Recovery operations suspended for missing Bend climber on Mt. Hood
MOUNT HOOD, Ore. (KTVZ) - The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office has suspended recovery operations for a 26-year-old climber from Bend who went missing while attempting to summit Mt. Hood over the weekend.
The missing climber, identified as Matthew Aldridge, was last seen on Saturday, December 13, 2025, after setting out to climb the mountain with two partners. The group started their ascent from Mt. Hood Meadows ski resort, intending to summit via the Newton Clark Headwall.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, two members of the trio turned back due to deteriorating conditions, while Aldridge continued his climb alone. When his partners hadn’t heard from him later that day, they reported him overdue.
A search began shortly after Saturday afternoon, involving a Hood River County Sheriff’s Office fixed-wing aircraft, ground teams, and cell phone forensics.
Data from Aldridge’s phone helped narrow the search to an area near Pea Gravel Ridge, above 8,400 feet in elevation, where a fall was suspected.
The first attempt to reach that area was halted by darkness and unsafe travel conditions.
Search efforts resumed early Sunday morning, with teams from the Hood River Crag Rats and Portland Mountain Rescue reaching the likely location, but they found no sign of Aldridge.
By midday Sunday, worsening weather and hazardous terrain forced the Sheriff’s Office to withdraw crews and suspend ground operations. Officials said the mission has now shifted from search to recovery.
In a statement, the Sheriff’s Office thanked the Hood River Crag Rats, Portland Mountain Rescue, Mt. Hood Meadows, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Northwest Avalanche Center for their help during what they described as a “challenging mission.”
