By Amber Ford, The Mountain Times
In September, Washington’s Skamania County sheriffs responded to two different locations where human remains had been found. On September 4th, a bear hunter in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest contacted the sheriff’s department after finding what they believed to be a human skull. After examination it was proven to be of human origin, but the identity of the remains is still under investigation. A second and separate set of human remains was located on September 14th, also in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, and DNA analysis is in process. Unlike the first set of human remains, Skamania County sheriff’s office believes that these remains belong to missing hiker John Hopkins, who disappeared in November 2022.
While both cases are still under investigation, the remains found are a stark reminder of how dangerous and unpredictable our vast wildernesses can be. According to Christopher Van Tilburg of the Hood River Crag Rats Search and Rescue, their organization has been on 34 missions this year. “Because we specialize in mountain rescue, we’ve recently gone to Olympic National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, Mount Jefferson, Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens,” Van Tilburg said. “Several times a year we provide mutual aid to Wasco, Multnomah, Clackamas and Klickitat Counties,” Van Tilburg added.
As the weather and temperatures begin to change to cold and wet, and darkness sets in early, basic hiker safety and a knowledge of your surroundings is imperative in preventing disastrous situations. According to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s office, in March of 2024 an entire family of hikers were rescued after the department received an emergency SOS notification sent from one of the missing hiker’s Apple phones. The hikers had gone nearly eight miles and gained more than 3,500 feet in elevation from their starting point on The Salmon River trailhead. Clackamas County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team were able to rescue the missing family with the help of a snowcat deployed from the Deschutes County sheriff’s office.
While smartphones, satellite phones and GPS devices are all helpful when hiking, regardless of the weather conditions, knowing your surroundings and keeping to the trail are extremely important when hiking in and around the Mt. Hood National Forest. “The best advice: be prepared for the unexpected night out,” Van Tilburg said. “Extra food, water, clothing, power for cell phone, shelter and headlamp. Also know how to use a map app for your phone,” Van Tilburg added.
As the Skamania County Sheriff’s office continues to work on identifying the human remains found in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, local officials and search and rescue organizations encourage those visiting the Mt. Hood National Forest to use extreme caution when hiking in hazardous weather conditions.