Authorities have ended active search operations for a 26-year-old hiker who went missing on Oregon’s Mount Hood over the weekend, transitioning the effort into a recovery mission.
Matthew Aldridge, of Bend, Oregon, set out from the Mt. Hood Meadows resort to summit the mountain with two other climbers, according to NBC affiliate KGW, Fox affiliate KPTV, the Statesman Journal and Central Oregon Daily, citing the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials said Aldridge’s two companions turned back because conditions worsened, while Aldridge continued upward alone.
When the group was unable to reach him, Aldridge was reported overdue at about 11:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, Dec. 13.
The response included a fixed-wing aircraft, ground teams and assistance from cell phone forensics, authorities said. Searchers initially focused on the area near Pea Gravel Ridge above 8,400 feet after cell phone data suggested a possible fall.
Operations were later suspended Saturday due to darkness and dangerous conditions, officials said.
Search efforts expanded and resumed Sunday, Dec. 14, with support from the Hood River Crag Rats and Portland Mountain Rescue teams. Responders reached the location indicated by the phone data but found no sign of Aldridge, according to authorities.
Weather again forced teams to pause the operation on Sunday. Officials said efforts could resume when conditions improve, but the mission has since been designated a recovery effort.
Mount Hood, Oregon’s highest peak, rises to 11,239 feet and sits about 45 miles east-southeast of Portland. The dormant volcano is home to 12 glaciers and snowfields.
