MISSING HIKER FOUND ALIVE - 05/14/26

Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan reports at 11:30 a.m. this morning, searchers found Jerry Highsmith alive near a trail system around Duffy Lake.  Mr. Highsmith was experiencing symptoms of exposure and was unable to walk. A helicopter from the Oregon Army National Guard is currently on scene as a plan to get Mr. Highsmith to an area hospital is underway.

The efforts to find Mr. Highsmith involved over fifty searchers, including ground searchers, drones, K-9’s and aircraft.  The Linn County Search and Rescue Team was assisted by the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association Incident Management Team, Mary’s Peak Search and Rescue, Corvallis Mountain Rescue, Deschutes County Search and Rescue, Marion County Search and Rescue, Lane County Search and Rescue, Albany Police Department, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, United States Forest Service, Willamette Valley First Responder Chaplains, Oregon Department of Emergency Management, and the Oregon Army National Guard.

Sheriff Duncan would like to thank all the agencies and organizations that helped in the search for Mr. Highsmith.  Finding Mr. Highsmith alive would not be possible without their assistance.

ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE

Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan reports last night at 5:25 p.m., dispatch received the report of an overdue hiker in the area of Big Meadows Road, east of Idanha. The caller reported her father, Jerry Highsmith, 80, from Lebanon, went backpacking near Fir Lake and planned to return home by Tuesday at 5:00 p.m., ahead of anticipated incoming weather.

Deputies responded to the area and located Mr. Highsmith's vehicle parked at the Fir Lake trailhead off Big Meadows Road. A deputy and a Search and Rescue volunteer hiked into the Fir Lake area while additional Search and Rescue resources were being activated. Despite a thorough search of the trail and area around the lake, deputies were unable to locate Mr. Highsmith.

The Linn County Sheriff's Office activated its full Search and Rescue team, deploying searchers on the trail, who conducted a search through the night under heavy rain and thunderstorm conditions. Search operations have continued without interruption and additional support from neighboring counties has been requested to assist with additional search assignments today.

Mr. Highsmith is described as an experienced hiker, and likely well prepared for a couple of nights. He’s described as 5’10”, 200 lbs with medium length gray hair. His clothing description is unknown.

The Linn County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help. If you were in the Big Meadows Road area or near Fir Lake at any point over the last several days and may have seen or spoken with Jerry Highsmith, please contact us immediately at (541) 967-3950.  Please reference case number 26-01799. Any information, no matter how small, could be critical to bringing Mr. Highsmith home safely.

Search For Missing Hiker Ramps Up (Photo) - 05/13/26

Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan reports last night at 5:25 p.m., dispatch received the report of an overdue hiker in the area of Big Meadows Road, east of Idanha. The caller reported her father, Jerry Highsmith, 80, from Lebanon, went backpacking near Fir Lake and planned to return home by Tuesday at 5:00 p.m., ahead of anticipated incoming weather.

Deputies responded to the area and located Mr. Highsmith's vehicle parked at the Fir Lake trailhead off Big Meadows Road. A deputy and a Search and Rescue volunteer hiked into the Fir Lake area while additional Search and Rescue resources were being activated. Despite a thorough search of the trail and area around the lake, deputies were unable to locate Mr. Highsmith.

The Linn County Sheriff's Office activated its full Search and Rescue team, deploying searchers on the trail, who conducted a search through the night under heavy rain and thunderstorm conditions. Search operations have continued without interruption and additional support from neighboring counties has been requested to assist with search assignments today.

Mr. Highsmith is described as an experienced hiker, and likely well prepared for a couple of nights. He’s described as 5’10”, 200 lbs with medium length gray hair. His clothing description is unknown.

The Linn County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help. If you were in the Big Meadows Road area or near Fir Lake at any point over the last several days and may have seen or spoken with Jerry Highsmith, please contact us immediately at (541) 967-3950.  Please reference case number 26-01799. Any information, no matter how small, could be critical to bringing Mr. Highsmith home safely.

53 Year Old Female Rescued From Blue Pool (Photo) - 05/04/26

Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan reports on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at 12:00 PM, Linn County dispatch received a call of an injured hiker at Blue Pool.

The patient, a 53 year old female from Terrebonne, had severely injured her knee while hiking at Blue Pool.  Due to the steep terrain and difficulties accessing the area, Linn County Search & Rescue immediately began mobilizing their technical rope rescue team.  The Upper McKenzie Rural Fire District, Lane County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, and Eugene Mountain Rescue responded and assisted in the rescue. 

Linn County SAR worked with the Oregon Department of Emergency Management to coordinate support from the United States Coast Guard with a helicopter.  SAR members prepared the patient for helicopter transport and the Coast Guard operated a hoist-rescue.  The Coast Guard transported the patient to a nearby airfield where she was transported by the Sweet Home Fire District to the Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend in Springfield. 

During this call, a separate SAR incident was reported in the Pamelia Lake area of Linn County, and Sheriff Duncan would like to thank the Marion County Sheriff’s Office SAR team for handling this call.