Authorities are planning a rescue operation for two hikers who are presumably still alive, after their third companion has been found dead in Mt. Hood, Oregon.

Rescue efforts are hampered by avalanche warnings, however, and cannot be carried out immediately.

The three hikers reportedly started their ascent of Mt. Hood last Friday at about 1 a.m. PT. What was planned to be only a “semi-technical” climb turned awry when the sheriff’s office received a call at about 10 p.m. PT the same day, saying that the three hikers went missing.

Preliminary rescue operations followed what was presumably the hike path of the three hikers, and found the body of 26-year-old Luke T. Gullberg, one of the missing hikers.

The other two hikers, Katie Nolan, 29, and Anthony Vietti, 24, are still missing, although authorities are still harboring hopes that the two are still alive.

“We have reason to believe one of the two missing hikers has a bivvy sack, kind of like a lightweight sleeping bag,” said Deputy Scott Meyers of Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. “The female hiker is fairly well prepared for this climb — she did have some stuff to warm up with.”

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