Found Deceased OR - Riley Zickel, 21, hiker, Mount Jefferson, 30 July 2016

[KingOfTheSleuths]

The body of a 21-year-old man was found Tuesday on Mount Jefferson after he disappeared three years ago, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.

Riley Zickel was reported missing July 30, 2016 after he didn’t return from an overnight hike in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness area.

More than 300 searchers spent about 5,000 hours over seven days searching 350 square miles of the Willamette National Forest and the Jefferson Wilderness.

Deputies said they were contacted about three weeks ago by climbers who told them they thought they had spotted Zickel’s body in a glacial area above Jefferson Park on Mount Jefferson.

Deputies said Tuesday’s recovery was challenging because of the steepness of the terrain, loose rock and rock avalanches.

Zickel’s father, Robin, came up from California and was at the trailhead when searchers brought his son out of the wilderness area.

Body of missing Portland hiker found after three years

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

lots of missing hikers this summer - and lots of skeptics who assume foul play when no body is found right away. Glad this family got "closure" - can't imagine not knowing.

 

[GraceG]

Some of my family out West kept a lookout for him while hiking in the area when he went missing. I am so glad his family has closure and can bring him home to rest. Rest in Peace Riley. You were an inspiration.

 

[KingOfTheSleuths]

Some of my family out West kept a lookout for him while hiking in the area when he went missing. I am so glad his family has closure and can bring him home to rest. Rest in Peace Riley. You were an inspiration.

I’m thankful for people like your family. Quite a bit of these solo hikers can go missing and SAR can’t even locate them. After SAR concludes their efforts without success, it’s the hikers that typically find the missing. It’s hikers like your family that help bring peace to these families.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Zickel’s father, Robin Zickel, was waiting at the trailhead as the remains were brought out of the wilderness. Along with a positive identification, the Zickel family and law enforcement officials are awaiting word on his cause of death.

Foul play is not suspected, authorities said. The condition of Riley Zickel's remains was not made public.

Once the remains are conclusively identified, Robin Zickel will bring his son’s body home to Sebastopol, a city about 8 miles outside of Santa Rosa in Sonoma County.
Missing hiker’s body found in mountain glacier 3 years after he went m

 

[Catmommy]

You've finally come back home. RIP Riley. May your loved ones know some peace with you being found.

 

[JerseyGirl]

3 years later, missing Sebastopol hiker's family gets closure