Year-later search fails to find missing Mt. Jefferson hiker
Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of the day hiker Ronald Olm of Portland went missing in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness area, and an extensive new search over the weekend failed to find his remains, Marion County sheriff’s deputies said Tuesday.
Olm, 52, and two fellow Portland-area hikers were hiking along the ridge near Russell Lake, about a mile north of Mt. Jefferson in the Willamette National Forest, when they became separated.
When Olm failed to show up at the campsite, his hiking partners went looking for him. They eventually called the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
Ohm stayed behind to take photographs near a ridge above Russell Lake that afternoon, while the other two hikers went to start a camp at the lake.
Ohm, an experienced hiker who had traveled in the area before, didn’t show up to the lake, so his friends searched for him Friday. They called for help Friday evening.
Search and rescue teams searched for six days in 90-degree weather at 5000-7000 feet of elevation but never found a trace of Olm, who only had enough supplies and medications to last 4 days.
Last Friday, MCSO Search & Rescue volunteers from Team 18, along with personnel in Jeeps and on horseback, returned to the area to search again in the hope of finding Olm’s remains.
A total of 54 people were involved in the search; camping two nights in the wilderness to maximize the time available to search.
Working with information developed from interviews of hikers and witnesses, the search was focused along the Pacific Crest Trail, between the Brietenbush trail head and the White Water trail head. The areas around numerous small lakes and waterfalls were also checked.
Searchers dealt with very challenging weather throughout the weekend. They encountered heavy rain squalls, hail and high winds.
Search Commander Sgt. Shane Burnham had pre-briefed an evacuation plan should the conditions require an early termination of the search. The search was conducted safely; without injuries.
A total of 1135 man-hours of searching failed to yield any evidence of Olm.
Ronald Olm’s brother, Curtis, was present at the Incident Command center near Idanha. He expressed his gratitude for the efforts of the searchers and joined them in a meal prior to ending the search effort on Sunday afternoon.
Sgt. Burnham commented, “Hikers need to plan and prepare for every adventure; taking extra supplies, clothing and shelter in case their trip gets unexpectedly extended.”
He added; “Be sure to tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll return. A cell or satellite phone provides an additional layer of safety”
More hiking tips can be found at: http://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/upload/Safety%20Tips%20for%20Hiking-2.pdf
MCSO Team 18 provides Search and Rescue support throughout Marion County; primarily in remote wilderness areas. The team is comprised of volunteers who have completed a 200-hour certified SAR Academy. For more information about becoming a SAR volunteer, go to: http://www.co.marion.or.us/SO/EnforcementDivision/searchrescue.htm
