A 30-year-old woman who had wandered about a mile away from her vehicle along Highway 20 several miles east of Sweet Home in winter weather was rescued Wednesday, Oregon State Police and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office reported.
According to a news release on the incident, an OSP Fish and Wildlife trooper came across the vehicle at around 9:15 a.m. Jan. 22 on a shoulder of the highway about 3 miles west of the turnoff to the Clear Lake-Belknap Springs Highway in Linn County.
Determined to be missing, the woman had for unknown reasons left the vehicle and walked up a nearby U.S. Forest Service road. Linn County Search and Rescue and an OSP Fish and Wildlife K-9 team responded to assist with the search.
The K-9 Scout tracked the woman’s location to an area about a mile from her vehicle. Troopers remained with her, built a fire and provided food and emergency blankets until search-and-rescue members arrived with a snowcat to take her back to the highway.
Sweet Home Fire Department medics then transported her to an area hospital for a medical evaluation.
“Winter weather can be unpredictable and conditions can change quickly,” Oregon State Police Captain Kyle Kennedy said through the news release. “This rescue was a great team effort and we are grateful this individual was quickly located and transported to safety.”
Officials said that while the rescue was underway, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office received two additional calls from motorists stranded on forest roads in the snow.
“This is a good reminder for motorists to always have a plan and adequate equipment if traveling or recreating in the snow,” LCSO Sheriff Michelle Duncan said. “Always let a friend or family member know your destination and carry a cellphone or rescue beacon. It’s always a good idea to keep your car winter ready with safety items such as extra blankets or warm clothing, extra food and water, a first-aid kit and other survival items.”