New York Times investigation revives 50-year-old mountain climbing mystery with Oregon connections

In 1973, eight Americans – including four Oregonians – set out to climb the highest mountain in the Andes on an expedition organized by the Mazamas, a Portland mountaineering club. Two of those climbers never returned. The mysterious deaths of Janet Johnson and John Cooper caused a whirlwind of speculation in Argentina, which was never fully resolved. The cold case largely faded from public memory until Johnson’s camera was discovered in 2020, not far from where her body was found in 1975.

John Branch covered the camera’s discovery for The New York Times. We’ll talk with him about his investigation, which has revived this 50-year-old mystery.

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