Two Philomath-area men in their 20s were rescued from South Sister on Wednesday evening after one of the hikers developed a medical issue and became mildly hypothermic, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office reported.
The Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue unit received the call for help at 4:45 p.m. April 22. The two men, who were not identified by the sheriff’s office, had driven from the Philomath area to hike the mountain and parked at Dutchman Flat at the base of Mt. Bachelor. They were descending when they called for help, the agency reported.
Thirteen volunteers from the SAR Medical and Mountain Rescue teams reached the hikers at 8:25 p.m. One hiker was able to walk out without assistance, officials said, while the second was warmed up by SAR medical personnel and transported in a Cascade rescue sled, a specialized litter used to evacuate injured or incapacitated patients over snow and rough terrain.
The sheriff’s office reported that crews navigated deep, variable snow during the descent and arrived at Cascade Lakes Highway with the hikers at 3:45 a.m. Thursday. One hiker was transferred to a Bend Fire and Rescue ambulance for further evaluation. The other was taken to his vehicle.
The law enforcement agency reminded hikers to plan ahead and carry plenty of food, water and proper clothing. Despite spring-like weather at lower elevations, conditions in the higher Cascades can change rapidly, particularly as the sun sets and temperatures drop.
South Sister, at 10,358 feet, is the third-tallest peak in Oregon.
