Two Oregon men found dead while searching for Sasquatch

Two men were found dead in a remote forest while searching for Sasquatch, according to Washington state authorities.

The two men from Portland, Oregon, were found dead after a three-day search was launched on Christmas Day after a family member reported that the couple had not returned from a trip to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

The “grueling” search involved more than 60 volunteers searching with planes and dogs in “heavily wooded” terrain and brutally cold weather conditions, the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

“Both deaths appear to be due to exposure, based on weather conditions and poor preparation,” the statement said.

The sheriff’s office found a car belonging to the victims near the town of Willard, according to the release, and the search was redirected to that area. Drones were also used and a Coast Guard helicopter team was called in to assist with the search.

Authorities have not provided the names of the two victims, ages 37 and 59.

Weather conditions in the Cascade Mountains had been frigid in the days leading up to and during the search, including snow, freezing rain and freezing temperatures.

Rescuers also had to battle high water levels in the rivers and fallen trees.

Hundreds of sightings of Sasquatch, also commonly known as Bigfoot, have been reported in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and western Canada. Along with the Loch Ness monster, the creature is one of the most famous cryptids in the world.

There have been so many alleged sightings that some communities have taken steps to protect the furry mythical creature.

In Skamania County, harming a Sasquatch carries a fine of 1,000 dollars and one year in prison. The law, initially passed in 1969, was intended to protect both sasquatch hunters and elk hunters with especially large baleen, according to the Skamania Chamber of Commerce.