OBITUARY:

Nicholas J. Wells (Nick), a technology professional and veteran trail runner, died Oct. 21 in a backcountry accident in the Columbia River Gorge. He was 33 years old.

Nick was Trust and Safety Policy Manager for PicsArt Inc., a photo and editing software app, since 2020 and was a senior trust and safety investigator for AirBNB for six years until May 2020. He was married to Amber Baggenstos and lived in Camas, Washington.

Nick was born August 29, 1989 in Marin County, California to James and Dottie Wells, the youngest child of three and the only son. He grew up in Ross, California, earned his Eagle Scout honors and graduated from Redwood High School in 2008.

He attended the University of Oregon, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 2012. While in Eugene, he joined the university’s club swimming team and triathlon team, competing around the country. Nick then began exploring open water swimming in the San Francisco Bay, and competed in challenging events such as 1.5 mile Escape from Alcatraz swim and the demanding 10 kilometer swim from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge in 2011, where he placed second.

Nick began exploring running on Mount Tamalpais and soon entered major endurance events, completing the Vineman Ironman Triathlon in Sonoma County, the New York and San Francisco marathons and other high profile races. During his time in Portland, Nick joined the trail running community and began focusing on major backcountry ultra running and races. He completed the Mount Hood 50 Mile run in 2017, the Mountain Lakes 100 mile run in 2019 and the Oregon Cascades 100 mile run in August 2022 and many other Pacific Northwest endurance races.  

Nick and Amber married in October 2021 in Sonoma, a joyous celebration that brought together family members and friends from all across the country. Nick was a much beloved member of his extended family, the Portland running community, and many different friendship circles over the years.

Nick is survived by his wife, Amber; his parents, James and Dottie Wells of Bend, Oregon; sisters Heather and Megan Wells of Bend; and uncles, aunts, and cousins in Oregon, California, Maryland, Washington, Massachusetts and North Carolina. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to "Go Beyond Racing" and "Trailkeepers of Oregon" (Please note: In honor of Nicholas Wells).

THE WELLS FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING:

• Support from all of Nick's friends and family
• Hood River County Sheriff's Department - especially, Detective Caitlin Plese and Deputy Chris Guertin
• Hood River County's Medical Examiner - Dr. Christopher Vantilburg
• Hood River County's Media - Sergeant Joel Ives
• Hood River County and State of Oregon's Search and Rescue team
• Hood River Crag Rats: https://youtu.be/Rwedw1py1Uk

NEWS & MEDIA COVERAGE:

• Press Release:

  SEARCHERS LOCATE MISSING CAMAS MAN'S BODY AT BOTTOM OF 80-FOOT CLIFF IN GORGE 

  Nick Wells, 33, was reported missing Friday evening after failing to return home from a run on the Pacific Crest Trail near Cascade Locks

  October 23, 2022

  A Camas man who went missing on Friday, Oct. 21, after going for a run on the Pacific Crest Trail on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge, has been found dead.

  According to the Hood River County (Oregon) Sheriff’s Office, search-and-rescue workers discovered the body of Nicholas Wells, 33, at the bottom of an 80-foot cliff around 1 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 23.

  Wells’ wife reported her husband missing on Friday evening, after he stopped responding to her calls and texts. Wells reportedly went for his run on the PCT near Cascade Locks, Oregon, on Friday morning and was in contact with his wife throughout the day — telling her at one point that he had lost the trail, but had then found it again, according to a news release from the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office.

  Search teams, including the Hood River Crag Rats and Pacific Northwest Search & Rescue, searched along the Pacific Crest Trail and Ruckel Creek Trail throughout the night on Friday, using cell phone data obtained from Wells’ phone carrier, but could not locate the missing man.

  “Fresh search teams … bolstered by additional personnel from Portland Mountain Rescue and Clackamas Search and Rescue,” a Blackhawk helicopter provided by the Oregon Air National Guard and a Hood River County Sheriff’s Office aircraft, continued to search for Wells on Saturday morning, the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release.

  “Due to the terrain, the cell phone tower data was not able to provide a narrow search location, and soon searchers were working both the Pacific Crest and Ruckel Creek trails, a wide search area,” the sheriff’s office reported.

  Using new cell phone location information provided by Wells’ family late Saturday evening, the search-and-rescue workers were able to find Wells’ body at the bottom of a cliff about one mile from Interstate 84 at 1 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 23. 

  On Sunday, workers recovered Wells’ body and brought his remains to a nearby funeral home.

  “Our hearts go out to the family of Nick Wells,”  the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office stated Monday in a news release, “and on their behalf we ask for privacy as they grieve their tragic loss.”

• DropBox File Link to News & Media Coverage: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0zz582c8cpvlhi3/AAB6iX5rdfMVZ4ITbtKL4rP9a?dl=0