Three missions in 12 hours for Deschutes Co. SAR

The warm, sunny first Sunday of September was another busy one for Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue crews, who rescued two lost or injured hikers and an injured mountain biker within a 12-hour period, the last after darkness fell.

The final incident of the day began around 8 p.m., Deschutes County 911 received a call requesting help for Kathleen Rodosevich, 67, of Prineville, who was experiencing medical issues while descending on the South Sister hiking trail, said sheriff’s Deputy Liam Klatt.

The party was not equipped for an overnight stay on the mountain and called for assistance, he said.

Rodosevich, her husband and another family member had set out Sunday morning to hike to the summit of the 10,358-foot peak, a popular journey.

On their way down after reaching the summit, Rodosevich began experiencing medical problems. They made it to an area about a mile above Moraine Lake before she was unable to continue, prompting the 911 call.

A nearby U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer responded initially to the call and headed up the trail.

Eight Deschutes County SAR volunteers responded to the call, and an AirLink helicopter crew flew two members to the woman’s location, then took her to St. Charles Bend for treatment.

The other family members walked out with the SAR team and Forest Service office, returning to the trailhead without further incident, Klatt said.

The day’s first mission began around 11:40 a.m., county 911 dispatchers got a call from Christine Bruce-Aijian, 56, of Klamath Falls, who had lost the trail while hiking through a burned-out section south of Mt. Washington, Klatt said.

Bruce-Aijian said she had tried to find the trail along the edge of the lava flow near Belknap Crater, but was unsuccessful. Rather than venture out across the lava flow in hopes of finding the PCT, which crosses it, she hiked up a ridge line just south of Mt. Washington until she got cellphone reception and called 911 to ask for help.

Klatt said the woman had proper clothing and gear for backpacking in the area, including a proper map. However, he said, she neglected to bring a compass or GPS device, which made the task of navigating the off-trail terrain harder than she was willing to accept.

GPS coordinates obtained from the first 911 call were used to lead three SAR volunteers to Bruce-Aijian, who when found was in good health and very grateful for the assistance, Klatt said.

The hiker was escorted back to the SAR vehicle and given a lift to the PCT junction near the Dee Wright Observatory on Highway 242 west of Sisters, to continue her hike.

The second Around 1:17 p.m. 911 dispatchers got a report of an injured mountain biker on Kent’s Trail, about 2 1/5 miles west of the main parking lot at Phil’s Trailhead, Klatt said.

Mike Chesney, 53, of Bend, had been involved in a bike crash and was seeking help because he was unable to walk out to the parking lot.

Bend Fire Department medics asked Deschutes County SAR to assist with the call, so six SAR volunteers responded to the scene, Klatt said.

After arriving at the crash location, the SAR team assessed Chesney’s injuries, then took him down to the parking lot on a wheeled litter. An ambulance crew took the man to St. Charles Bend with non-life-threatening injuries, Klatt said, adding that Chesney was wearing a helmet at the time.