Family still searching for missing Mt. Jefferson Wilderness hiker
Family members of a Portland college student who disappeared in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness Area nearly two weeks ago after official search efforts exhausted all leads and were suspended over the weekend.
Acting on a tip provided by a private helicopter pilot who is assisting the Riley Zickel family in their search efforts, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the Corvallis Mountain Rescue Team, which has ascended Mt. Jefferson to check a crevasse on the Jefferson Glacier in Linn County.
The search mission was coordinated by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team. Unfortunately, deputies said, no signs of Riley were located and the team has turned back because of a snowstorm hitting the mountain.
The sheriff’s office is still asking anyone with any information regarding the possible location of Riley Zickel to please call 503-584-SRCH or 503-584-7724.
Zickel, a Lewis and Clark College student from Sebastapol, California, went missing after entering the wilderness area on Wednesday, July 27th.
Zickel departed from Breitenbush Lake Road at the Pacific Crest Trail head ,where he intended to hike for one day and return the following day to visit friends in Seattle. Zickel was last seen on the Pacific Crest Trail just north of Jefferson Park, where he visited with another hiker along the trail.
“The decision to suspend the active search was made after exhausting all available leads,” deputies said in Saturday’s announcement.
Zickel’s family members were present at the command post throughout the search and have been made aware of the decision to suspend the search., deputies said.
More than 340 searchers dedicated about 5,000 hours to search 350 square miles of the Willamette National Forest, north and south of Mt. Jefferson.
The main focus of the search was the area between Mt. Jefferson, Jefferson Park, Park Butte and the surrounding areas. The area is heavily forested and has many ridges and valleys.
Areas of snow complicated the search and, in spite of the snow, daytime temperatures occasionally reached 90 degrees. The elevation of the search area varied from 5,000-7,500 feet above sea level.
The incident commander, Sgt, Shane Burnham, directed the Marion County Search and Rescue Teams and support personnel throughout the duration of the search.
Those teams were backed up by SAR teams from Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Lane County Sheriff’s Office, Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Pacific NW SAR, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Corvallis Mountain Rescue, Mountain Wave, Warm Springs Police, Fire and Fish and Game, U.S. Forrest Service, the Portland Police Bureau, Detroit and Idanaha Fire District and the Oregon State Parks Department.
The sheriff’s office said it would like to thank the citizens and business owners in the city of Detroit for their support during this very difficult search.
Salem-based helicopters from the Oregon Army National Guard and Cessna 182 aircraft from the Civil Air Patrol flew daily above the search area, but were unable to spot any sign of Zickel.
Hundreds of hikers were contacted during the search and missing person flyers were posted at trail heads along the Pacific Crest Trail as far south as Big Lake Youth Camp and north to Timberline Lodge.
Marion County Sheriff Jason Myers commented, “It is a very difficult decision to withdraw resources from this search. Our SAR teams and staff worked tirelessly to find Mr. Zickel. We’re very grateful for the assistance provided by our public safety partners, and our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Zickel’s family.”
The search for Zickel will remain open until he is found. Deputies said they will respond to any new information regarding his whereabouts. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact their tip line at 503-584-SRCH or 503-584-7724.
