John Arum, the lawyer representing various environmental groups involved with the 1994 Settlement Agreement that is currently challenging the CalPortland mine expansion in DuPont was reported missing in the North Cascades on Monday, August 30.  Sadly, John’s body was found late Friday on the north slope of Storm King Mountain by National Park Service rangers. They were conducting an aerial search along the “fall line” below the location where his waist pack was found yesterday. While previous flights had been made in this area, recent snow melt made it possible to locate his body late this afternoon. This location was approximately 300 feet below where the waist pack was found. National Park Rescue personnel are in the process of evaluating recovery options which are complicated due to steep, technical and unstable terrain.

The 49-year old mountaineer was reported missing after planning to solo climb Storm King Mountain on Saturday, August 28. Fifty personnel from the National Park Service, Chelan Mountain Rescue, Stehekin Community and the King County Sheriff’s Office conducted ground and aerial searches over steep and difficult terrain covering a 1500-acre search area. A backpack belonging to Arum was found Wednesday by a ground search team at 7400-foot elevation directly below Storm King Mountain’s 8500-foot summit. A waist pack belonging to Arum was found by an aerial search team on Thursday at 8000-foot elevation.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and colleagues during this very difficult time.