By STEVEN DUBOIS
Associated Press Writer
PORTLAND, Ore. — Search crews on Mount Hood believe they have found the remains of two climbers missing and presumed dead since December.
A Portland Mountain Rescue team discovered a second body early Thursday while trying to recover remains spotted a few days earlier.
Clackamas County Sheriff’s Lt. Shane Strangfield said “all the evidence” leads authorities to think the remains are those of Katie Nolan, 29, of Portland, and Anthony Vietti, 25, of Longview, Wash.
The remains were discovered on the north side of the mountain.
The area — above 9,700 feet — is marked by ice, rocks, loose footing and steep terrain, so it was a slow process getting the remains off the mountain.
A medical examiner took possession Thursday afternoon and positive identifications are expected by Friday.
Autopsies will also be performed.
“We all want to know what went wrong or what happened, so we’re going to take all the information to try to figure that out,” Strangfield said.
Nolan and Vietti were in a party of three reported missing during an attempt to climb the 11,239-foot peak on Dec. 11. Searchers found one climber, Luke Gullberg, dead from hypothermia on Dec. 12.
Authorities ended the search for Nolan and Vietti four days later.
The remains were located in an area near where Gullberg’s body was found. Other evidence that suggests the remains are those of the missing climbers include clothing, condition of the bodies and their proximity to each other, Strangfield said.
Relatives of Nolan and Vietti traveled to the area and were in contact with authorities throughout the day.
Memorial services for the climbers were held in December. Nolan and Vietti were described as avid climbers who were deeply religious.
Mount Hood, the tallest mountain in Oregon, is a popular climbing site that has seen dozens of accidents and fatalities.
