Search for sasquatch on Christmas claims lives of 2 Portland men

For three grueling days, search teams battled freezing temperatures, snow, high water levels, heavy rain, and thick forest terrain.

In a sad conclusion to a three-day search, two Portland men were found dead in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest after a mission to locate sasquatch turned fatal. The Skamania County Sheriff's Office reported that the men, aged 59 and 37, were discovered in a heavily wooded area, having succumbed to exposure due to harsh weather conditions and inadequate preparation.

In the early morning hours of Dec. 25, the Skamania County dispatch received a report of two men who had set out on a quest to find the legendary sasquatch and were expected to return home by Dec. 24. When the men did not arrive as planned, a concerned family member reported them missing.

Sasquatch, commonly known as "Bigfoot," is a hairy figure resembling a human that is thought to live in northwestern parts of the United States and Canada. Bigfoot's existence has been debated for decades, with numerous reported sightings of the creature. More than 700 reports of Bigfoot in Washington state have been submitted to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization, the group says.

Using footage from a recently installed Flock camera - which is a license plate reader that connects to a vast network of other cameras - officials located the missing men's vehicle off Oklahoma Road near Willard, Washington. This crucial piece of information set off an intensive search operation involving over 60 volunteer personnel, including canine units, drone teams, ground searchers and air support from the United States Coast Guard based in Astoria, Oregon.

The area had recently experienced faced rounds of snow and rain with temperatures in the 30s across the Cascades. The search for the men also took place amid "difficult terrain and harsh weather conditions" as crews faced conditions such as "freezing temperatures, snow, high water levels," law enforcement said.

For three grueling days, search teams battled the elements in hopes of finding the men. Despite their exhaustive efforts, the men were ultimately found dead.

"Both deaths appear to be due to exposure, based on weather conditions and ill-preparedness," the Skamania County Sheriff's office said while thanking the volunteers who sacrificed time away from their families during Christmas to assist our agency with this mission.

"These phenomenal volunteers also fought through freezing temperatures, snow, high water levels, heavy rain, downfall and heavily wooded terrain. Their exhaustive search efforts resulted in bringing family members home to their loved ones."

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