The search for the Gresham mountain biker, 52-year-old Ralph Sawyer, now intensifying after he went missing near Mount Hood last Friday, continues into its third day, with concerns growing as time passes. As reported by KGW, Sawyer, an experienced biker who is well-acquainted with the local trails, was expected back home by 8:30 p.m. on Friday but failed to return, leading to the notification of the sheriff's office post 10:30 p.m. that same night.
Efforts to locate him have escalated, with KOIN detailing the deployment of technical rope teams to navigate the steep, rugged terrain while drones scan the vast expanses and an Oregon National Guard helicopter buzzes overhead. The searchers found Sawyer’s blue Kia Soul containing his cell phone shortly after midnight on Saturday, adding to the urgency of the search as these personal belongings hint at his sudden and unexplained disappearance.
Resources and manpower have been poured into the extensive search operation, as per the details shared by KATU, a collective of search and rescue teams including Clackamas County Search and Rescue, Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue, Portland Mountain Rescue, Mountain Wave Emergency Communications, and Hood River Crag Rats have banded together in the quest to find Sawyer.
Authorities are asking the public to share any information that could help in the search for Sawyer. Tips can be reported to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 503-723-4949 or through their online email form.
