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Search suspended for missing snowboarder on Mount Hood

The missing snowboarder, Ryan Mather of Aloha, was reported missing by his girlfriend on Tuesday night.

MOUNT HOOD, Ore. — Search crews have suspended search efforts for an Aloha man who was reported missing on Tuesday night after he didn't return home from a snowboarding trip to Mt. Hood Meadows, the Hood River County Sheriff's Office (HRCSO) reported.

The girlfriend of the missing snowboarder, identified as 30-year-old Ryan Mather, reported her boyfriend missing at around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. His vehicle was found at Mt. Hood Meadows on Tuesday night.

Searches from Tuesday night through Thursday afternoon were unsuccessful. Crews searched locations that can be accessed from the Shooting Star Express chair lift, Mather's last reported location. Crews also searched the black diamond and double black diamond areas around Heather Canyon and the Private Reserve, both of which were closed to the public Thursday because of a high avalanche risk.

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"Weather overnight on the mountain was warmer, with the higher elevations at Mt. Hood Meadows seeing temperatures around 40 degrees, creating less than ideal snow conditions for ground teams," Hood River County Sheriff Matt English Thursday morning. "In addition to the snow conditions, searchers are expected to face avalanche risks in much of the search area today."

Crews searched until about 5 p.m. Thursday without finding any sign of Mather. 

The sheriff's office suspended search efforts because weather overnight and into Friday is expected to create conditions too dangerous for search teams. 

"Going forward, the Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Patrol will continue search efforts to locate Mather," the sheriff's office said. 

Fourteen teams were assigned to the search earlier this week, as well as a Lakota helicopter crew from the National Guard.

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Mather's family was getting regular updates on the search from HRCSO staff, English said.

Craig Diehl was out skiing at Mt. Hood Meadows on Wednesday and witnessed some of the search efforts.

"It's unlike any other year where I've seen searchers, I've never seen so many total searchers there," Diehl said. "You can see the helicopter running grids up and down looking at it, hopefully they'll find something."

Diehl said that the area is very prone to slides, and there was an area on the mountain where a slide came down just a few weeks ago. There's always a risk of getting caught on the slopes due to slides and other dangers.

"If you're prepared, you can stay the night if you're injured — you just have to know how to shelter and hope someone comes to find you," Diehl said. "I hope for a good outcome, let's hope that individual can make it through this."

Multiple search agencies have participated in the search, including HRCSO, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Hood River Crag Rats, Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue, Portland Mountain Rescue, Corvallis Mountain Rescue, Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Patrol, Mt. Hood Meadows Public Safety and Oregon Emergency Management.

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