On 2-13-24 at 4:30pm, the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (SAR) responded to a report of a missing snowmobiler who had become separated from his group while riding in the Crater Lake National Park. The missing man was identified as Eduardo Magana, age 38, from Winchester, Oregon. He was operating a rental snowmobile from the Diamond Lake Resort when he took a wrong turn near the rim of Crater Lake. After several miles of backcountry riding the snowmobile became stuck in the snow and he was unable to free it. On a cell phone,with a dying battery, he spoke to rescuers and advised them he was not dressed for the weather, was cold, and wasn’t sure where he was. 

Klamath County SAR and the North County SAR team began a search assisted by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office SAR. The missing man was located near midnight on Rim Drive in a hypothermic state. He was transported off of the mountain by a Sno-Cat provided by Douglas County SAR and then transported to Roseburg for medical attention. 

The temperature at the time the man was located was 19 degrees with an unknown windchill factor.


An approaching storm further complicated the search.

The Sheriff’s Office offers their thanks and appreciation for the SAR volunteers from both Klamath and Douglas County who provide a great service to their community and spent most of the night saving this man’s life.

Via KCSO Press Release