Rescue Team Finds Body of Missing Climber Near Colchuck Peak

LEAVENWORTH, Wash. (AP) — Authorities have located the body of a Portland, Oregon, man who went missing during a planned climb of Colchuck Peak last fall.

Chelan County Sheriff Brian Burnett said Monday that a Chelan County Mountain Rescue team found 33-year-old Adam Ochshorn Saturday below the northwest buttress adjacent to Colchuck Peak in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

The experienced climber has been missing since Nov. 29 when he failed to return from a solo climb. Previous searches and attempts to find him were not successful.

Sgt. Kent Sisson says a helicopter flying on an unrelated mission Sept. 6 spotted a faded orange object in the rocks at about 6,500 foot. A rescue team later hiked and climbed into the area and confirmed it was Ochshorn's climbing pack but did not find him.

The team tried again Saturday, looking above where his pack was found.

Authorities are working on a plan to recover his body from the steep slope.