Overdue Climber on Mt. Hood

The unnamed climber is believed to be an experienced, and has reportedly climbed this route before.

Mount Hood

(MT. HOOD OR) - Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Team are currently coordinating a search on Mt. Hood for an overdue climber.

The Sheriff's Office was notified by family members at about 9:00 p.m., Saturday evening of an overdue climber who was supposed to return at 3:00 p.m.

The climber is a male from Salem, his vehicle was located unoccupied in the parking lot of Timberline Lodge.

The male registered in the climbing log at Timberline Lodge and his climbing route noted he would be climbing the Leuthold Couloir route.

He is believed to be an experience climber and has climbed this route before.

Searchers were able to summit the mountain via the Leuthold Couloir route but did not locate any evidence of the overdue climber.

Due to worsening weather conditions searchers returned to the lodge. Searchers reported a near white out and worsening climbing conditions.

Coordinators are currently making plans to search again tomorrow if conditions allow.

Volunteer searchers from Portland Mountain Rescue, Mountain Wave Communications, American Medical Response Reach and Treat Team, and Hood River Crag Rats participated in the search.

These groups will be back again to search tomorrow as well as other volunteer groups from around the state.

More information and the identity of the overdue climber should be released early tomorrow morning.

Source: Clackamas County Sheriff's Office