Oregon men search for Sasquatch, die in Washington forest

PORTLAND, Oregon (KOIN) -- Two Portland men searching for Sasquatch and missing since early Christmas morning were found dead in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest - likely from exposure and being ill-prepared, officials said.

The search for the men, 59 and 37, began around 1 a.m. on Christmas Day after a family member reported them missing, the Skamania County Sheriff's Office posted on their Facebook page. Authorities said Flock camera footage spotted their car near Willard, Washington.

For the next three days "over difficult terrain and harsh weather conditions," sixty volunteer search-and-rescue personnel looked for the pair on the ground and by air. Their bodies were found "in a heavily wooded area" of the forest and officials said both deaths "appear to be due to exposure, based on weather conditions and ill-preparedness."

Gifford Pinchot National Forest is about 150 miles northeast of Portland.

The search-and-rescue efforts involved the sheriff's offices in Skamania, Klickitat, Wasco and Hood River, plus search-and-rescue teams from Silver Star, PNW, Crag Rats and the US Coast Guard.

"The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office extends our deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of the loved ones lost in this tragic incident," authorities said.

The names of the men have not been released.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.