Long, busy night for search-rescue teams ends well

A long night for Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue and other area agencies ended well Friday morning as an 86-year-old fisherman missing on Wickiup Reservoir was found in good shape and an injured hiker at the bottom of the Deschutes River Canyon was raised to safety.

A total of more than 50 searchers, including many volunteers, took part in the two successful search and rescue operations that extended through the night, officials said.

First, the sheriff’s office received a mutual aid request around 6 p.m. Thursday from Jefferson County deputies to help with the removal of an injured hiker from the bottom of the canyon at Crooked River Ranch, said Lt. Scott Shelton, Deschutes County SAR coordinator.

The hiker, identified as CRR resident Nick Inman, 22, had been fishing down in the canyon with friends when he fell off a rock and injured his right leg, Shelton said.

Deputy Jeff Winters said initial information to 911 indicated Inman was in the Crooked River Gorge, but the actual location was in the Deschutes River Canyon, a short distance from the confluence of the Crooked and Deschutes rivers.

The hiker was in an area that could not be reached by air ambulance or ground teams from the Crooked River Ranch Fire Department, Shelton said.

SAR teams including ground resources, medical teams and mountain rescue team members headed to the area of Scout Camp Loop.

After darkness fell, much time was spent trying to determine if it would be best in terms of safety to remove Inman by rope rescue overnight or wait until daylight, due to the nearly 1,000-foot lift that reportedly would be required in three stages.

A total of 20 Deschutes SAR volunteers and deputies, six CRR Fire personnel and a Jefferson County deputy assisted with the rope rescue, which was concluded around 7:30 a.m., Shelton said. Inman was taken to St. Charles Redmond with non-life-threatening injuries.

Meanwhile, at about 9 p.m. Thursday, Deschutes County 911 got a call of an overdue fisherman at Wickiup Reservoir west of La Pine, Shelton said.

Deputies, marine deputies and SAR personnel responded to the area of Gull Point Campground and began a search on the shoreline and in the water by vehicle, foot and boat for the missing fisherman, identified as Don Sorenson, 86, who had set out in a 12-foot drift boat with a 5-horsepower motor late Thursday afternoon.

He last was seen in the southwest area of the reservoir around 5:30 p.m. and had failed to return to shore.

An AirLink helicopter also was dispatched late Thursday night and shined its light on the water in a search of the shoreline and water.

Around 6:30 a.m. Friday, a Deschutes County SAR ground search team spotted a drift boat matching the description of Sorenson’s and contacted him, finding he was in good condition, Winters said.

Sorenson told searchers that after dark, he had no light or way to navigate safely, so he tied his boat to a floating buoy and laid down to stay warm and out of the wind.

Sorenson said he saw the search boats and helicopter in his general area at times through the night, but had no signaling device to attract their attention, Winters said.

After sunrise, Sorenson made his way to the shoreline, where he was located. He headed home after the contact with searchers.

A total of 32 personnel from the sheriff’s office took part in that search.

We’ll have more details as they are made available and a report tonight on NewsChannel 21 at Five and Six.