News Release from: Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office
FINAL UPDATE: Sheriff's Office coordinates recovery of bodies of lost Mt. Hood hikers
Posted: Aug. 23-24, 2010, 4:25 p.m.
FINAL UPDATE: Aug. 26, 2010, 7:38 p.m.
Thanks to the efforts of Portland Mountain Rescue, Mountain Wave Emergency Communications, the 304th Air Force Reserve and the Army National Guard Air Unit, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue Team successfully recovered the bodies of two missing climbers from Mt. Hood today (Thursday, Aug. 26).
The Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office has confirmed the identities of the two bodies as the remains of Anthony Vietti and Katie Nolan.
Mr. Vietti and Ms. Nolan have been missing since Dec. 11, 2009, when they went climbing on Mt. Hood with Luke Gullberg.
Luke Gullberg's body was recovered in December 2009, during the initial search effort. Mr. Vietti and Ms. Nolan were not located until this week.
The remains of Vietti and Nolan were discovered near each other -- but were not found in a snow cave or shelter.
The Medical Examiner has not yet determined the cause of death. Search-team members carefully documented the scene with photographs and video of the area, the two recovered bodies, and Vietti and Nolan's equipment -- paying specific attention to climbing gear, harnesses, ropes, crampons and the like.
The Sheriff's Office and the Medical Examiner's Office will continue to investigate the events surrounding this climbing incident.
The families of the missing climbers were present on Mt. Hood today when the bodies of their loved ones were recovered. They prepared a statement of gratitude to share with the public, which reads as follows:
"We, the families of Luke Gullberg, Katie Nolan and Anthony Vietti, want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, the recovery teams, and all the individuals involved in the recovery of their bodies. We are all so proud of this group of highly skilled and dedicated professionals. We deeply appreciate their care, concern and compassion shown to us during this difficult time. The grace of God has carried us through this difficult time in our lives. The prayers and encouragement of so many people have sustained us. Thank you all so much."
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UPDATE: Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010, 9:30 a.m.
Search teams have reached the location of the human remains, above 9,700 feet at the Reid Head Wall on the north side of Mt. Hood.
During an initial search of the area immediately surrounding the subject's remains, a Portland Mountain Rescue team located the remains of a second subject.
The location, condition and proximity of the two subjects are consistent with two climbers missing in that area since December 2009, Anthony Vietti and Katie Nolan.
However, neither subject has yet been positively identified.
The field teams are continuing to investigate the scene, and will soon begin the removal and transport of the both subjects. Positive identification will be performed by the Clackamas County Medical Examiner.
The area of operations in which these subjects were located is extremely hazardous due to rock and ice fall as well as the steep terrain, loose footing and high elevation. These conditions will require extra safety measures and precautions during the long process of recovering the unidentified remains.
UPDATE: Aug. 26, 5:45 a.m.
The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Team -- along with members of Portland Mountain Rescue, Mountain Wave Emergency Communications, American Medical Response's Reach And Treat (RAT) team, the Army National Guard, 304th Air Rescue, and Timberline Lodge have started the operation to investigate and recover human remains found on Mt. Hood.
Updates will be provided as the recovery effort continues throughout the day.
A command post has been established in the day-use area at Timberline Lodge. The Public Information Officer for this operation can be contacted at the command post.
The human remains have not yet been positively identified.
This area -- above the timberline of Mt. Hood -- is very dangerous, and requires specific technical equipment and expertise to access.
Update (Aug. 24, 2:17 p.m.):
Based on the body's location and search efforts by Portland Mountain Rescue, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue Team suspects that the discovered remains belong to Anthony Vietti, missing since Dec. 11, 2009.
The Sheriff's Office stresses that the remains have yet to be positively identified.
The recovery of the remains will be happening in the near future --with priority placed on the safety of those involved.
EARLIER (Aug. 23, 2010, 4:25 p.m.):
The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue team is planning an operation to investigate and recover human remains located by members of Portland Mountain Rescue in a remote area of Mt. Hood.
Those remains have not yet been positively identified.
This area -- located above the timberline of Mt. Hood -- is very dangerous and requires specific technical equipment and expertise to access.
This investigation and recovery operation is in its planning stage, with the priority placed on the safety of those involved in this operation -- which will occur in the near future based upon availability of personnel and appropriate weather conditions.
Involved in the recovery operation will be volunteers from Portland Mountain Rescue and Mountain Wave Emergency Communications, among others.
As these plans are finalized and the operation begins, further updates will be provided.
Contact Info: When the operation is launched, Lt. Shane Strangfield will be the point of contact, and his contact information will be provided to media outlets at that time.
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