Sisters woman, brother rescued from Three Fingered Jack
Linn County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue and deputies were completing a nearly day-long rescue Monday of a Sisters woman and her older brother who lost their way in the fog during a climb of Three Fingered Jack in the Cascades.
Linn County Sheriff Bruce Riley said 911 dispatchers got a call just before 5 p.m. Sunday from two climbers saying they lost their way in the fog and were stuck on a rock face, unable to get out on their own.
The climbers were identified as 21- year-old Mikayla Jean Duvenik of Sisters, and her brother, 25- year-old Charles “Justin” Duvenik of Ashland.
The pair, both experienced climbers, were summiting the 7,844-foot peak when conditions became foggy. They got disoriented and became stuck on a rock face, unable to descend on their own any further. Visibility was near zero, Riley said.
The two were able to get cellphone service at their location, which allowed them to call for help.
As Linn County Search and Rescue members responded, deputies were able to contact the two hikers several times by phone through the night. The hikers were cold and concerned about hypothermia. With the assistance of the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, the deputies were able to pinpoint their location through their cellphone.
At 11:26 p.m. Sunday, SAR teams were able to locate the climbers’ flashing light. At 1:25 a.m. Monday, Corvallis Mountain Rescue was able to make contact with the hikers and worked on getting blankets, food and water into them.
Linn County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue coordinated with the Oregon Army National Guard to airlift Mikayla off the mountain, as she may have sustained an injury to her shoulder, Riley said. She was evaluated by medics and was not taken to the hospital.
Riley said late Monday morning that search and rescue teams were guiding Justin, who is uninjured, out on foot and they should be out of the area in a few hours.
The Linn County Sheriff’s Office thanked Corvallis and Eugene Mountain Rescue, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, Oregon Army National Guard, Sisters Fire Department and Deschutes County Mounted Posse for their assistance in rescuing the pai.
