SKAMANIA COUNTY, Wash. — Two men who were found dead inside Gifford Pinchot National Forest likely died of exposure, the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office reported.
The men went out searching for Sasquatch and planned to return home on Christmas Eve, the sheriff’s office reported. When they didn’t come home, a family member reported them missing on Christmas Day.
Sasquatch is a folkloric beast thought by some to roam the forests, particularly in the Pacific Northwest.
After a three-day search that included 60 volunteers, including canine, drone and ground searching teams, the two men, who were 59 and 37 years old, were found dead in a heavily wooded area.
The sheriff’s office said both men appear to have died “due to exposure, based on weather conditions and ill-preparedness.”
“The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of the loved ones lost in this tragic incident,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
After the report about the two missing men came in, footage from a Flock camera was accessed, which helped the sheriff’s office find the men’s vehicle near Willard, Washington. Crews then searched for the men for three days. They received an air asset from the U.S. Coast Guard out of Astoria to help in the search, which was conducted by crews over challenging terrain and in bad weather, including freezing temperatures, snow, high water levels and heavy rain, the sheriff’s office said.
Agencies that participated in the search included the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, Silver Star Search and Rescue, P.N.W. Search and Rescue, Crag Rats, Wasco County Search and Rescue and the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.