Searches

On the third day of searching in Skamania County, PNW fielded a team of six searchers.  The assignment was to grid search a brushy area filled with steep terrain and second growth timber.  While snow was encountered on the drive to search base, the weather cleared to drizzle and some sunspots.

No resolution has been reached in this ongoing search.

On the second day of searching for the missing hiker in Skamania County, seven PNW members deployed into the field for an off trail search in an area of high probability.  The terrain at times required the use of ropes to permit the team to progress in the search area.  Though treacherous weather had been predicted in the area, for the most part it cooperated with the search teams.

Early Sunday morning, PNW was asked to assist with a search for a missing 24 year old woman in Skamania County, Washington.  13 PNW members responded to the North Bonneville trailhead to be deployed on several different assignments.  Working from the last known location of the subject, search areas ranged from trail searches on the Pacific Crest Trail to off path rough terrain and grid searching.

As the 15 PNW members were about to deploy to their morning search areas, the subject was located alive by another search team.  Thank you to all who could participate both last night and this morning.

On Friday evening, February 26th, PNW was activated for a search in Oregon City for an elderly lady suffering from dementia.  11 PNW members were deployed in a variety of missions, including members of the rope support team, the mountain bike team, and teams who went door to door in the area the subject was last seen in.

On February 21st, PNW responded to an activation from a Spot locator unit.  The subject was a woman who had activated her Spot unit's "help" function.  15 PNW members responded to the base located on Lolo Pass road.  After the subject's location was determined, PNW was put in standby mode in case we were needed to help extricate the subject.  Thank you to all who responded so quickly.

In the very early morning of February 1st, PNW was called out to search for a missing 64 year old man with dementia.  The subject had reportedly gone missing from his home far out on Squaw Mountain Road with his two dogs.

As nearly a dozen PNW members were responding to the incident command post, a member of NORSAR who had completed her search assignment and was returning home came across the subject on the road with his two dogs and transported them all back to search base.

In the early evening of December 26th, PNW got a call for a packout of an injured skier on the Pacific Crest Trail off of Lolo Pass road.  Due to the steep terrain, the ropes team was requested to bring their equipment.  13 PNW members responded to base at Zig Zag Ranger station for further deployment up the snow and ice covered road.

Again today PNW was called to the search for three missing climbers on Mt. Hood.  11 members responded.  The assigned task of the day was to access the West side of the mountain via the Top Spur trailhead, with the goal of obtaining a vantage point to scan the glaciers with spotting scopes.

On the morning of December 12th, PNW was asked to join the search for three missing climbers on Mt. Hood.  As a first deployment six PNW members entered the field, with ten additional PNW members waiting in reserve. 

The high angle teams from Portland Mountain Rescue and the Crag Rats battled the elements to the upper levels of the mountain, finding evidence that suggested the climbers were not on the lower slopes, so the PNW teams that were deployed were recalled and placed in reserve.