After a harrowing experience on Mt. Hood, 26-year-old climber Brendan Davis from Spokane was located and confirmed safe. The Clackamas County Search and Rescue team found Davis on Friday, after he went missing the previous day during a descent in foggy conditions.
Davis had reached the summit of Mt. Hood with a friend before they separated in the whiteout, as Fox 12 Oregon. It was around 4:00 p.m. on Thursday when the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office received a notification that the climber was lost. Search efforts continued into the late hours of Thursday night but were initially unsuccessful in locating Davis.
Rescue operations resumed with vigor on Friday morning. According to KGW, additional search teams, as well as air support from the Hood River Sheriff's Office and the Air National Guard collaborated, working under the direction of Oregon Emergency Management. By 1:45 p.m., rescuers established communication with Davis near the Paradise Park Trailhead.
Eventually, around 2:45 p.m., Davis was reached by rescue teams in good condition and was able to hike back without further complications, reuniting with his family thereafter. As per the statement by the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office obtained by Fox 12 Oregon, "Davis experienced a “whiteout,” which limited visibility," attributing this as a likely cause for him getting separated from his climbing partner.
The incident sereves as a reminder to climbers about the potential dangers and unpredictable conditions that can arise even on well-traveled mountains like Mount Hood.
