DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. , A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew rescued an injured hiker from a lava field near North Sister in the Three Sisters Wilderness on Sept. 5 after difficult terrain prevented ground crews from safely evacuating him.
The Coast Guard Northwest District command center learned around 4 p.m. from the Oregon Emergency Operations Center that a male hiker had injured his knee and wrist.
Ground search-and-rescue crews, including EMTs, reached the hiker and provided initial treatment. However, loose rock and steep terrain stopped a ropes team from carrying him out or setting up anchors for a rope rescue, according to the Coast Guard.
An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station North Bend arrived at about 6 p.m. The crew hoisted the hiker at around 7 p.m., even as weather conditions worsened.
The helicopter flew him to Eugene Airport, where local emergency medical services took over and transported him to Riverbend Hospital.
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“Tough mountain hoists are always a big challenge, but our helicopter crew leaned on their everyday practice to stay calm and focused,” said Lt. Cmdr. Brandon Books, a search-and-rescue pilot at Air Station North Bend. “That preparation, along with great help from our partner agencies on the ground, made it possible to lift the hiker out safely and get him the medical help he needed.”
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