Hiker Finds Remains Believed to Be Missing Climber
Remains found on South Sister last month are believed to belong to Corwin Osborne, who vanished in the Three Sisters Wilderness in 2001.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Hiking
A traveling physical therapist and backcountry athlete, Sam Stevens, found human remains on South Sister last month while changing to a little-traveled trail. Stevens reportedly found identification with the remains belonging to Corwin Osborne, and the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office awaits medical examiner confirmation.
Why it matters
The discovery brings closure to a 25-year-old disappearance that prompted a seven-day search involving some 250 personnel from over 20 agencies. It also underscores how remote backcountry terrain can keep a missing person's fate unknown for decades.
The original search covered the Three Sisters Wilderness for seven days with some 250 personnel from over 20 agencies, and about 6,000 man-hours were logged. Formal identification awaits medical examiner confirmation, and the cause of death has not been reported.
The players
Deschutes County Sheriff's Office
The county law enforcement agency confirmed reports that Stevens found identification with the remains and is awaiting medical examiner confirmation.
Sam Stevens
A traveling physical therapist and experienced backcountry athlete who found the remains while hiking near South Sister.
Corwin Osborne
A 45-year-old adventurer who disappeared on South Sister in June 2001 while attempting to climb three peaks in one day.
The details
Osborne, 45, was attempting to climb North, Middle and South Sister in a single day when he was dropped off at the Devils Lake Trailhead by his father. Stevens had planned a 27-mile loop from Devil's Lake to Middle Sister and then South Sister when he changed course and found the remains.
Timeline
June 18, 2001: Osborne was reported overdue and missing.
October 2026: Stevens found the remains on South Sister.
November 3, 2026: The discovery was reported publicly.
Season Trajectory
The 2001 search for Corwin Osborne in the Three Sisters Wilderness, which involved some 250 personnel over seven days, left his fate unresolved for a quarter century. The discovery of remains on South Sister now closes that chapter for his family and the search teams who worked it.
Hikers planning routes in the Three Sisters Wilderness can note how a change of trail and remote terrain turned a routine outing into a discovery decades later. Carrying identification and sharing route plans with someone remains a practical habit for backcountry travel.
The takeaway
Sharing a detailed route plan and checking in with someone before a backcountry outing can make a difference if plans change. Stevens' discovery shows how a small deviation can lead to answers that searchers could not find for years.
Further reading
Explore more hiking coverage for trail safety and backcountry planning in Oregon.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Nugget Newspaper.
