Searches

For the fourth day of searching for the missing camper/fisherman Robert Bissell, PNW fielded a team of three members.  The initial search area was again at the campsite, followed by two search areas high above the lakes in the region. 

The area to be searched was full of steep terrain, numerous talus slopes and brushy areas teeming with bloodthirsty insects.  To get a proper visual survey of the slopes, the team donned climbing harnesses and scouted from the top of the talus fields safely roped up.

Bright and early, 5 PNW members responded to the third day of searching for Robert Bissell in the Roaring River Wilderness area.

Two teams were deployed into the field for a pair of steep hikes farther down the drainage than previously searched.  The search areas were far from communications coverage, and were rather more remote than the two days that came before.  Steep trails with very small teams made for a long search day. 

The weather was less punishing than usual, with several cooling breezes blowing the bugs away for the most part. 

As 14 PNW members were arriving at the Ramona Falls trailhead for a possible packout, the mission was called off.

For the second day of searching for Robert Bissell, the missing camper/fisherman in the High Rock area, 5 PNW members responded in the early morning to base up above Ripplebrook.  The team remained together for an assignment around the three Rock Lakes, site of the subject's camp. 

The terrain was typical brushy high mountain lake area, with the rocks and undergrowth to contend with.  On trail and off, the team kept a high probability of detection, but returned with nothing to report. 

7 PNW members responded to a callout for a missing and overdue fisherman who was camping in the Serene Lake/Shellrock Lake area.  Given the large area to investigate, base was set up at the High Rock turnout.  PNW divided into three teams to search the high lakes near the last known point.

The weather was warm and the insects were hungry.  Several steep slopes had to be navigated on the less than optimal trails used by fishermen in the area.

No resolution was reached at this time, and PNW has been called to respond again in the morning.

17 PNW members participated in a mutual aid response to Multnomah County for an active case.

In the early afternoon of July 21st, PNW got a call to packout a man who had a possible heart attack about 3.5 miles from the Ramona Falls trailhead.  18 members responded to the call and deployed up the trail in groups as they arrived at base. 

As the teams were deploying more information became available about the situation.  The Reach and Treat team from AMR was with the patient and was transporting him down the trail.  As the teams arrived, they assisted in transporting the patient to the waiting ambulance in the parking lot.

After an early morning call came from Troutdale for a missing 14 year old boy along the Sandy river, 11 PNW members responded to the search base at Glenn Otto Park.  Variously deployed as one large team and two smaller teams, PNW searched along the banks of the river and through the wooded areas of the park and surrounding wild areas.

As PNW was heading towards base at the Topspur trailhead to packout an injured hiker, we were called off. 

As several of the 6 responding PNW members arrived at base, the missing hiker was found alive and well by a team in the field.  The remaining PNW members were called off enroute.