Officials ID hiker who died in snowy, rugged area of Mt. Hood National Forest; disappearance had prompted major search

WELCHES, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday released the name of a 33-year-old Washington state hiker who died during what was supposed to be a day hike last week in a snowy, rugged area of the Mt. Hood National Forest near Welches.

An extensive air and ground search ended last Friday when they located the body of James Robert MacDonald of Ridgefield, Wash., whose family reported last Wednesday evening that he was overdue from the outing. Deputies said MacDonald was known to be an experienced hiker but was not carrying gear for overnight conditions. He’d last been heard from around 2 p.m. that day.

Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue coordinators quickly mobilized volunteer teams, who soon found what appeared to be the missing hiker’s tracks in the snow. That prompted an extensive search involving several agencies and resources, including Portland Mountain Rescue and the Hood River Crag Rats.

Air support in the challenging terrain came from an Oregon National Guard helicopter crew and a plane from the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office, as well as drones. Mountain Wave Emergency Communications also provided key assistance for the search, which continued into Friday.

A PMR search team found MacDonald deceased around 10:30 a.m. near the Hidden Lake Trail. The Clackamas County Medical Examiner's office is investigating the cause of the hiker's death.

In releasing MacDonald’s name Sunday, after family notifications, the sheriff’s office said, “Our condolences go out to his family during this difficult time.”