SKAMANIA COUNTY, Wash. — Remains believed to belong to a hiker who went missing in 2013 in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in eastern Skamania County have been found, according to the Skamania County Sheriff's Office.
The Sheriff's Office said a hiker walking in the Big Lava Bed within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in eastern Skamania County reported coming across human remains on Aug. 10.
The hiker found a human skull and was able to track the GPS coordinates of the location of the remains. Then on Aug. 15, the hiker went with a Skamania County Sergeant back to the scene to recover the skull, according to the sheriff's office.
The preliminary investigation found that the remains may belong to a hiker who went missing in 2013. At the time, the missing hiker was last seen in the Big Lava Bed, and after many coordinated search efforts was never found.
The Skamania County Sheriff's Office said the skull and other remains found at the location were taken to the Clark County Medical Examiner's Office to be officially identified.
The sheriff's office said no current risk to the public has been identified, and this is an active investigation.
