By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Volunteers on horseback are looking for a 79-year-old Tacoma man who got separated and lost from his family yesterday while picking mushrooms near Randle.
He was with two family members off Forest Road 26 near Strawberry Mountain about 10 miles south of Randle at 10:30 a.m. yesterday; the family called for assistance about 3 p.m. after looking for him, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
“When they could not find him they returned to their car and waited,” Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown stated in a news release. “When he didn’t return to the car they began searching for him but were still unable to find him.”
Temperatures reached 32 degrees in the area last night, according to Brown.
The missing man had a backpack with water but was not prepared for an overnight stay, she said. The family said he is an experienced hiker.
Packwood Search and Rescue along with Cascade Dogs searched for him until about midnight, according to the sheriff’s office.
Lewis County Posse’s horse team and citizen ham radio operators are at the scene this morning searching, Brown said.
Volunteer search and rescue groups from Thurston and Cowlitz counties are en route to assist, according to Brown.
Kirotv.com identifies the missing man as Dapeng Yang.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter