Missing Ohio hiker found alive on flank of Mount St. Helens
An Ohio man has been found alive and in good condition on a flank of Mount St. Helens, nearly one week after he set out on a day hike and failed to return, authorities said Wednesday.
Rescuers found Matthew B. Matheny, 40, of Warren, Ohio, on a flank of the volcano in the Cascade Mountains of Washington state, the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office said in an email. Matheny was conscious and talking and did not appear to have suffered any life-threatening injuries, but he was flown to a hospital in a helicopter as a precaution.
Friends last saw Matheny on Aug. 9, when he borrowed a car and headed to Blue Lake Trail on the southwest side of St. Helens. They reported him missing after he failed to return, prompting an extensive search. A sheriff’s deputy found the borrowed Subaru Outback at the trailhead on Saturday.
About 30 search-and-rescue personnel, assisted by helicopters, tracking dogs and a drone operated by the sheriff’s office, had been searching for Matheny daily. Matheny’s friends and family also have been at the search scene. His parents headed from the base camp to the hospital to see him, wrote Charlie Rosenzweig, chief criminal deputy for Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office.
Searchers on Tuesday decided to focus on a 1-square-mile (2.6-square-kilometer) area based on cellphone signals and a computer model that sought to predict Matheny’s movements.
According to the Washington Trails Association, Blue Lake Trail is a short walk through meadows and tall fir trees to Blue Lake. Beyond the lake, hikers can access other trails and ridges, leading to views of Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams.
