Search and rescue volunteers rescued a pair of hikers Friday night in the Columbia River Gorge.

Around 6 p.m., on November 15, 2024, dispatchers received a text message from two hikers, reporting they were stranded in the dark on the Larch Mountain Trail. Multnomah County sheriff’s deputies and MCSOSAR certified search and rescue volunteers responded to the area to start searching for the hikers. The hikers reported they also had a dog.

Through the text message service, dispatchers were able to get the hikers’ GPS coordinates, which indicated they were approximately two miles from the trailhead at Multnomah Falls. Twenty-three certified volunteer searchers divided into teams and hiked into the area. Around 9:45 p.m., searchers located the hikers. The searchers guided the hikers, and their dog, down the trail safely. Neither the hikers nor their dog were hurt, and they walked out under their own power.

The hikers utilized Multnomah County’s Text-to-911 service because the cell phone service was too poor to make a reliable phone call.

“Text to 911 is a lifeline for those needing help and can’t make a call for safety reasons, or because they do not have strong enough cell service,” Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Public Information Officer Chris Liedle said. “The hikers, in this case, also did the right thing by staying put until rescuers arrived, which made it easier for the crews to locate them.”

The hikers also reported that there is trail damage due to a landslide on the Larch Mountain Trail about a quarter mile south of the junction of the Wahkeena Falls and Larch Mountain Trails. MCSO obtained a photo on Saturday showing the damage to about 25 feet of trail. 

The National Weather Service is forecasting heavy rain, and snow in elevations higher than 2,500 feet, starting Saturday night in the Columbia River Gorge and Cascades.

“Hikers should be careful when adventuring this time of year, especially in the Eagle Creek Fire burn scar,” Liedle continued. “Rain can increase the likelihood of landslides in these areas, causing washouts and making it difficult or dangerous to navigate.”

With the end of daylight saving time, the sun sets earlier, and MCSO would like to remind adventurers to be cognizant of when they start a hike. Forests often get darker sooner, and darkness can easily disorient even experienced hikers. 

We would like to thank Corbett Fire and MCSOSAR for their efforts in making sure these hikers were located and returned safe. MCSOSAR is the primary search and rescue resource for Multnomah County. Their certified volunteers are trained in a wide variety of skills, such as medical, survival and navigation.

Packing the Ten Essentials whenever you step into the wilderness, even on day hikes, is good practice. On a routine trip, you may not use any items, but when something goes awry, having the Ten Essentials could be essential to your survival. Please visit our search and rescue webpage for more information on the Ten Essentials for hiking and to learn more about MCSOSAR.

Image description: Photo of landslide on the Larch Mountain Trail

Image description: Search and rescue volunteer readies for deployment