Climber found dead on Mount Hood
MOUNT HOOD, Ore. – A climber missing on Mount Hood was found dead soon after morning search efforts began Tuesday, search team members said.
Jared Townsley, 32, left Timberline Lodge at midnight Monday intending to reach the summit. He signed the climbing registry when he left, but did not sign back in to indicate his return. He was an experienced mountain climber.
Tuesday morning, search crews headed back up the mountain and said they found tracks in the snow below where Townsley was last seen near Crater Rock.
Townsley slid down into White River Canyon, Deputy Scott Meyers with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office said. His body was found at the end of the slide.
Shortly after Townsley's remains were located, his family released this statement through the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office:
"Townsley's family issued a statement thanking all the people involved in the search and asked that members of the media respect their privacy while they grieve their loss.
His father, Gregg Townsley, said that Jared was a skilled climber who had summited Hood at least a dozen times, including a half-dozen solo climbs.
Jared Townsley, 32, was married and had two children. He and his wife, Charlotte, lived in Tigard.
His older brother, Joshua Townsley of Portland, is executive director of the Evergreen office of Habitat for Humanity in Vancouver, Wash. His sister, Rachel Stramel of Cornelius, is pastor of the Orenco Presbyterian Church. The Townsley family has no further comment at this time."
Search team members carried his remains off the mountain, according to KATU News reporter Bob Heye.
Several searchers had spent the night on the mountain Monday after looking for Townsley and were joined by more searchers Tuesday morning. A Black Hawk helicopter crew also arrived at about 8:15 a.m. to search for Townsley from the air.
Twenty searchers in total looked for Townsley on Tuesday morning. The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office said search conditions included snow and ice near where Townsley was found.
Townsley was expected to be at a meeting at 11 a.m. Monday but never arrived. He was reported as missing to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office just before 2 p.m.
Other climbers spotted him around 8:30 in the morning Monday near Crater Rock, just below the summit. He appeared to be on his way down. He was found dead near that area.
Townsley's website features numerous photos of mountain climbing.
KATU News reporters Anita Kissée and Bob Heye contributed to this report.
