Officials identified a 33-year-old Ridgefield man as the hiker found dead Friday near a trail on Mount Hood in Oregon.
The Clackamas County, Ore., Sheriff’s Office on Saturday identified James Robert Macdonald as the hiker.
Macdonald’s family reported him missing about 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6. They said he was overdue for what was supposed to be a day hike, and they hadn’t heard from him since about 2 p.m. that day. He was an experienced hiker but didn’t have equipment to stay overnight, according to the sheriff’s office.
Clackamas County Search & Rescue volunteers found what they believed were Macdonald’s tracks in the snow, which the sheriff’s office said prompted an extensive search in the area.
Multiple agencies joined the search, including a helicopter from the Oregon National Guard, a fixed-wing plane from the Hood River County (Ore.) Sheriff’s Office and drones.
A team from Portland Mountain Rescue eventually found Macdonald dead about 10:30 a.m. Friday near Hidden Lake Trail. The sheriff’s office said his death did not appear to be suspicious. The Clackamas County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause of death.
A GoFundMe created by Mcdonald’s family remembers him as a “devoted husband and wonderful father” of four. The fundraiser also states he was in his last year of residency in radiology.
“He was kind, warm and loving,” the fundraiser states. “A hard-working, brilliant physician, and a man who loved his family more than anything.”
As of Tuesday morning, the GoFundMe had more than $115,000 of its $130,000 goal. The fundraiser can be found at gofund.me/1f62b8dc.
