UPDATE: Climber who died on Mount Hood was a 30-year-old Portlander

Published 1:00 pm Monday, January 26, 2026

First responders have identified the man who died on Mount Hood after a climbing fall.

The victim was Thomas Nathan Hostetler, 30, of Portland. Witnesses said he was climbing Mount Hood Sunday morning, Jan. 25, near the Devil’s Kitchen area, which is a challenging, technical route up the mountain’s south side. Hostetler appeared to lose his footing and fall nearly 300 feet.

Other climbers in the area were able to reach Hostetler around 9:45 a.m. while calling 911. They attempted life-saving measures, but he died at the scene.

Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Search & Rescue responded, along with Portland Mountain Rescue and American Medical Response’s Reach and Treat Team. A recovery mission was conducted. His body was transported to Timberline Lodge, where the Clackamas County Medical Examiner assisted with the investigation.