08/22/2024
On 08/10/2024, a hiker recreating in the Big Lava Bed, located within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in eastern Skamania County reported locating human remains. The hiker found a human skull and captured the G.P.S. coordinates of the location. A deputy responded to the location the next day but was unable to locate the skull reported. The hiker volunteered to return to the area, accompanied by a Skamania County Sergeant, and the skull was recovered on 08/15/2024. Based on the preliminary investigation, it is believed the remains belong to a hiker that went missing in 2013. The missing hiker was last observed in the Big Lava Bed and, after numerous coordinated search efforts, was never located. The skull, along with other remains located in the area, was transported to the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office for definitive identification. This is an on-going investigation and no risk to the public has been identified.