3 Pacific Crest Trail hikers found OK, unaware of search

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue members on horseback Friday found three Pacific Crest Trail hikers from Spokane who were fine — and unaware the voice mail they left with the PCT Association about having lost the trail triggered a two-day search effort, deputies said.

Nevertheless, it could be a sign of a long, busy summer to come, as the movie “Wild” will prompt a wave of new hikers hitting the PCT that extends through Central Oregon.

A team of four Deschutes County SAR volunteers and three more from Lane County SAR spent Thursday looking for the the three hikers, who had left the message saying they had lost the trail in the area of Lilly Lake and needed a call back, said Deputy Jeff Winters, assistant SAR coordinator.

But attempts to call the group by phone were unsuccessful, likely due to poor cellphone coverage in the area, Winters said.

After the SAR volunteers scouted the area, it was believed the hiking group was able to reacquire the trail and continue their trek toward Elk Lake, no longer needing assistance, the deputy said.

On Friday morning, two Deschutes SAR members deployed by horseback, heading south from Elk Lake Resort on the PCT to look for the hikers.

The three, identified as Sarah Morris, Mary Zakheim and Angela Zakheim, were found on the trail about 9:30 a.m., about nine miles south of the resort, Winters said.

“The group was having no problems and was unaware their phone message had triggered any response from Search and Rescue,” Winters said in an updated news release.

The incident prompted a reminder to the public that “911 is always the best call to make when an emergency arises.”

“However, cellphone coverage in the wilderness is unreliable,” Winters wrote, “and calls for help, even through unofficial channels, are taken seriously.”

“In these cases, vague information leads to multiple scenarios that must be worked through for emergency response personnel such as Search and Rescue,” the deputy added. “Please be specific with what type of help is needed and whether or not emergency personnel are needed on scene.”