Marion County Sheriff's Search and Rescue

08/20/2026

Update: LOCATED around 3:30am.

Search and Rescue teams are actively looking for a missing 71 year old male in South Salem. Please follow the Salem Police Department for updates and more information.

08/12/2026

The Marion County Sheriff's Office is recruiting youth members to join the search and rescue team! More information is available by following the links below.

Applications are open for our MCSO Search and Rescue Youth Program!

Applicants must be between the ages of 14-18 years old, with a minimum school GPA of 2.0.

Learn more at https://www.co.marion.or.us/SO/Enforcement/Pages/searchrescue.aspx?utm_source=social&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=Recruitment&utm_content=ap_qed1prszmy and apply at https://www.co.marion.or.us/SO/jointheteam/Documents/Volunteer%20Application%20fillable%2007012024.pdf?utm_source=social&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=Recruitment&utm_content=ap_dhrssbl4cd

07/10/2026

We are excited to announce the rescue of the missing camper from the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness area.

So many volunteers, agencies, and community members deserve thanks for the important role in working together to make this mission safe and successful. We'll try to follow up with a post tagging many of them, but for now wanted to share the good news!

07/08/2026

SAR teams are actively searching for a missing hiker in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness.

Missing Camper – Community Assistance Requested

The Marion County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue (SAR) team is actively searching for 68-year-old John Nelson, who was reported overdue after a camping trip in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness near Russell Lake.

John was reported overdue by a family friend shortly after noon on July 7.

He is described as:
• 68 years old
• 6’1”
• Approximately 200 pounds
• Last seen wearing a light blue jacket, jeans, and carrying a light blue day pack

We are asking anyone who has been in the area over the past several days to please take a moment to think back and contact us if you saw John or noticed anything that may assist search teams please contact the Marion County Dispatch Center at 503-588-5032.

Our Search and Rescue volunteers and partner agencies are actively searching the area. Please allow our teams to conduct their operations safely and avoid entering the search area at this time.

Please share this post to help reach hikers, campers, and anyone who may have been in the area recently.

Thank you for your assistance and support.

07/04/2026

Just before 4th of July weekend our team was called for a special rescue request for a 4-legged patient, named Sabbath, near Ollalie Butte in eastern Marion County. Without hesitation our Hasty Team sprung to action and within hours were on scene to render aid.

Sabbath enjoyed his ride down the mountain on our new titanium litter, designed to be lightweight for backcountry rescues like these.

07/03/2026

Last night, SAR volunteers responded to a pup in need. A steep hike to near Ollalie Butte last night ended with the successful rescue of an injured Husky!

As the summer months get hotter, please plan accordingly and ensure both you, your party, and pets all have plenty of water, a plan to set up shade, and know how long and how much elevation is in your route. Backcountry hikes can look deceptively easy online.

Thank you to all the volunteers who give their time and resources to help others, and pets in need. 🐕

06/22/2026

Another successful rescue by our team of volunteers. Great job to everyone involved!

06/11/2026

We're excited to welcome 19 new SAR members to the team!

05/18/2026

We are incredibly greatful to the many search and rescue volunteers, Sheriff's Office overhead team, and all their families for the countless hours of time given to trainings, missions, and all the behind the scenes time spent being prepared for when the call for help comes in. Our volunteers are highly dedicated to their work and give so much to their communities! We really can't thank them enough.

05/15/2026

We're happy to report the missing man in Linn County was found safe by searchers this afternoon in the area near Duffy Lake. He was air lifted and his belongings recovered. Our volunteers are returning home this evening after a long day of hiking over 12 miles today with rescue gear.

Thank you to everyone who helped with this rescue and for all the partnering teams and agencies for coming together to make this another successful mission.

UPDATE: MISSING HIKER FOUND ALIVE

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.