A Yamhill mushroom picker was located about 8:30 a.m. Saturday after spending a cold Friday night lost in the woods in the Camp Dakota area, near Scotts Mills in northern Marion County.

Lt. Sheila Lorance of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office identified the man as Kenneth Ray Gibson, 62, of 17117 Old Railroad Grade Road. He was uninjured, but cold, wet and thirsty.

Gibson was transported by Woodburn Fire District ambulance to Silverton Hospital for observation.
“He was not dressed or prepared to be out overnight,” Lorance said. “His body temperature was pretty low when he was found.

“He only had jeans and a cotton jacket on. It rained throughout the night. He was really ill-prepared.”

Lorance said Gibson and a friend, Georgina Harrison of Aurora, started picking mushrooms about 2 p.m. Friday. The pair became separated about half an hour later.

When Harrison returned to the car, Gibson was nowhere to be found. She waited three hours, then called the sheriff’s office, triggering a search.

More than 40 sheriff’s deputies and search and rescue personnel mounted the search. Rescuers made voice contact with Gibson about 8:30 a.m., but it took them several hours to get him out.

Gibson told searchers he had become disoriented.

After darkness set in, he began alternately walking and crawling. He slept for only about two hours.
Lorance said Gibson was apparently looking for mushrooms he could pick for personal use, but didn’t have much luck.

“If you’re going out into the wilderness, you should always be prepared,” she said, “even if you’re only going to be out for a few hours. She suggested packing a first aid kit, cell phone, flashlight and space blanket, along with some food and water.