Search Called Off for Missing University of Oregon Professor

Daming Xu was last seen on Nov. 4 by some hikers who said they saw him near the Ollalie Summit.

Photo: uoregon.edu

(McKENZIE BRIDGE, Ore.) - The search for a missing University of Oregon professor who became lost during a hike to the summit of Olallie Mountain over a week ago has been suspended.

High winds, rain, sleet, and blowing snow have hampered search efforts for 63-year-old Daming Xu over the past few days.

During the search of the Willamette National Forest Wilderness east of Eugene found a $20 bill, a candy bar wrapper, footprints in the snow, but couldn't track down Xu's exact location.

Lane County Sheriff Russ Burger said it's unlikely the University of Oregon mathematics professor was able to survive the cold nighttime and now daytime weather for the past 8 days.

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Over 60 mountain rescue personnel from Eugene, Portland Corvallis, Lincoln, Linn, and Deschutes counties, as well as Deschutes County sheriff’s officials and Eugene police participated in the search.

Xu was last seen on Nov. 4 by some hikers who said they saw him near the Ollalie Summit. His car was discovered at a trailhead also on Nov. 6.