not enter those areas while search members are in the field so as not to contaminate areas or provide false clues for searchers. With authorization from the US Forest Service, Road 4610 at Road 58 has been closed to the general public and Road 5830 at Road 58 has also been closed to the general public.