Search to scale back for missing hiker, 75, near Marion Lake

A sixth day of searching Wednesday appeared to be the last at full strength for a 75-year-old man who went for a day hike in the Marion Lakes area of Linn County and never returned.

Undersheriff Jim Yon reports search and rescue efforts continued Wednesday in the search for missing hiker Sanford David Rice, from the Coast Range town of Blachly.

The Linn County Sheriff’s Office and its numerous partners have been searching the area since Friday but have not located any signs of him, Yon said.

“Today is going to be the last full day of searching before scaling back our efforts,” Yon said. “We have four teams still in the area targeting specific locations and will continue to check areas when new information comes to light. ”

He added, “We have had unbelievable assistance from Eugene Mountain Rescue, Corvallis Mountain Rescue, Mountain Wave Communications, Lane County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office , Oregon Civil Air Patrol, and Oregon Air National Guard.

“Without these groups assistance, we would not have been able to search the area as well as it has. From air assets to K-9s, everyone involved has made a concerted effort to locate Rice. ”

” Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family,” Yon added.

Linn County dispatchers got a call around 1:40 p.m. last Friday that reported Rice had gone for a day hike in the Marion Lakes area, off state Highway 22, and did not return home, Yon said.

The sheriff’s office sent deputies to the Marion lake Trailhead to look for Rice and found his vehicle and entry receipts indicating he was doing a day hike. Yon said deputies spoke with several hikers in the area and learned Rice last had been seen near Marion Lake.

The sheriff’s office also sent a hasty team to the area to start a search that went through the night. Saturday morning, six members of the Linn County Mounted Posse joined the search, as did the Oregon Civil Air Patrol also joined.

Yon told NewsChannel 21 earlier in the week that three planes and a helicopter were assisting searchers on the ground looking for Rice, including crews from Lane County and the U.S. Forest Service.