Climber's body found

MIDDLE SISTER: Benjamin Newkirk, the 39-year-old climber from Bend, Oregon, was found deceased late this morning (11/16) after a multi-day search that was complicated by extreme weather.

Newkirk was climbing the Middle Sister with another climber when he fell off the west side of the south-east ridge of the mountain on Wednesday, November 12th, at approximately 10:00 pm.

The search team today included 15 volunteers total from Eugene Mountain Rescue and Corvallis Mountain Rescue, two Incident Command staff in Bend assisting with communications, and Command staff managing the mission from Eugene.

Knowledge of the mountain terrain as well aircraft surveillance assisted in locating Newkirk, who was found approximately 800-900 feet below where he fell.  Once located, Search and Rescue personnel performed a technical recovery using ropes and other equipment to transport Newkirk 6/10th of a mile to an area where he could be transported back to Eugene to a Medical Examiner.  Newkirk is reported to have been an experienced climber.

McKenzie River Reflections