Mountain biker reported missing in Oregon, search efforts underway

An avid mountain biker has been reported missing in Oregon after not returning from a planned biking trip near Mount Hood on Friday, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.

Ralph Sawyer, 52, was reported missing on Friday at approximately 10:30 p.m. after he had left home that morning for a mountain biking trip and had not returned home at the expected time of 8:30 p.m., officials said in a statement on Sunday.

“A search and rescue mission was immediately launched to locate him,” the sheriff’s office said.

Sawyer, who has a “long history of mountain biking in the area and is familiar with the terrain,” has not been locate, with officials entering their third day of search efforts on Monday, the sheriff’s office said.

Officials were able to locate Sawyer’s vehicle, a blue Kia Soul, at 12:15 a.m. on Saturday. His cellphone was also found inside the vehicle, officials said.

Officials said the search for Sawyer has been centered along East Still Creed Road to Veda Lake and Kinzel Lake, along with the United States Forest Service roads around Trillium Lake, which is about 40 miles southeast of Portland.

On Saturday, nearly 40 people were involved in the search for Sawyer, while around 70 were mobilized on Sunday, officials said.

ATVs, canine units and drones have also been utilized in the search efforts, officials said.

Sawyer, who is described as 6 feet, 1 inch tall with brown hair, was last seen wearing an orange bike helmet, blue shirt and black bike shorts, officials said.