Account
Mar 20, 2013
Jan 05, 2024
Ronald
Ohm
64
52
71 inches
140 lbs
White / Caucasian
Male
On a Thursday in early August of 2012, 52-year-old Ronald Allen Ohm ventured into the Mount Jefferson Wilderness in Oregon for a hiking trip with two friends. An experienced hiker who was familiar with the area, Ronald and his companions departed from the Breitenbush Lake campground trailhead with the intention of spending the weekend at Russell Lake. On August 9, 2012, while on a ridge above the lake, Ronald, a male with brown hair and hazel eyes, told his friends he wanted to stay behind for a while to take some photographs. He was equipped for several days in the wilderness, carrying a blue and red internal frame backpack, a tent, and a sleeping bag, and was wearing a light blue long-sleeve shirt, blue jeans, light beige hat, and hiking boots. His friends went ahead to set up camp at the lake, but Ronald never arrived. After Ronald failed to show up at the campsite that evening, his friends began to search for him on Friday. When their efforts proved unsuccessful, they hiked out of the area that evening to alert authorities. This initiated a comprehensive six-day search for the missing hiker. The Marion County Sheriff's Office led the effort, which soon expanded to include searchers from Linn, Benton, Deschutes, Lane, and Polk Counties, as well as Portland Mountain Rescue. The extensive search operation utilized crews on foot, on horseback, and in SUVs and ATVs, concentrating on the terrain between Russell, Scout, and Bays lakes. The Oregon Army National Guard and the Civil Air Patrol provided air support, flying helicopters and a Cessna 182 aircraft for many hours to scan the rugged landscape from above, but no trace of Ronald was found. Fliers with his information were also posted at various trailheads and along the Pacific Crest Trail in an attempt to reach other hikers who might have seen him. Despite the massive and prolonged search efforts involving over two hundred people who dedicated approximately 3,500 hours, no sign of Ronald or his equipment has ever been discovered. It was known that he had a medical condition that required daily medication, and he had brought a four-day supply with him. The area where he went missing has non-existent cell phone coverage, which prevented any attempts to locate him via his phone. The complete absence of any clues, such as his remains, clothing, or well-equipped backpack, has left his family and investigators with unanswered questions. The case remains a perplexing mystery, a story of an experienced outdoorsman who seemingly vanished from a remote Oregon wilderness without a trace.
Aug 09, 2012
Brietenbush
Oregon
Marion County
No
13293
Marion County Sheriff's Office
Salem
Oregon
Marion County
97301
Melissa Ferron
Detective Administrative Specialist
100 High Street Northeast, Oregon
5035885094
County
Law Enforcement
12-14414
2012-08-10
Marion County Sheriff's Office
Brown
Hazel
Hazel
05/29/2026
