McKENZIE BRIDGE, Ore. -- The search in a race against time to find a University of Oregon professor who disappeared on a hiking trip continued on Saturday.

On Friday, crews flew in to search a snowfield. An aerial view of the area identified what appeared to be footprints in the snow. However, search crews airlifted to the spot determined on Friday that the impressions in the snow were not actually footprints.

Searchers were scouring the area just north of Olallie Lake in the Three Sisters Wilderness in effort to try and locate Daming Xu, missing since last Sunday.

Family members said they don't think he took a warm coat, a cell phone, compass or even a water bottle with him on what was supposed to be just a day hike.

Rescuers flying in a National Guard helicopter spotted what they thought were footprints just before sundown Thursday. The discovery prompted a thorough aerial search of the area using heat sensitive cameras until about 10:00 p.m. A guard spokesperson said that the density of the trees made it hard for those cameras to accurately pick up heat signatures.

At least three university faculty members also joined the searchers, some on horseback.

Searchers said the region has ample water and shelter, but temperatures were expected to drop into the lower to mid-50s Friday. Rain and snow was also expected, depending on the elevation.

Hikers remembered seeing Xu Sunday

Two hikers told authorities they saw Xu at the summit of Olallie Mountain about 1:30 p.m. Sunday and talked with him briefly. They said he may have had a small backpack.

KGW photo

More searchers joined the effort Thursday.

They said he headed back down and they soon followed. His car was still in the parking lot but they said they did not see him.

Searchers found what they believe to be Xu's footprints on Tuesday afternoon and followed them until early Wednesday, when the prints ended in an area known as Bear Flat. Bear Flat is described as an open area but adjacent to steep canyons.

Xu, 63, is a mathematics and statistics professor's at U of O. His car was discovered at a trailhead on Tuesday, within the 15-mile radius where the search had been centered.

"He is pretty physically fit for 63. I mean he hikes every week, but I don't think he's that savvy when it comes to survival skills because he never has to stay out overnight or anything like that," the missing hiker's daughter, Xin Xu said.

He was due back Sunday for classes the next day. He has been at the university since 1990.

"We believe he tried to go on a longer hike just because he's out on his own without somebody slowing him down," Xin said.

The Lane County sheriff's office was leading the search effort.

The area was described as rugged but crisscrossed with trails. It is near Cougar Reservoir and the settlement of McKenzie Bridge on the edge of the Three Sisters Wilderness area.

Anyone with information that may help the search was asked to contact police at 541-682-4141.

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