Portland solo hiker rescued near South Sister

A 35-year-old Portland woman who apparently fell several times and became disoriented during a solo hike Monday in the Three Sisters Wilderness Area encountered a fellow hiker who called for help, prompting a rescue effort that took several hours, officials said.

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue got a call around 9:20 a.m. Tuesday from a hiker south of Green Lake who said he had come across a hiker, identified as Keya Mitra, who was “wandering around” the area of the Green Lakes campsites, said Lt. Bryan Husband.

Mitra told him she had been hiking alone in the South Sister area on Monday and had fallen several times, becoming disoriented and walking in the area through the night.

Husband said the fellow hiker was worried about her condition and agreed to stay with her until SAR crews arrived.

A total of 14 DCSO SAR volunteers were activated and arrived at the Green Lakes Trailhead around 11:15 a.m. While there, volunteers contacted a man who had just arrived – Mitra’s boyfriend, Alan Luik of Seattle.

Luik said Mitra had called her family around 7 p.m. Monday, saying all was going well and she’d call back by 10 p.m., When she failed to call, the family got in touch with Luik, who drove down and was preparing to search for Mitra when he met the SAR volunteers.

Husband noted that neither Luik nor Mitra’s family had contacted law enforcement.

SAR volunteers hiked about 4.3 miles, packing a wheeled litter, arriving at Mitra’s location around 12:45 p.m. They assessed her condition and reported back, prompting a decision to take her by wheeled litter to the Green Lakes trailhead to be evaluated by Sunriver Fire Department personnel.

The SAR volunteers arrived at the trailhead around 3:40 p.m., and Sunriver medics then brought her to St. Charles Bend for further evaluation.

The lieutenant said some details of Mitra’s planned hiking excursion Monday still were not fully known. She had a day pack with her, but did not intend to stay overnight in the wilderness. It’s not known if she had the “10 Essentials for Wilderness Survival,” which includes sources for navigation, sun protection, insulation, illumination, first-aid supplies, fire, repair kit/tools, nutrition, hydration and emergency shelter.

The SAR official encouraged people recreating in the wilderness “not to do so alone if possible.”

“Always include friends or family members in your recreating plans,” Husband’s news release concluded, “and ensure they know to call the appropriate law enforcement agency, in case of an emergency.”