One of my favorite day hikes in Central Oregon is the Tumalo Creek Loop, about 10 miles west of Bend.
But it is easy to get turned around in that area and lost. This hiker avoided a survival situation by using common sense and staying put when he realized he was lost.
Here is the report from the local Search and Rescue team:
DESCHUTES COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SEARCH AND RESCUE SEARCH FOR MISSING HIKER NEAR TUMALO FALLS
Released Date: 10/11/2022
Location: Tumalo Falls
Person Assisted: 55 year old male, Bend, Oregon
On 10-10-22 at about 8:59 PM, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office deputies received a call of an overdue hiker. The reporting person used a find my phone application to determine that the missing subject parked his vehicle at the Tumalo Falls Trailhead.
Deputies responded to the area and checked some trails around Tumalo Falls. A deputy in the Special Services division was contacted and advised of the situation. The Special Services Deputy paged out Search and Rescue volunteers to respond and search for the missing male.
Searchers checked multiple trails on foot throughout the night and into the following day. Searchers were showing other hikers in the area a picture of the missing male and asking people to call if they saw the male.
At about 11:10 AM, another hiker in the area called to report that they had located the male walking down a trail towards Tumalo Falls Parking area. Searchers responded to the area and contacted the missing hiker, who confirmed that he had lost his way as it got dark, so he sheltered in place over night and then began walking out the following morning. The male was escorted back to his vehicle in the parking lot.
Lessons learned:
Please click here to check out and subscribe to the SurvivalCommonSense.com YouTube channel – thanks!
Leave a Reply