Missing hiker’s body found across river from where shoes were left, Oregon cops say

A missing hiker’s body was found across the river from where his shoes were left behind days earlier, Oregon deputies said.

Christopher Smaka, a 53-year-old from Portland, left Monday, July 11, to go on a hike in the Gordon Creek area, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office said. He wasn’t planning to camp overnight, but he never came home.

The next day, deputies got a call reporting Smaka missing. Officials started looking for Smaka and found his car.

“On the riverbank, searchers located Smaka’s personal belongings, including his identification and a pair of shoes,” deputies said in a news release. “Ground searchers fanned out along the riverbank.”

More than two dozen people scoured the area for days, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. Search and rescue crews didn’t find Smaka or any additional belongings.

On Thursday, July 14, officials suspended their search.

Days later, deputies received a 911 call from someone who reported seeing a body on the Sandy River.

On Monday, July 18, Smaka’s body was found and recovered, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said.

“Rescue crews … rafted to the location from Dodge Park to recover Mr. Smaka’s body, which was floating in a deep-pool section of the Sandy River -- across the river from where searchers had located Mr. Smaka’s belongings,” deputies said in a news release.

The body was taken to the county medical examiner’s office for official identification.

This story was originally published July 20, 2022 at 11:27 AM with the headline "Missing hiker’s body found across river from where shoes were left, Oregon cops say."